Deliverance

“Deliver me, O LORD, from evil men … they continually gather together for war. They sharpen their tongues like a serpent; the poison of asps is under their lips … The proud have hidden a snare for me.” – Psalm 140:1-5 NKJV

David faced many kinds of adversaries. They all were “evil men” but acted in different ways. Some gathered against him, planning violence and causing physical harm.

Some engaged in a different kind of conflict: a war of words, with wounds acting like a kind of poison, seeping deep into his heart and mind. Some of their words were seductive temptations, encouraging him to respond in ways that were wrong, counterproductive, and might tarnish his testimony.

Some looked for ways to make him stumble, encouraging him to make mistakes. Others hid snares for him, traps designed to confuse him, lead him astray, form the wrong kind of alliances, and encourage attraction to the wrong places.

What is amazing is that God could help David fight against all these people and situations. In himself, David felt weak and vulnerable. But he recognized that God could provide the strength he needed and protect him “in the day of battle” (v. 7). He could trust God to give him wisdom and discernment to recognize the kind of adversaries he faced and the best way to respond. And he could trust that God would vindicate him.

What kind of adversaries do you face? Learn from David. Call on God. Ask Him for discernment and the protection you need. Don’t respond in your own strength, but call on God. Seek the discernment of the Holy Spirit. Be guided by the principles in His Word

Reflection Question: Reflect on a time when God delivered you from your adversaries.