“Helped the Children of Lot” (Ps 83)

For they have consulted together with one consent; they form a confederacy against You: the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites; Moab and the Hagrites; Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek; Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre; Assyria also has joined with them; they have helped the children of Lot. (vs5-8)

Unsaved man's heart is evil and corrupt. He is born in sin, cursed in the Garden of Eden, and he departs from God, until He brings him back(vs1-8). We read, “they form a covenant against [God]... they have helped the children of Lot”. This hatred of God and His people, this curse of rebellion is upon the nations. They seek to stop the worship of Christ by not worshiping and violently opposing the truth themselves, outnumbering us. Yet, these “nations” also speak of every obstacle the devil throws at God's elect, as he tries to destroy us, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph 6:12). The temptations, persecutions, and hard circumstances that we endure are only removed by Christ and the power of His salvation, as wickedness and trickery opposes us and God.

Don't think the race is easy, like being Israel (having power with God) means that life is “good”. Life has much pain, because the WORLD is against you, and God will allow them to hurt you, to prove you, and see what you're made of. He chastens us by the adversaries to get us to cry out and straighten up. He said, “Do not keep silent, O God! Do not hold Your peace, and do not be still, O God! For behold, Your enemies make a tumult; and those who hate You have lifted up their head. They have taken crafty counsel against Your people, and consulted together against Your sheltered ones. They have said, 'Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, that the name of Israel may be remembered no more”. He uses the ENEMIES that we have, even trouble, temptation, and heartbreak, to bring us knowledge of Himself, giving us obedience, repentance, and praise.

Fighting is part of Christianity from start to finish. You'll be hated and opposed, and you'll struggle to worship amidst enemies desirous of taking praise from your mouth, faith from your heart, and God's people know it. We feel the struggle, but we are not outnumbered, because He that's GREATER than the greatest... stronger than the strongest... and more powerful than every foe... is on our side, our God forever (1 John 4:4)!

Secondly, we want our enemies destroyed and ourselves saved (vs9-15). We read, “Deal with them as with Midian, as with Sisera, as With Jabin at the Brook Kishon, who perished at En Dor, whom became as the dung of the earth... O my God, make them like the whirling dust, like the chaff before the wind!” We want victory over sin, tempters, and the enemies of the Lord. We are not soul-pacifist, as if we'll take up no prayers for victory, simply surrendering to the foes and our destruction. No, we ASK God to fight for us, to intervene, to save us, and thereby to destroy them. We want sin, unbelief, and temptations to bow to the grace of Christ. We want enemies of the gospel to give us room to preach it, be changed if possible, but be UNABLE to stop the advance of our message and our faithfulness.

Every day, we fight, and every day, the Lord ALONE gives us the strength! He's unspeakably important to our daily walk, because the enemies are numerous, and His strength alone is saving. He says, “As the fire burns the woods, and as the flame sets the mountains on fire, so pursue them with Your tempest, and frighten them with Your storm”. Our relationship with God, all of it, is Him RESCUING us! Don't fight by yourself, snoozing at the battle's ferocity, deceived yourself into thinking that you're progressing. Fight by faith in God. Look to and receive everything from Him continually. There is a Higher Power, capable of subduing all that fights against you.

Finally, we want God to show His saving power, so that others may see His glory, even enemies of the Lord, being turned to acknowledge His throne and bow before His rule (vs16-18). He says, “Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek Your name, O Lord. Let them be confounded and dismayed forever; yes, let them be put to shame and perish, that they may know that You, whose name alone is the Lord, are the Most High over all the earth”.

It is God's glory revealed that saves sinners, even the most rebellious, as we see Him sat down VICTORIOUS, saving His people, ruling all things, and bringing the world into judgment soon. This grace of God REVEALED is the power whereby we bow to Him now, seeing that He can't be defeated, His people will assuredly be saved, and hell will be the eternal home of the indignant.

This gracious power to saves you may turn your enemy to seek God, may turn the unsaved spouse to an inquirer after the God of your peace, and it will assuredly manifest God's power over Satan, sin, and temptation. Bless Him and reason with Him, telling Him the benefits of your salvation, putting your faith entirely in Him.