Psalm 143:3

Psalm 143:3

The enemy near relents

Have we ever felt crushed by the activities of our enemies? Have we experienced what it is like to walk through the Valley of the shadow of death (darkness)? There are times when oppression and problems press in upon us and there simply seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel. The world advises us to visit psychiatrists and counsellors or to take pills for depression, or to pursue mindfulness. But, as believers, we need to be aware that very often that darkness has spiritual causes and the enemy is all around us and loves nothing better than to plunge us into periods of despair and doubt, where we wonder if the Lord has deserted us. That seems to be how David felt as he penned this tragic Psalm. So much so that he believes himself to be in the company of the dead and completely cut off from the joys of the living! We need to be so aware that our spiritual enemy is the prince of darkness and death is His greatest weapon, his dwelling place is in the realm of the dead and he revels in allowing those ghastly tentacles to wrap themselves around those who follow and serve the resurrected Christ. Maybe we’ve been tempted to think that we are wrestling with physical illness or mental frailties when actually we are fighting against “the authorities, the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:12. This is not a fantasy or imaginary conflict and, in that sense, it is just as real as the oppression of David’s visible antagonists. So long as we continue to believe and to follow the Lord, the enemy will pursue us, that pursuit ends in failure for at His point of victory i.e death, we will be snatched away from his grasp. As Paul says, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers…… will be able to separate us from the love of God, that is in Jesus Christ our Lord.” Roman 8:37-39.

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