Faith Always Fights Back
Wednesday (October 8)
Faith Always Fights Back
Psalm 9:1
I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.
I’m convinced that one of the enemy’s most potent weapons against our minds is the javelin of forgetfulness. And he wields it in two ways: first, he swamps our minds with thoughts of the enormity of Goliath, focusing our eyes on the size of the battle and the strength of the opponent and the solidness of the weaponry, so that we forget how many giants just like these God has already given us victory over. And if he fails in that first thrust, his second is to bombard our minds with thoughts that the little stone in our sling won’t cut it this time, that this new and improved Goliath has impenetrable armor, and that his helmet is made of stronger material, and that he won’t be taken off guard like the last one was, obfuscating the truth that this is the LORD’s battle, not ours.
But David shows us from Psalm 9:1 that our shield against such attacks is remembrance. If we recount God’s wonderful deeds rather than focusing on our own limitations, recalling to mind that all Goliaths, whether they be ten feet tall or ten thousand, are miniscule to an infinite God, then Satan’s attacks, even if they bruise us, cannot pierce us. When the devil whispers in your ear something like, “Give up—you’re far too weak! You got lucky before—and you know it was all luck—but you can’t expect God to come to your aid again!” recount the words of your LORD Who said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you!” When the devil urges you to throw in the towel and gets you all depressed thinking that you’ve got no purpose anymore, remember that you felt exactly the same way yesterday, and a week ago, and ten years ago, when God suddenly enraptured you with that new vision or that new relationship or that new ministry. When the devil mocks you and says that God has abandoned you, recount all those gloomy days spent in depression or addiction, when Christ found you at your darkest, and should’ve left you there, but instead reached down with wounded hands to redeem your life from the pit!
Remembrance. That’s how you block the enemy’s thrusts, friend. Oh, but thanksgiving is how you fight back!