Pray… I love You, Lord Jesus my strength. You are my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer—my God and my shelter to whom I run. You are the glory of my salvation and my only everlasting stronghold. I call upon my God so worthy of praise and am delivered from my enemy. When the chords of darkness encompass me, the forces of ungodliness confuse me, the chains of deception hold me, and the snares of temptation confront me—in my moments of distress I can cry to You for help! You hear my voice from Your holy temple. Yes, my cries reach Your ears. The world shakes and its foundations tremble with Your answer! Smoke billows from Your nostrils, and fire from Your mouth kindles the coals that chasten evil! You bow the heavens and come down with thick darkness as Your canopy! You ride upon the wings of the dawn to my defense, moving with the force of the wind, stirring the waters and gathering the clouds of the skies! Then in unapproachable light, Your judgments come forth as You thunder through the heavens! You rebuke principalities as You send out Your fiery arrows to scatter them and Your truth flashes like lightening to dispel their lies.

Suddenly streams of living water appear to me, as the foundations of the world are laid bare under Your rebuke. You send from on high to pluck me out of the waves tossing me about and return me to my rest. You save me from Satan’s lies and cunning ways that would confuse and deceive me. Though he confronts me in the day of calamity, You remain my ever-present rock. You bring me forth into a broad place, rescuing me because You delight in Your children and, according to Your righteousness imparted to them, they are rewarded. Through the washing of regeneration and renewal in Your Spirit You have done all for me. As I strive to keep Your ways and not stray into paths of wickedness, you are faithful to cleanse me and renew me. Your truths have been made evident to me, so that I might walk in Your ways. You have made me blameless before You and given me all I need to keep myself from sinful practices. You have not repaid me according to my own righteousness, but according to Your everlasting mercy.

ConsiderDo not fear, for I am with you. Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, and surely I will help you. How can we cower in the face of adverse earthly circumstance when we have the Warlord of Heaven locked and loaded, so very alert and able to come to our defense? Those who look upon life from a kingdom perspective are witnesses to constant warfare, for the kingdoms of man and of flesh never cease in their assaults on God’s kingdom saints. When in our weakest moments, we must remember that Jesus’ sacrifice will keep us from the condemnation of sin Satan desires to bury us under. If we steadfastly turn to the Captain of our Souls a few battles may be lost, but the final outcome will never be in question. Elohim will hear, and become a consuming fire rushing to our defense! He will shake our world and pluck us out of the darkness for His name’s sake. What a blessing it is to know and experience the words, “so very much greater is He who is in us than He who is in the world!”