What To Do When The Enemy Attacks

WHAT TO DO WHEN THE ENEMY ATTACKS

Psalm 118:15-24

Psalm 118:15 The voice of rejoicing and salvation Is in the tents of the righteous; The right hand of the LORD does valiantly. 16 The right hand of the LORD is exalted; The right hand of the LORD does valiantly. 17 I shall not die, but live, And declare the works of the LORD. 18 The LORD has chastened me severely, But He has not given me over to death. 19 Open to me the gates of righteousness; I will go through them, And I will praise the LORD. 20 This is the gate of the LORD, Through which the righteous shall enter. 21 I will praise You, For You have answered me, And have become my salvation. 22 The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. 23 This was the LORD’s doing; It is marvelous in our eyes. 24 This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.

I want to thank all of you who prayed for me this week. I really do appreciate you care and loving concern for me and my family. Most of you know that I went to the hospital on Sunday morning just before church. I woke up with chest pain and left arm pain that was not normal.

Anyway, after all the EKG’s, the blood work, the echo cardiogram and a CT scan, all I have found out is that I have an enlarged aorta. I have to follow-up with the cardiologist in a couple of weeks to see what, if anything, can be done or needs to be done about that.

Some of you know that I have had difficulty sleeping for the past several years. I went through all the tests for sleep apnea, etc. and still have difficulty getting to sleep.

After I got home Monday evening, I went to bed about 8:30 or 9:00 and slept until about 2 AM. I woke up very agitated and fearful. I don’t know if that’s ever happened to you, but it’s not a fun thing. The sleeplessness and the tinnitus and the pressure in my chest left me anxious and jittery inside.

And based on everything the doctor told me, I could not come up with anything as to why I was so anxious, etc. I was afraid…not of dying, but I sensed the attack of the enemy. May I remind you that we ARE in a spiritual battle. Satan will do anything He can to try to stop us from serving the Lord and trusting in Him.

I want to share with you some things I learned in the middle of the night, that I hope will be a help to any of you who struggle with the enemy in any way.

Notice how this Psalm begins:

Psalm 118:1 Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.

The best thing for you to do when the enemy comes in like a flood is begin to give thanks to God! Why? Because He is good! And His mercy endures forever. Now there are four things I want to you see when the enemy attacks.

1. DON’T FALL, STAND!

Psalm 118:5 I called on the LORD in distress; The LORD answered me and set me in a broad place.

The best thing you can do when you’re facing the attack of the enemy is call up the Lord! Amen!

Look at what Eliphaz said to Job in Job 22:

Job 22:10 Therefore snares are all around you, And sudden fear troubles you,

I don’t know if you’ve ever felt like there were traps/snares all around you of if you’ve been plagued with sudden fear, but I have!

To be set in a broad place is to be delivered from danger, anxiety, want, or distress.

Job 36:16 “Indeed He would have brought you out of dire distress, Into a broad place where there is no restraint; And what is set on your table would be full of richness.

The phrase is also translated as “large place”

2 Samuel 22:20 He also brought me out into a broad place; He delivered me because He delighted in me.

Let the Lord cause you to stand in a broad place! He will rescue you when you call upon Him.

2. DON’T FEAR, SHOUT!

So remember, don’t fall but stand! Let the Lord put you in a broad place, let Him rescue you. But second, don’t fear, shout!

Notice these verses in this Psalm:

Psalm 118:2 Let Israel now say, “His mercy endures forever.”

Psalm 118:4 Let those who fear the LORD now say, “His mercy endures forever.”

Psalm 118:11 They surrounded me, Yes, they surrounded me; But in the name of the LORD I will destroy them. 12 They surrounded me like bees; They were quenched like a fire of thorns; For in the name of the LORD I will destroy them.