“When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back!
This I know — for God is for me.” [Ps.56:9]
The beginning of a New Year is always a time for sinful fallen human beings to make (and ultimately to break) resolutions. They feel that if they can keep them, they will make themselves better people so that they can live healthier and happier lives. The Word of God is filled with descriptive principles that provide a simple truthful way to measure (even in this fallen world) the character and behavior of those who are saved and of those who are lost. For the saved ones these descriptive principles become, rather than resources for failing fallen human efforts to make and try to keep resolutions for human improvement — but reasons for seeking from God in prayer, through His Word, His enabling, converting and life transforming grace. It is God’s grace that is needed in order for any fallen sinner to become a Holy Spirit living scriptural description of one of His eternally loved and chosen saved ones in this fallen world. Jesus said, “The flesh profits nothing! It is the Spirit that quickens. The words that I speak unto you — they are Spirit and they are life.” [John 6:63]
The above phrase of Psalm 56 is a descriptive of every truly saved one that is alive in this fallen world. Ro.10:13 says, “For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord — shall be saved.” And, Ps.56:9 declares: “When I cry (or, call) unto thee — then shall mine enemies turn back! This I know for God is with me.” The saved one calls unto the Lord — and He hears and rescues him. Among other things, this text is a great assurance unto all of God’s people that when they are led to cry out to Him — then all their enemies shall turn back from them. What a comfort it is to know that this is the way that it is! And, if anyone imagines that the motivation to cry out to the Lord is all their own idea, then let me refer you to Ro.7:18: “For I know that in me (that is in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing; for to will is present with me — but how to perform that which is good, I find not!” There are many in this fallen world the seem to trust in — and put their hope in — their own will to succeed, but all of God’s true children are led of Holy Spirit to put all their trust and hope in Him — and Him alone!
All too often — way too much credit is put on the seeming personal power that is resident in our flesh. Another very important scriptural truth that describes only the eternally loved and chosen saved one is found in that which is taught from Ro.2:28-29, “For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh, but he is a Jew which is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.” And, Phil.3:3> “For we are the circumcision which worship God in the Spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh!” We grow in grace to realize that when we are faced with the threat of an enemy we know that, “with him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord God to help us and to fight our battles…” [2Chronicals 32:8]
For Christ’s Glory Only!
-John Carpenter
