August 24: True strength

The king is not saved by a mighty army; a warrior is not delivered by great strength. A horse is a false hope for victory; nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength. Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope for His lovingkindness, to deliver their soul from death and to keep them alive in famine.    (Psalm 33:16-19 — New American Standard Bible)

This life does not consist of what we see with our physical eyes. So much more is going on. The invisible spiritual world around us is more permanent and real than anything we can touch or see, but because we cannot see or touch it many make the mistake of deciding it doesn’t exist. God does exists, and though we can’t see Him, His creation is clear proof of that. Another aspect of the unseen world is Satan and demons, their effect on this world is all too real, and can be seen on the front page of newspapers and in the daily news on TV or on the internet.

Because of this, no victory comes through physical strength alone, through the size of our army, or our physical weapons. Real victory comes from God. The fear of God and hope in His lovingkindness are some of the most powerful weapons we have. One of the most important lessons in life is to learn to trust that God will do what we cannot. It’s a lesson that many fail to learn. Trying to handle life alone drives many to anti-depressants, or to alcohol, anger, or to losing their marriages and family because all their focus is on their jobs. They work tirelessly to avoid financial failure, and then fall victim to failed marriages and families. But when we fear God we will defeat any enemy — big, small, seen, or unseen — and will conquer problems and situations that are vastly superior to our strength and knowledge.

If you fear God (meaning respect and obedience) His eyes are on you! He will save you from death and protect you from famine. He will be in control of your life. Isn’t it interesting that God asks us to fear Him, so that we will not have to fear anything else? The choice is ours. Forget God and be afraid of everything, or fear God and have no fear of anything. I think the choice is pretty clear. Now we just need to do it.