BEHOLD THE LOVE OF GOD
By Pastor Jim May
Oh how sweet it is to taste victory and to know the feeling of deliverance from the snares of the devil! What Satan meant for good, God has turned around to be a blessing.
Which of us has not had to fight a battle with the devil? Not one can escape his raging fury as he does his best to destroy our eternal soul, but praise God we are still here, and we will not suffer defeat for God is our refuge.
King David had been on the run for a long time from his enemies, especially King Saul. Saul had lost out with God, even consorting with the witch at Endor, instead of seeking after God. The anointing was gone. Ichabod was written across the doorposts of his heart and soul. His days were numbered but he wasn’t going to go away quietly. He would fight for his throne until the last breath left his body.
But the battle was finally done. Saul was dead and now David could rise to be the King that God had anointed him to be. It was at this time that David began to sing his song of victory. His heart was full and his soul was at peace, and he knew that this was the time that he had waited for so long.
Are you facing your enemy right now? Do you feel as though the devil has been chasing you, like a bloodhound on your trail, and you are just staying one short step ahead of him?
Cheer up my friend. Lift up your head! Your redemption draweth nigh! Your victory is assured. The battle is yours. You’re a born again, blood washed, Child of the Most High God and He will not allow you to be destroyed.
God’s love for you knows no bounds. He fills your life with blessings and watches over you as though you were the only person alive who He loved. His every thought is good toward you and God wants to pour out a blessing on you that you can’t contain.
Let’s look at the song of praise that David sang and let’s make it our own anthem of praise to our Great God!
Psalms 18:2-6, "The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me. In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears."
David knew the source of his strength! God is David’s foundation and his fortress, and He is mine too. I hope that you think of God as your answer too.
When the enemies of my soul seem to surround me on every side, I run to the Rock! I cast myself upon the Rock of my salvation! Jesus is that Rock. He is my foundation. He is my fortress of strength, power and protection. He is ever by my side, and I pray that I never leave His side.
Oh, sometimes it seems that the enemy just might get the best of me. As I look around I see all of the effects of sin in the heart of man. I see the divorce rate climb as Satan destroys the love between a husband and wife. I see the children as they are left abandoned and hurting in a home without love. I see newborn babies as they are cast aside like so much garbage. I see the heart of man as he continually seeks after nothing but evil.
All of these things and so much more enter into my mind, into my heart and into my spirit and sometimes I wonder, how long Oh Lord? How much longer will you hold back your hand of judgment against mankind and against America? How much more will the innocent have to suffer for the sins of their fathers? How many more souls will have to die and go to a devil’s hell before you come and put a stop to all of this madness?
The sorrow of sin and the pain of death and suffering are almost overwhelming. If it were not for our faith in God and our knowledge that all things are under his control, how terrible this world of sin would be!
My continual cry is, God save my loved ones! Save my friends! Save them all, please God! But I know, even before I pray that not all will come to Christ! The pain of knowing that many of the people I meet on a daily basis, will one day spend eternity in the Lake of Fire is almost more than I can bear! I pray that God never removes the compassion for the “lost”, but I sometimes get to the place where I just have to try to stop thinking about it for a while.
When I think of the people who have come through the doors of the church and who no longer come, I begin to be heavy with grief. I know that so many of them, having heard the Word of God, having tasted of the goodness of His mercy and grace, having known the presence of the Lord, have turned their backs on God and, unless a miracle comes to them, they too will spend eternity in the flames. That’s a thought that saddens me so greatly.
In those times of sadness, grief and distress I am so thankful that I can call upon the Lord to comfort my soul. If it were not for his grace and mercy, those thoughts and feelings would overwhelm me.
Sometimes, in our own spirit we feel like we just can’t make it another step. When I’ve said all I can say, prayed as much as I know how, and yet the answer has not come, I cry unto the Lord, for I need to hear His voice. I can’t live without Jesus! I can’t sleep without Jesus! I can’t breath without His breath in me! I can’t function without his blessing – and I cry out to him in my despair and He hears my cry! Thank God, Jesus hears my cry! Thank God, my Father is always there, always listening, and even when I don’t see the answer, I know its on the way.
David used some colorful expressions in describing the way that God came to him to answer his prayers. Let’s look at them.
Psalms 18:7-14, "Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth. There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet. And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind. He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies. At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire. The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire. Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them."
When Almighty God, My Father, the Creator of all things, begins to speak, giving forth his orders to the angels of Heaven concerning the cry that has come before Him, I can only imagine the power that comes forth from his lips.
The very rocks and mountains tremble at His word. That same creative power that spoke the worlds into existence now burst forth and all of creation trembles as the Great God of Heaven comes to my rescue.
I can see the fire in my Father’s eyes. I can sense His anger as it rises against those who would dare to attack his child.
Like a loving natural father who will give his very life to safe his baby from harm, my loving Father in Heaven will move Heaven and Earth to come to my aid. He rises from His throne with fire in his eyes, sits upon the chariot of fire – That wheel in the middle of the wheel that Ezekiel saw. Like the wind He will fly and He will take his own vengeance upon those who dare to hurt his child.
My Father is big enough, powerful enough, and living enough to scatter every devil in hell at once. Nothing can stand against him! He is all powerful!
God knows how to rescue us from the clutches of the enemy. He makes a way of escape from every temptation. He supplies every need! He is our all sufficient Lord!
David knew of God’s power and sufficiency for his needs too.
Psalms 18:16-19, "He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me. They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay. He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me."
Devil – I might not have the strength to withstand your attacks. At times my faith might be weak. You might think that you have me whipped. But I want to serve notice on you right now! I have a Heavenly Father and He’s a lot bigger than you. And devil – my Father lives within my heart! I have been born again. I’ve been washed in the blood of the Lamb. I’ve been baptized in power of the Holy Ghost! I don’t fear you because I know you can’t win! The victory is already mine.
I agree with David’s words in Psalms 18:32-34, "It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect. He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet, and setteth me upon my high places. He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms."
Thank God that my Heavenly Father has taught me how to battle the enemy of my soul! Thank God that he has led people into my life to teach me that prayer is the answer, that the Word of God can never fail, and that Jesus is the Rock of my Salvation.
Through the power of praise, and the power of prayer, and the power that comes through faith and trust in my Heavenly Father, I can all upon Jesus at any time and there is no power that can stand against Him for every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!
Thank you David, for the words of your song of praise. Thank you for staying faithful to God and showing me how the victory can be won. Thank you Lord for saving my soul and hearing my cry!
Praise the Lord all ye people! Praise him for his wonderful works! Praise him for his mercy! Praise him for his grace! Praise him for his love! My God is a Great God and he loves me so much!
