Genesis 43:1-34; Matthew 14:1-12; Psalms 18:37-45; Proverbs 9:1-6
Psalms: “You have clothed me with strength for battle; you subdue my adversaries beneath me. You have made my enemies retreat before me; I annihilate those who hate me… You have freed me from the feuds among the people; you have appointed me the head of nations; a people I had not known serve me. Foreigners submit to me cringing; as soon as they hear they obey me. Foreigners lose heart and come trembling from their fortifications.” (Psalms 18:39-40, 43-45 CSB)
One significant thing has changed since the days of David. We don’t annihilate people – but we do still have enemies that need to be vanquished. Jesus taught that we are to love our flesh & blood enemies and not hate them – and the Apostle Paul explained in Ephesians 6, that our struggle – our war is not against flesh and blood, but against the powers of darkness, evil, and spiritual forces. It is ultimately the spiritual forces of evil that drive sinful people to do evil things. How are we, mere mortals, supposed to battle against spiritual forces of darkness and evil? Just as the Lord gave David strength for the battle against his physical enemies, the Lord gives us strength for the battle against spiritual enemies. It is He that subdues our adversaries. When we submit to God’s leadership and come under His authority, we can resist the devil and he will flee from us. The longer we live our lives in submission to the Lord, the greater our reputation (in the physical and spiritual realm) will become.
Proverbs: “Wisdom has built her house; she has carved out her seven pillars. She has prepared her meat; she has mixed her wine; she has also set her table. She has sent out her female servants; she calls out from the highest points of the city: “Whoever is inexperienced, enter here!” To the one who lacks sense, she says, “Come, eat my bread, and drink the wine I have mixed. Leave inexperience behind, and you will live; pursue the way of understanding.” (Proverbs 9:1-6 CSB)
Wisdom has set her table and is ready and waiting to give us a feast of knowledge, experience, and understanding. All we have to do is hear the call and respond. The apostle James said, if anyone lacks wisdom, ask God for it, and God will give it generously. We have the opportunity to sit at the Lord’s table and receive His wisdom and understanding for the things we face. Every morning, before we enter our day, we can come before the Lord and sit at Wisdom’s feast and get filled with sense and understanding to take on all of the battles we face. We just have to humble ourselves to receive instead of walking out of our door each day filled with self-reliance.
Jamie Hicks 