“O God, just one of Your ears is all I need. Fully reveal yourself to meet the needs of my praying. Come near with attentiveness and truly hear; because “I am your cause”, it is imperative that You respond to me; for I am caused to wander restlessly in the complaints of my soul. These thoughts of mine make such a distracting noise that I NEED YOU. I need you because of the noise of the careless voice of the enemy's hostility. I need you because of the crushing pressure of those criminally hostile towards you … they shake their shame filled wickedness upon me; and in the breathing of their anger they seem to cherish their continued hatred for me.” … As he goes on with the description of his violated heart, we are shocked to learn that the most grievous wound has been caused by a close companion. This has caused the most damage and this is where the warrior falls. (Psalm 55:1-3, 13 & 14) {God so cherishes His desire for closeness with us that when someone intentionally violates a human bond of friendship by an ulterior plan to destroy us ... HE STEPS IN. Because we are His desire, we are His cause. Hey, where is our child-like faith that DARES to believe that our Daddy truly loves us and wants us close to Him?}
I know most of us can identify with the Psalmist through his expressions of the anguish of his heart that are captured for us in the Psalms; but how many of us will catch the force of what he is saying? How many of us will believe the truths revealed about how God actually has positioned us in His love? Do we believe that “We are His cause” as the Psalmist did? How many of us will dare declare this before him rather than than spouting useless psycho babble that gets us nowhere but deeper into the pouting of our own fearful and broken hearts.
Let's get back to our position to listen to the Man on the cliff as He stands courageously after praying and declares: Psalm 55:19 - “God shall hear, and afflict them, even he that abideth of old, Selah. Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God.” I carried this treasure away from the cliff so that I could unwrap it a little more. And in so doing, I found something amazing. Let's walk this passage in reverse for the surprise effect.
“therefore they fear not God” - why does the Enemy Fear not God? Their pride affords them “no changes” - no backup plan, no replacements, no change of garments, no relief, no change of course of life and this is the way it is especially with those (“that abideth of old”)who have “wickedness” tenure. Think about it (Selah)! OK ??? With no change ...they face God's judgment head on with no Saviour.
I truly feel most of us are catching this up to this point, but here is where the surprise comes in. “God shall hear” – His “hearing of our cries” is never completely finished until we are completely delivered, completely Home with Him.
“And afflict them” - How is this affliction levied on the enemy? Never completely until we we are completely delivered. He answers, responds, testifies, speaks, shouts as a witness and He does this with SINGING … He utters His deliverance tunefully. The enemy is afflicted by a continual Song of Deliverance from our God. WOW! When God responds, His response is a song, singing ….wow again! With our adversary described as a musical instrument what more fitting response but to sing him to his eternal doom. And what greater testimony of His grace and mercy is a Continual Song of Deliverance to those who hear the need for Salvation and join in the Song.
Isn't it amazing that God blesses His beloved ones with a song, and with that same song defeats the Kingdom of Darkness? Lift up your voices, O lovers of God, and sing to the Glory of God and to the dismay of the enemy. We are more than conquerors – breathe, believe and live abundantly in the Song.
Exodus 15:2 – “The LORD is my strength and my song, He is become my salvation: He is my God, and I will prepare Him a habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt Him.”
Psalm 42:8 - “Yet the LORD will command His loving-kindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.”
Psalm 137:4 “How shall we sing, the LORD'S song in a strange land?” ... IN CHRIST ALONE!
HLFA,
Jeff