We’ve all felt as though someone was against us. Even if we maybe didn’t recognize it as such, we have experienced a time in our lives (maybe that time is right now) when things are going wrong and the world seems to be against us. Our spouse isn’t being very loving, our kids aren’t being very obedient, and our boss and coworkers aren’t being very understanding. We feel like it’s us against the world and the world is crashing in around us.
In Psalm 56 we learn the key to dealing with this kind of persecution: trust in the Lord. The problem with persecution is it tempts us to fear. For our lives, for our relationships, for our job…when the world seems to be against us we tend to become more afraid. Maybe it’s not the kind of fear that would make us hide in a cave, but it’s the kind of fear that distracts us and affects us in our spirit. The opposite of fear is trust (faith). The Psalmist clues us in that the way we battle against this fear in our lives is by trusting God. Let us never forget what the Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 6:
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.
The reason why trust in the Lord is out best weapon against fear is because He has already won the victory! We simply step into that victory when we trust Him. Our battle isn’t against the people that seem to be persecuting us. Our battle is against our spiritual enemy using them and getting in your head to steal, kill, and destroy your identity in Christ and your eternal joy that you have in Him. Verses 8 & 9 in the psalm reveal that the writer knows his identity in God; he is one of God’s children. When we remember and stand firm in our identity in Christ, there is nothing and no one that can overcome us because we have already been overcome by His love and mercy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEAcs2B-kNc
