How To Get Deliverance Over Our Enemies.
Enemies.
We all have them.
People who are actively opposed or hostile to someone or something.
This is the dictionary definition of an enemy.
And while an enemy can be a person, an enemy can also be ourselves. The saying goes, “Sometimes, we are our own worst enemies.” The thoughts we think, the voices in our heads, the anxiety, depression, and fear all can be hostile and opposed to who God created us to be.
The Word of God gives us great insight into how our Omnipotent God defeats our enemies. He is so merciful and so gracious that He goes before us defeating our enemies. He is our refuge and He is our fortress.
In this post, I will not be discussing the enemy or some say Satan or the Devil. You can read my thoughts about that HERE.
PSALM 18:16-19.
”He sent from on high, he took me; he drew me out of many waters. He rescued me from my strong enemy and from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me.
They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the LORD was my support. He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me.” - Psalm 18:16-19
THE CONTEXT.
When reading any passage of Scripture it is incredibly important to read in context. Let’s break open Psalm 18 a bit and see what the Lord will show us.
Psalm 18 is a psalm of David. It is written to The Chief Musician; our Heavenly Composer. The heading of this Psalm says “who spake unto the Lord the words of this song in the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul.” You can read 1 Samuel 31 and 2 Samuel 1 for a bit of context surrounding this chapter. The occasion may possibly be the aftermath of Saul‘s death. It could also be written of the period leading up to David taking the throne. (2 Samuel 2-5)
Almost the exact same psalm is sung in 2 Samuel 22. It is likely that David composed this song as a younger man; yet in his old age, David could look back with great gratitude and sing this song again, looking at his whole life.
ALL ABOUT JESUS.
This Psalm is quoted in Romans 15:9 and in that context is referring to Jesus. So we can rightfully say that Psalm 18 is indeed about our Lord Jesus Christ.
If you read through you will read about His death in verses 4-15.
His Resurrection can be seen in verses 16-19.
You can read of Jesus’ Exaltation if verses 20-36 and His Second Coming in verses 27-45.
Finally, David prophetically sings of Jesus’ glorious kingdom in verse 46-50.
WHAT A PICTURE!
While these verses prophetically point to Jesus, we have to remember that David was also writing about a situation he was facing . . . When He was delivered from the hand of his enemies and of Saul. So do these verses apply to us today? I believe they do as we experience some of the same problems David experienced and as we walk in the path and footsteps of Jesus. (1 Peter 2:21)
DELIVERANCE FROM OUR ENEMIES.
When we are discussing our enemies especially in the context of this verse, we see that God will rescue us from these enemies because He is all-Powerful. But His rescue may come in different forms.
1. He Rescued Me From DEEP WATERS.
“He sent from on high, he took me; he drew me out of many waters.” - Psalm 18:16
Sometimes, the Lord will reach down from on high, take a hold of you, and pull you out of deep water. The word water is mayim in Hebrew and amongst its meanings is danger or violence.
When I was 19, I was teaching music at a music school. One evening, before giving my lesson, I was in the car and a man approached me. He knocked on my window and before I knew it, he had a gun pushed to the side of my head and he told me to move over.
You can read more about that story HERE. But I can tell you, that God reached down from on high, took a hold of me, and rescued me out of that danger and violence. He is OMNIPOTENT. He has ALL POWER. He can and does rescue us from the deep waters that drown us. He has all power to pull us up from danger, violence, or despair.
2. He Rescued Me From those who HATED ME.
“He rescued me from my strong enemy and from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me.”
- Psalm 18:17
Sometimes, He will rescue us from enemies who hate us. Enemies that are too powerful for us. The word for enemy in this verse is the Hebrew o-yabe’ and it means a personal enemy, foe, or adversary.
Goliath and Saul were too powerful for David. The Pharisees and Sadducees and the Roman soldiers were too powerful for the humanity of Jesus. (Not His divinity, of course! He is our omnipotent Savior. He chose humanity. He chose weakness to save us. See Matthew 26:47-56) And some of your enemies are too powerful for you. Their words are too strong for you.
Let me share an example from my story . . . Before A Symphony of Praise, I ran a non-profit community theater. I had a group of volunteers that had broken away for reasons I still do not know. They left the theater with a literal kiss on my cheek and that was it. I never saw them again. They ended up taking to Facebook and social media and slandered my name, my character, and my business in the vilest and disgusting ways.
They tortured my family. They spoke lies. They hated me, again, for reasons I still do not know, and they were frankly too strong for me. After months of this endless social media torture, they announced, on my birthday, that they were opening their own theater right down the block.
The worst things were said about me to thousands and thousands of people. When vomit is thrown up on social media, you can’t get it back, and you really can’t defend yourself. So what did I do in the face of these enemies?
Nothing.
I didn’t go back and forth with them on social media because that’s immature and pointless. I kept my mouth shut. I allowed the Lord to be my defense. These enemies and their words were too powerful for me.
. . . But GOD!
He rescued me from those who hated me for they were too strong for me! THE OMNIPOTENT GOD saved me!
Sometimes, He allows your enemies to confront you. He will allow the words of these strong enemies to come up against you to show you how strong He is to deliver you. The Lord, your God, is MIGHTY to SAVE! (Zeph. 3:17)
3. He Rescued Me When the Enemies CONFRONTED ME.
“They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the LORD was my support.” - Psalm 18:18
Sometimes, those enemies will not just hate you and talk about you, sometimes, they will come up against you. They will get in your face.
Have you ever had just the worst day, ( . . . The day of your calamity) and suddenly here they come to confront you? You are already down and out and here they are . . . That enemy . . . Whether physical or your own self . . . confronting you! Now, you have to face this enemy and you have to go through it.
God didn’t rescue Israel from their Red Sea moment. He didn’t stop it from happning. He didn’t kill Egypt before they reached Moses. He didn’t allow them to go around the Red Sea. THEY HAD TO GO THROUGH IT.
Sometimes, Friends, you are going to have to come face to face with your enemy and you just have to go through it. But . . .He promises to be with you and support you the entire way.
4. He Rescues Us Because HE DELIGHTS IN US.
“He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me.” - Psalm 18:19
We have an amazing and powerful God who rescues us for one reason . . . He delights in us. He picks you up from the situation you are in and sets you on a high place . . . a broad place . . . because He delights in you. My Friend, He takes pleaseure in you and it pleases Him to rescue you.
His rescue isn’t based on anything you do or haven’t done. His rescue is because He loves you.
Maybe you feel helpless today as you face the enemies in your life. Maybe you, like Jesus, are begging God to take this cup from you. (Matthew 26:38-39). Know this, dear friend, however this enemy is going to leave from your life . . . we don’t know . . . But they will be silenced.
Maybe God will lift you right up out of that trouble.
Maybe God will be your strength as you face the hatred of your enemies.
Maybe He will walk you through the trouble supporting you the entire way.
I don’t know how He will deliver you . . . . But be sure, my friend. He will deliver you.
He will rescue you . . . Because He delights in you!
I know it may seem dark and scary right now. But HOLD ON! Stay strong. Have faith. Your deliverance is coming. Your King is here. He is your rescue. He is your salvation. He is your El Shaddai.’
