Strength from on High

“Awesome is God from his sanctuary; the God of Israel—he is the one who gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God” (Psalm 68:35)!

David declared that God would arise and scatter his enemies. Did you know that when you serve God, that anyone who makes you an enemy, has made God an enemy? David said that those who hate God would flee before him. Some people who hate you, actually hate the God in you. ““Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account” (Matthew 5:11). Jesus’s encouragement is to rejoice, because they have long persecuted the prophets of old. People hated prophets because they were God’s messengers.

You may not be a prophet, but you carry the mark of Jesus Christ. You can anticipate being hated by the devil and his agents. Who are the agents of the devil? Anyone who is not fully surrendered and submitted to God, who allow themselves to be used by him. Remember that even saints can be used by the devil and not everyone who professes Christ are actually his children. “As smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away; as wax melts before fire, so the wicked shall perish before God” (Psalm 68:2)! God has a reward for the wicked. They are driven away like grass, stubble or smoke.

“But the righteous shall be glad; they shall exult before God; they shall be jubilant with joy” (Psalm 68:3)! God also has a reward for his children and the outcome is the opposite of what the wicked receive. The righteous will be glad and rejoice when God causes us to triumph. Challenges are hard and persecution does not feel good, but God is our strength. He is our present help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1). Our strength will not fail us and we declare that we are strong because God is with us. We don’t operate in our own strength, but the strength of the Lord of host.

“The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah” (Psalm 46:11). Have you ever had an older brother, sister, cousin or friend step in to defend you in a fight? God also steps in to defend his children and he gives strength to the weak. “He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength” (Isaiah 40:29). Remember to wait in the presence of the Lord, so that your strength can be renewed like eagles.

A.P.-Y.

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