When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.
Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.
Lord God, how glad I am not to have to point fingers and blame everyone around me for everything that goes wrong or fails to satisfy in this life. I thank You with all my heart, and I thank You at the very same time for revealing to me the hatred of my enemies. I will do more than point at them; I will ruin them, as You give me truth and faith.
You know, O Lord, this has not always been so, this absence of misplaced animosity. You know I have blamed and recriminated when I should have prayed and lifted up and laid down my life, but it is life and peace to come before You and ask against evil at its origins, where I may hope for the utter shame and annihilation of the Wicked, those who hate with cruel hatred, as King David said. I do, Lord, and according to Your Word. I am asking for the destruction of the Destroyer.
Although it takes faith to know that my battle is not against flesh and blood, You said that they, my real enemies, “will be as nothing and as a thing of nought,” and I know You were not referring to the person who cuts me off in traffic! You said that those who rage against me, even those who are incensed against me, would be ashamed and even confounded, and become as nothing; they will perish. Clearly, You do not refer to humans who irritate and even wound at times. Rather, these are enemies who taunt and tease and tempt them into the things they have done maliciously … and the things I have done maliciously.
Lord God! Merciful Father! The Centurions who crucified Jesus were forgiven. Paul, who applauded as Christians went to their deaths, was forgiven and restored to spiritual greatness. Men and women on Death Row, brutal murderers and even child molesters have been able to face their guilt and shame and find forgiveness and life and peace, even in death.
But may those who baited them and led them until they stumbled and fell be no more! I do ask it! May those who beguile me and hate me and labor to separate me from You and from others be put to everlasting shame. I would not want perpetual shame for my worst human enemy, but it is a good thing to anticipate it for those who have come between us, spiritual enemies who come but to steal, kill, and destroy.
When the wicked, even our enemies and our foes, come upon us to eat up our flesh, they will stumble and fall. Even if they come in droves to wage war against our souls or the souls of the ones for whom we pray, we will not fear. Our confidence is in You, and You who teach us these things will accomplish them, for our sake and for Jesus’ sake, who prayed for His own before He left this earth, that You would keep them. Though their trials were intense, You delivered them entirely, and You are our God.
Lucifer Liege, Guillaume Geefs, Belgium – Look my friends! The imagery! One shackle binds this “Genius of Evil,” and his staff is broken, and he, the prince of darkness is confounded and confused … perhaps he is asking, “With all the mayhem and division I have brought into their world, how is it possible that the Sheep of that Lowly Shepherd remain kind and stalwart, they won’t stop loving or serving one another in love. Love! It makes me burn and shiver all at once! They wash each other’s feet … ! My end is very near and drawing more near … I cannot make them surrender their forgiveness toward one another, and I tremble for fear I never shall …” (Kerry)
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photo by Luc Viator, by permission, Wikipedia
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