October 23rd
“O LORD, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! Many are saying of me, “God will not deliver him.” But you are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head. To the LORD I cry aloud, and he answers me from his holy hill. I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me. I will not fear the tens of thousands drawn up against me on every side. Arise, O LORD! Deliver me, O my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked. From the LORD comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people.” Psalm 3 NIV
King David was accustomed to adversity in life. He committed two well-known sins – the adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband. From that point on, David’s household reaped the consequences of his sin, one of which was that the sword would never depart his house. Even with those consequences, God did not abandon David. He answered David’s prayers for help because David repented from his sins.
David wrote the above psalm as he fled from his son, Absalom who was attempting to seize the throne. David asked God for help in the desperate situation. God responded and thwarted Absalom’s rebellion in several ways, which eventually led to his death. David was restored to the throne.
This Psalm, like others can be used as a prayer for spiritual warfare. When people start walking to freedom from sex addiction, they face many spiritual warfare battles along the way. The devil hates giving up ground he has stolen and uses temptation to try to keep people from freedom.
If you are being tested in your resolve to walk in sexual purity, you may find it helpful to pray for help, just as David did in this Psalm. If you have truly turned from your sin and are sincerely trying to walk in purity, God will help you fight the spiritual battles against the enemy. When you feel as though you are surrounded, call on the Lord to help and he will deliver you.
Questions for further thought:
If Jesus won the victory over the devil at the Cross, why are we required to fight spiritual warfare battles today? (Revelation 20:1-10, Hebrews 2:8, 1 Corinthians 15:23-28)
How is prayer a critical weapon of both defense and offense in spiritual warfare? (Ephesians 6:10-18, Philippians 4:6-7, James 5:13-18)
What role does true repentance have in answered prayer? (2 Chronicles 7:14)
Prayer:
“O LORD, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! Many are saying of me, “God will not deliver him.” But you are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head. To the LORD I cry aloud, and he answers me from his holy hill. I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me. I will not fear the tens of thousands drawn up against me on every side. Arise, O LORD! Deliver me, O my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked. From the LORD comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people.” Psalm 3 NIV