Reading: Psalm 18
(Verses 30-36)
As for God, his way is perfect:
The LORD’s word is flawless;
he shields all who take refuge in him.
For who is God besides the LORD?
And who is the Rock except our God?
It is God who arms me with strength
and keeps my way secure.
He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
he causes me to stand on the heights.
He trains my hands for battle;
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
You make your saving help my shield,
and your right hand sustains me;
your help has made me great.
You provide a broad path for my feet,
so that my ankles do not give way (NIV).
Statue of King David, Jerusalem — photo by Lois Morrow
Reflection
There’s a principle of biblical interpretation that goes something like this: The natural comes first, and then comes the spiritual. We can see this illustrated in Paul’s comparison of the first man, Adam, with the new man, Christ, in 1 Corinthians 15. Similarly, the natural Kingdom of Israel is replaced in the New Testament by the spiritual Kingdom of God, which has no physical or geographic boundaries.
In David’s time natural Israel had borders, which needed to be defended from attack by flesh and blood enemies that were only too eager take advantage of any perceived weakness. In the same way today, the church and every born-again believer must be on guard, because Satan and his demons are lying in wait, ready to attack.
Yes, Virginia, there is a Devil. And he has marked you as his target. He has spiritual murder as his top priority—your murder. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8).
But God did not leave David or natural Israel defenceless. The LORD provided His matchless word and His impenetrable shield of faith against the foes attack. Furthermore, there was strength for the battle. David declares, “It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure… He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze.”
This portion of Psalm 18 has its New Testament spiritual counterpart in Ephesians 6:10-17, where Paul the apostle, calls us as spiritual warriors to put on the armor of God. Like David, we are in a battle.
Response: Heavenly Father, help me to fight the good fight. Today, I put on the armor of God to fight the attacks of the enemy. Give me your strength in Jesus name. Amen.
Your Turn: How does Satan try to bring you down? What weapons are you using to counter his attacks?
I love the Psalms 
Reblogged this on Talmidimblogging.
Thanks for sharing, Vincent, and God bless your week.
You’re very welcome David and likewise my friend
I heard a sermon on this yesterday. Satan, the devil, the accuser, the liar, whatever you call him, is very much alive and active. He is bent on taking control of our souls. He doesn’t love us. He doesn’t even like us. He’s just trying to steal us from God. I am saddened to see that most folks 40% don’t believe the devil exists.. We need to look at this enemy as our adversary and realize that he still has much power – even though he’s been defeated by Jesus. If we ignore his presence, we’re letting our guard down and allowing him to do his dirtiest work.
You are so right, Kathy. The devil is at work. Are we alert and at work for the Lord?
We can never match what he does, but he still has great things planned for us 😊😊
I wrote a book titled, Zoose Empowered. Zoose is a special angel sent from God to earth for a particular purpose. His Mission was to destroy evil in the heart of a youth named John Paul.
As the story unfolds,, the battle between good and evil is told. God’s Angel’s and Satan’s demons battle for control. The book is available online in both hard copy and e book format.
The book is fiction but many of its truths are real. It entertains while at the same time shows that we always have to aware of the unseen world around us.
Author
Joyce Hum
Yes, the battle is very real. Thanks for sharing, Joyce.
We don’t emphasize the battles go on in the spirit world enough. Our battlefields are not so much in the natural and our weapons are not worldly. 2 Cor 10:4-5 is a shield that can never be lowered. “4 For the weapons of our warfare are not those of the world Instead, they have the power of God to demolish fortresses. We tear down arguments 5 and every proud obstacle that is raised against the knowledge of God, taking every thought captive in order to obey the Messiah.” (ISV)
So true, Wally. I couldn’t agree more.