I was at an ice-cream social and the woman next to me was a chaplain and retreat speaker and with so many years of experience in life, it was amazing to be with her and another woman immediately across from me – who was a long time sharer of the gospel… and the woman to my right said that she memorized Psalm 91 as it pertains to herself – in person – as in “I” rest in the shadow of the Almighty… Cool! She knows that helps her push forward… the other woman at our ice cream table was saying how important it was to watch out for meddling by the devil, read her favorite Psalm. Asked me to pick one, I love Psalm 139, but felt a pull to read Psalm 60, don’t know why, but I reread it now, it’s about the Lord restoring us. “Through God we [I] will do valiantly, For it is He who shall tread down our [MY] enemies.” … Oh, restore me again!
Later in the weekend, scrolling through Facebook, my friend from school who always posts funny comics posted a pretend scenario for “Nancy” an old comics character whose life wasn’t perfect, and Nancy was saying, lying in bed, “Actually yeah, maybe today Satan”. and yeah, I laughed at Nancy’s expression saying “maybe today” verses “No, NOT today”. The comic spoof is honestly what we deal with each day – realizing an admission for trouble or acknowledgement that the devil of doubt DOES meddle in mess. We talk the good talk of not letting it bother us but we do get bothered – and so yeah, probably we can imagine we live in that wishy washy space too often… We don’t say STRONG enough “Not Today Satan, NOT today!!!”…
WE NEED JESUS TO DEFFEAT THE DEVIL OF DISTRUST DABBLING DOUBT DOOM… WE HAVE JESUS AS ALMIGHTY KING.
Jesus would say: “Satan get behind me”, acknowledging Satan exists, meddles like with Peter and with us, but Jesus Knows Satan MUST be beat, MUST back down like evil spirits Jesus ordered out. Jesus wins, and HAS been crushed by Jesus’s Standing Strong. It is no contest but it is a battle, so each of us conflicts in this earthly space with the pestilence on the prowl. THANK GOD FOR JESUS TO HOLD ONTO.
So here is psalm 60 and psalm 91 written in “I will dwell in the Lord”.. which we choose. And may “NOT today Satan” always be from us saying YES to JESUS.
I SHALL NOT be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.
Amen
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Psalm 60 NKJV – PERSONALIZED
Urgent Prayer for the Restored Favor of God
To the Chief Musician. Set to “Lily of the Testimony.” A Michtam of David. For teaching. When he fought against Mesopotamia and Syria of Zobah, and Joab returned and killed twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.
O God, You have cast [me] off; You have broken [me] down; You have been displeased; Oh, restore me again! You have made the earth tremble; You have broken it; Heal its breaches, for it is shaking. You have shown me hard things; You have made me drink the wine of confusion. You have given a banner to those who fear You, That it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah. That ME, Your beloved, may be delivered, Save ME with Your right hand, and hear me.
God has spoken in His holiness: “I will rejoice; I will divide Shechem And measure out the Valley of Succoth. Gilead is Mine, and Manasseh is Mine; Ephraim also is the helmet for My head; Judah is My lawgiver. Moab is My washpot; Over Edom I will cast My shoe; Philistia, shout in triumph because of Me.”
Who will bring me to the strong city? Who will lead me to Edom? Is it not You, O God, who cast us off? And You, O God, who did not go out with our armies? Give us [ME] help from trouble, For the help of man is useless. Through God we [I] will do valiantly, For it is He who shall tread down our [MY] enemies.
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Psalm 91 written personalized – NKJV verses 1-6, 15-16 Safety of Abiding in the Presence of God
I dwell in the secret place of the Most High and Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.” Surely He shall deliver ME from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover ME with His feathers, and under His wings I shall take refuge; His truth shall be MY shield and buckler. I shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.
…
I shall call upon THE LORD, and HE will answer ME;
HE will be with ME in trouble; HE will deliver ME and honor him.
With long life, GOD will satisfy ME, And show ME HIS salvation.”
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AMEN AMEN