Protection From Enemies Like A Storm

What Feels SO Heavy - Can Be Lifted Away

Psalm 55:1-7; 18 (NLT)

¹ Listen to my prayer, O God.
    Do not ignore my cry for help!
² Please listen and answer me,
    for I am overwhelmed by my troubles.
³ My enemies shout at me,
    making loud and wicked threats.
They bring trouble on me
    and angrily hunt me down.

⁴ My heart pounds in my chest.
    The terror of death assaults me.
⁵ Fear and trembling overwhelm me,
    and I can’t stop shaking.
⁶ Oh, that I had wings like a dove;
    then I would fly away and rest!
⁷ I would fly far away
    to the quiet of the wilderness.

¹⁸ He ransoms me and keeps me safe from the battle waged against me, though many still oppose me.

Verse 3 jumped out at my with a bit of a MEF (mind’s eye flash) – Sitting at my desk, trying to plan my day, and I start hearing/seeing a bunch of negative things. Both actions as well as words. Like the enemy is throwing daggers of words towards me. As I sit there, the feeling of pressure, heaviness, darkness seems to weigh heavy on me and almost pull me down. I then feel like verse 4-7 says: heart pounding, terror looming, fear trembling, overwhelming pressure, shaking… then the “wish” prayer – to be taken away from it all. Wanting to run away and hide, fly away up into the sky where it is quiet!

We ALL feel these at times! We ALL experience the enemy of outside forces, as well as the thoughts and feeling within ourselves. It is normal. It is when we cry out to Jesus for His redeeming help, that makes a difference. It is our true, deep down, innermost heart that needs to reach out to Him. When we do – then verse 18 happens!! He has already paid the price for us, yet, we sometimes get ourselves caught up in things that seem to pull us away and into the enemy’s camp. Well, Jesus STEPS UP to the plate and pays the ransom for us, to keep us safe in the midst of the battles we face. However, as the 2^nd half of the verse says, “many still oppose me” – which means, we still do have battles wage against us. We are still going to have frustrating, angry, depressing days. We ARE still going to be opposed in things. Yes, even if it is in our own thoughts and feelings – we WILL still have these battles. Why? Because we are here in the devils world. This is where sin is and will remain until the coming of Jesus.

So, we shouldn’t be surprised when we are feeling depressed for no reason. Attacked in our thoughts or feelings, from ourselves or from outside sources. The war WILL keep waging against us. But, the BEST part…. Jesus WILL KEEP PAYING THE PRICE FOR US! We call on Him, and He is there! True, we don’t always ‘see’ it of ‘feel’ it – but it is truth none the less.

Today, I am praying for you, that if you had a rough weekend, or a great weekend, but today you are having an “off” morning – that you will realize that Jesus paid the price for you and your salvation on the cross. He keeps paying the ransom for us, when we call out to Him in need. Even though our “enemies” don’t change their ways, they just learn new ‘tricks’ to trip us up – Jesus is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow! He already knows the tricks the devil and his army are going to try. He already has a defense set up for them. Call out, reach out, trust Jesus – He will walk right beside you in EVERY situation! Yes – even the good ones! He loves to celebrate with us as much as He loves carrying us. Pretty neat!!

I sure wish I could draw the picture I just saw flash before me! Sitting huddled up, curled up like a child, on the lap of Jesus, with what seems like protective wings from two HUGE angels, making a cover/wind break around us. Then all around is a tornado like whirl going on, with all sorts of ciaos in it. All things sharp and dark. Whirling, spinning, flying towards me. Fast and furious, spinning in unison and staying “in line” then here and there something jumps out and fly’s straight at me like a ping-pong ball. The protection around us, gently, smoothly, as if anticipating the coming movements, just lifts their protection ever so slightly and blocks the things thrown at me. I can hear the loud deafening sound of the torments being hurled my way! The feeling of the yanking and pulling at me from every direction. The sound of the torments being thrown my way are like bullets that I can hear hissing right at the edge of my ears! As I try to curl up even smaller, tighter, feeling myself shaking in fear… I am then surrounded by calm, peace, light, gentleness, love. Like being in the eye of a storm. Geez, how could I ever draw such a thing?!?! Well, I like the vision – it is comforting to KNOW that in the arms of Jesus, I/we CAN and WILL make it through ANY and ALL storms that come our way!! Jesus gives His angels to surround us and protect us, while He is in the center of everything WITH us!!