When Battles Come

Psalm 56:1
“Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me.”

The man in the Scriptures who probably faced the most battles in his life was David. Everywhere David turned it seemed that another battle came. Some battles were battles of his own doing, but most of the battles he faced came from the enemies of God.

You are going to face battles in your Christian walk. To think that you can be smart enough, smooth enough, and nice enough to avoid battles is foolish. You must always remember that you are in a spiritual battle with Satan, and if you are doing anything for the LORD, you are sure to face Satan’s fiery darts. In Psalm 56, David shows several actions you should take when you face battles.

First, trust God. David said in verse 3, “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.” You cannot allow fear to control you in the battle. The greatest antidote to fear is trusting God. The way to make fear flee from the portals of your heart and mind is to trust the faithful God who always helps His children.

Second, praise God. David said in verse 4, “In God I will praise his word…” Praising God has a way of bringing the believer’s attention to see the greatness and omnipotence of God. Instead of complaining and griping, you should praise God. Praising God will help you not to live in fear.

Third, be circumspect. In verse 5, David acknowledged the enemy’s watchful eye of every step he took. The best thing you can do when you are in a battle is to live by principle, which will cause you to do everything on purpose.

Fourth, don’t change. In verse 6, David realized the enemy waited for him to change or quit. The worst thing to do in the battle is to change what you do. Keep doing what you have always done, and never allow quitting to be an option. When you want to quit, take another step.

Fifth, don’t retaliate. In verse 7, David understood that God could take care of the enemy better than he could. The enemy wants you to retaliate. When you retaliate to the enemy’s attack, they are pleased that you gave them the attention they wanted. The best way to avoid retaliation is to continue doing what you did before the battle came. Don’t give the enemy the pleasure of knowing that they caused you to respond to their evil actions.

Sixth, pray. Verse 8 shows that God records every prayer. You may think that you are not being heard, but you can be assured that God hears every prayer. You may think your prayers are hitting the ceiling, but God saves your tears in a “bottle” and records your prayers in a “book.” God will reward your prayers in His timing; don’t despair.

Seventh, claim God’s promises. David said in verse 12, “Thy vows are upon me…” Claim God’s promises in prayer, but also hold onto them throughout the day. Keeping God’s promises in front of you throughout the day will encourage you in the midst of the daily battle.

Eighth, have faith. In verse 13, David had faith that God would come through. My friend, faith in God is always rewarded. Don’t let the battle squelch your faith in what God wants to do through your life.

Author: Allen Domelle