Psalm 119:115

Psalm 119:115

Away from me, you evildoers

2024 became a year of spiritual warfare for me, not least because the subject occupied my teaching role in the local church for over half the year, and consequently my studies and personal life became a battle ground. It is easy to put our heads in the sand and pretend that there is no enemy, that what cannot be seen probably doesn’t exist, that the spiritual realm may be the subject of Bible texts but is hardly relevant in our modern culture. Many Christians shy away from the idea of personal battles against demons and would prefer to avoid any confrontation with the spirit world. 

Conversely, wherever Jesus went He confronted and drove out evil spirits and He empowered His disciples to do the same. He came bent on conquest, and was prepared to pay whatever cost was necessary to deliver us from the Satan’s power. The crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ were the ultimate blows in the battle against evil and, as a result of His victory over sin, death and the devil, the Kingdom of Heaven was launched. “And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.” Colossians 2:5.

Most believers are familiar with the spiritual armour described in Ephesians 6 but there would be no point in this military equipment if there was no enemy to be faced and no war to engage in! Thus, let us take today’s verse and apply it to our spiritual journey, the enemies we face are not flesh and blood, but they are the cohorts of evil spirits that operate in the spiritual realm and serve the devil himself. They are hell-bent on our destruction, but we have nothing to fear. “Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world!” (1 John 4:4). So, we have every right to command, “Away from me you evildoers, that I may keep the commands of my God!” - And they will leave us! Hallelujah! 

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