In the Presence of My Enemies

This post was written as part of the FaithfulBloggers.com writing project on Psalms 23. Everyone who decided to participate had to choose a verse. I chose verse 5. I hope that this post will be a blessing to you.

I love this verse. I understand it well. I have had the misfortune of dealing with an enemy or an attack of the enemy, a time or two in my lifetime. Perhaps you have as well. So did Jesus and the Disciples. As followers of Christ we should expect to experience the same persecution that our Lord did. In fact we are told to expect it. In Matthew 10:22 the Lord tells us “And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake; but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.” As a matter of fact, we all have a mutual enemy in Satan who seeks to steal, kill and destroy us. John 10:10.

Yes. Just as abundance, peace, grace and so many other wonderful blessings are bestowed upon us as believers, we also have to deal with the persecution that also comes with being a believer. It never feels good to experience it. And while we tend to be, it isn’t even something we should be surprised about. After all, we have been warned.

However, even greater than being warned God has reminded us that no matter what we are going through He is there. When times are hard and it feels like the world is falling in around us; He is there. When others bear false witness against us; He is there. When Satan brings sickness upon us; He is there. Through all of the attacks of the enemy no matter how they may come, He is there. We are never alone in our pain and suffering. God is always there to comfort and protect us from our enemies. Satan seeks to destroy us. To sift us like wheat. But God said no.

That’s why I love this verse the way that I do because it perfectly illustrates this.

Yes! Even though the enemy is camped out on every side God is present and providing for us in our most darkest hour, blessing us with His perfect peace and comfort. Satan and his minions try to rob us of all the blessings and comforts that God has laid before us as believers. He whispers evil things into our ears to strike fear in our hearts. But, when we make up our minds to keep close to God by staying in prayer, reading His Word daily, and keeping our thoughts on the Lord, and not on the schemes of the enemy, we stay in perfect peace. Right before my very eyes, with evil all around me, God lays before me a feast of His blessings, that I may partake of His peace and blessings, and be made full of His love and comfort.

God fills us daily with the Holy Spirit to comfort us and give us the strength we need as we pray for His help daily. Through the Holy Spirit “the comforter” God gives us the grace we need not only to survive, but withstand the attacks and temptations of the enemy. I am a marked woman. God has touched me and marked me as His child through the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Because of this there is no one who can rob me of all that God has for me. My God protects me always.

God gives us so much that it’s running over! We can’t even contain all of His blessings for us. Sometimes we are so busy worrying about what we don’t have or listening to the lies the enemy uses to keep us discontent and miserable, that we forget all that God has already given us and continues to give us every single day. We are so blessed! So much so that we can’t even fully comprehend it or contain it. It’s so beautiful and amazing.

Job 14:1 tells us that “Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble.”

That is very true. Yet in the mist of those few and troublesome days stands our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who died so that we might live. The One who defeated the enemy so that we have through Him, the victory.

God bless you,

Haneefah Turner

As a special bonus to my readers I am adding a beautiful rendition of Psalm 23 for you to listen to at the end of this post. It is by Christian Harpist Jeff Majors. The song is simply titled “Psalm 23.” This version is from his album Sacred .I love it. I think that you will too.