Enemy

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Psalm 79:1 The Enemy Is Infiltrating

O God, the nations have come into Your inheritance; Your holy temple they have defiled; they have laid Jerusalem in heaps. Psalm 79:1

In battles between two nations, there is often one that rises above the other. The enemy will sometimes be able to infiltrate the nation and cause destruction in order to break down the nation and win the battle. Once the enemy is inside the borders of another nation, it is very difficult to push them back out. It takes extraordinary strength and power to remove the enemy once inside the borders.

Asaph calls out to God to tell Him that the foreign nations have crossed into Jerusalem and defiled the temple and destroyed Jerusalem.

The goal of the enemy is to infiltrate and take over the opposition. In the process there is often a lot of damage done. The more the enemy can break down the target, the stronger they will become.

The world is an enemy to God and to His followers. Satan wants to infiltrate and destroy the lives of believers and their faith in any way that he can. Many churches and believers have let down their guard and allowed the enemy to get in and defile God’s holy temple.

Believers are to be the holy temple of God, where God dwells, yet, they have allowed sin to come in and reign in their lives. Rejection of God’s word as the solid foundation of truth has been accepted. Sin has become acceptable and even promoted inside the church defiling the temple of God, both as an institution and in the individual believer’s hearts.

Believers need to cry out to God in repentance and seek God’s mercy upon their lives as they turn from sin and allow God to push the enemy back out of His holy temple.

Any time you choose to sin, you allow the enemy to infiltrate God’s holy temple and defile it. You are to be the holy temple, the dwelling place of God that has been cleansed of all sin for God’s glory.

Put on the full armor of God and fight against the enemy that wars against your soul. Allow God to be the only One to dwell inside of your life and do not defile His temple with sin. Do not allow sin to reign in your life, but have God to be the one on the throne of your heart.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will be the holy temple in which God dwells; that God will give you strength to resist the enemy of your soul; and that God will reign in your life.

Picture by Peter Herrmann on Unsplash

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Psalm 61:3 A Strong Tower

For You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy. Psalm 61:3

For many centuries nations would build strong towers around the cities or castles for protection against their enemies. These towers would provide a safe place for the people that would be easy to defend and difficult to attack. Only with the invention of greater weapons have people forgotten the value of a strong tower and are no longer relying upon strong towers to protect them. Now people rely upon their money or things that they have or have done to protect them and give them security.

David says tells God that He has been a shelter and a strong tower for him.

Strong, tall towers provide a lot for a person, nation or city. At the minimum, they can provide a barrier from the enemy’s attacks. It will slow down or stop the enemy from attacks.

Along with the protection as a safe shelter, a tower will also provide the ability to see further out. Going along the top of a tower, raises one up to be able to see the enemy approaching from a distance, giving one a chance to prepare for defense.

Although the world has relied upon physical towers for protection, believers can rely upon God as a shelter and strong tower. Abiding in God allows God to reveal what the enemy is doing from a distance by His Holy Spirit. Spiritual eyes can be opened to see and understand what the world is preparing to do.

Having faith in God as one’s tower, will also protect one from the fiery darts of the enemy. No enemy can get through to a believer without the permission of God, He is the shelter and protector–a strong tower.

The world is out to destroy you, if you are a believer. The world will try to attack you in many different ways. In yourself, you do not have the strength nor power to protect yourself from the attacks of the world. Make God your shelter and strong tower.

Allow God to be the One who protects you and is a shelter to give you a place to rest. Rely upon His abilities to keep you safe from the enemy’s attacks. He is more faithful and stronger than anything this world can offer you and will give you victory in the end that will last for eternity.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will run to God as your strong tower; that you will know you can find shelter and safety in God; that you will see God’s hand of protection upon your life; and that you will abide in Christ Jesus forever.

Picture by Bob van Aubel on Unsplash

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2 Chronicles 20:21 Sing Praise Going Into Battle

After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: “Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.” 2 Chronicles 20:21

For many people, going into battle is a time of fear and trembling. No one really does not know if they are going to survive the battle or not. It is often dangerous in various ways. The level of fear increases if the enemy is larger and more powerful in appearance.

Going into battle against Ammon and Moab, Jehoshaphat had some men lead the army of Judah with singing of praises to God. They were giving thanks to God and proclaiming that His love lasts forever.

Battles are a part of life for every person. Most battles are not ones of physical fighting, as the army of Judah were fighting, but battles of the mind and soul.

The enemy of every person is the devil, who is out seeking whom he can kill and destroy. His number one focus is against believers, striving to get them to sin against God.

Often the devil looks very large and dangerous. It appears that there is no way to win the battle and that one will fail. Many will run away in fear or give into the desires of the world.

Instead of giving into the world and devil, believers need to turn their focus upon God and sing praise to Him as the march into the battlefield. When giving God praise, the believer is putting His trust in God and not focusing on how large and dangerous the enemy may be. God will give the victory, when He is given the praise and thanks.

The world is out to destroy you and turn you away from God. It is a battle for your soul. Going into battle may is never easy nor fun, but with God all things are possible.

Do not allow yourself to focus upon what the enemy looks like, but put your mind upon God. Give God praise for who He is. Give God thanks for what He has done in your past. Give God thanks for what He will do. Remember His great love for you. Then trust God to give you the victory over the enemy of your soul as you go into battle each day.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will continually sing praises to God; that you will give thanks to God; that you will know His great love for you; and that you will see God give victory over the enemy of your soul.