Surrounded

Like an old western cowboy movie, there are times in our lives when we have to circle the wagons as protection against an imminent attack. We know from previous movie experience that the good guys usually win and find a way to avoid destruction, but can we do the same? We feel surrounded by the enemy, and there seems no way out.  We are truly about to face or are in the middle of facing our worst fears, our biggest enemies. 

This is real life folks, not a movie. People reading this blog are under various forms of attack whether it be spiritual, emotional or transitional from a state of chaos to a state of sobriety. No doubt the devil is constantly attempting to defeat us, using any method at his disposal to block us from succeeding. Call it what you want, it is a real every day challenge.

That's the bad news, now here is the good. While reading some Psalms the other day to comfort my spirit, I came upon these words in Psalm 118:

"All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of the Lord I cut them off.
       They surrounded me on every side, but in the name of the Lord I cut them off.
              They swarmed around me like bees, but they died out as quickly as burning thorns; in the name of the Lord I cut them off."

Of course I thought about this for a day or two but I think I get it now. We see his solution, he calls on the name of our Lord to save him, and truly that is the only way out of most desperate situations. But notice how many times he has to call on him before the attack subsides, and in the last one the devil sent a swarm after him, the biggest attack yet. But he kept calling out to the one who could save him until it was over.

The Psalmist added these words following those: "I was pushed back and about to fall, but the Lord helped me."

Here's our problem, we surrender too easily. Things get too hard. We forget that God is a God of endurance, perseverance and a keeper of His word. Bees can sting the you know what out of you, but He has the salve to heal. How many of us have been just about ready to fall and then the Lord comes along to rescue us because we kept calling on Him?

We were surrounded we thought by the enemy, but in fact we were surrounded by his angels ready to lift us out of the wagon circle to place us on a solid rock. Next time this happens remember that in the name of the Lord you can cut anything off that comes against you! 

But you might have to ask him more than once.