Psalm 79 Who is Your enemy?

Scripture selections are taken from the Rock Church Daily Bread Reading schedule for each month. “Lena’s Journalin’” are Lena’s comments on the specific passages from her Daily Journal.

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Psalm 79
A psalm of Asaph. O God, pagan nations have conquered your land, your special possession. They have defiled your holy Temple and made Jerusalem a heap of ruins. 2 They have left the bodies of your servants as food for the birds of heaven. The flesh of your godly ones has become food for the wild animals. 3 Blood has flowed like water all around Jerusalem; no one is left to bury the dead. 4 We are mocked by our neighbors, an object of scorn and derision to those around us. 5 O LORD, how long will you be angry with us? Forever? How long will your jealousy burn like fire?
6 Pour out your wrath on the nations that refuse to recognize you – on kingdoms that do not call upon your name. 7 For they have devoured your people Israel, F61 making the land a desolate wilderness. 8 Oh, do not hold us guilty for our former sins! Let your tenderhearted mercies quickly meet our needs, for we are brought low to the dust. 9 Help us, O God of our salvation! Help us for the honor of your name. Oh, save us and forgive our sins for the sake of your name. 10 Why should pagan nations be allowed to scoff, asking, "Where is their God?" Show us your vengeance against the nations, for they have spilled the blood of your servants. 11 Listen to the moaning of the prisoners. Demonstrate your great power by saving those condemned to die. 12 O Lord, take sevenfold vengeance on our neighbors for the scorn they have hurled at you. 13 Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will thank you forever and ever, praising your greatness from generation to generation.
FOOTNOTES:F61: Hebrew Jacob.
The New Living Translation
a. devoured Jacob. See note on 44:4.

~ Lena’s Journalin’~
“Pagan” and “Heathen” nations mean, peoples who have not become citizens of God’s kingdom on earth. God only sees two nations, two peoples, two races, two kingdoms. Those who believe in Jesus who God the Creator Father sent as Savior of the lost world, and those who do not yet believe or refuse to believe in His Son.
We are engaged in war, because we are involved in one or the other of these kingdoms.
As humans, born into the sin nature of Adam, we nee d a redeemer. If we do not believe and receive the salvations of Jesus Christ and walk in truth and life we are already walking in lies and death. There’s no middle road, ever. If we do not decide for Christ we’ve decided against Him.
When David cries out to the Lord to destroy enemies, he is speaking of this other kingdom’s rule and power over people. He does not desire people to be destroyed, he desires evil to be annihilated in its influential power over people.
God the Loving Creator Father never meant for people to follow after anyone but Him, which is why He sent Jesus, making what was once impossible, possible. Before Jesus we did not really have the power or help to choose. It took a lot of consecrated work to be able to be made right with God because of the catastrophe of sin’s power over us. God had originally given Adam power in the earth to rule, even over evil forces, by deciding for righteousness, and then Adam gave that power over to satan and his princes (principalities).
The power lies in the will, the decision of the will and the execution of the will. The will of God, the will of man, and the will of sin. The war is about who we allow to rule in us, over us, who’s will we choose.
Remember what we allow is allowed, what we don’t, isn’t. We don’t want to because the enemy has lied to us, but we have to take responsibility!
Death and doom were not created for men. It was created for evil. Satan has been recruiting co-followers, ever since he found this out. The more people he lies to, the more people he feels he has stolen from God’s heart. Don’t be deceived and lied to as Adam and Eve were. Jesus has given us the power we need to decide righteously, through the empowerment of His Holy Spirit.
Jesus gave us two predominant things to be after He left earth.
He said you must be Born Again and wait to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Jesus did not give commands flippantly, just to do or say things to show He was supposed to be in charge. He told us what would help and benefit us and as we followed His lead, it would lead us into the Divine purposeful service to the Father.
He wanted us to be made spiritually alive and changed from death to life, and brought from darkness to light, from an old way of life into a new way of life and be filled full of God, everyday. The more full of God we stay, the more we overcome evil and come out from under its sway.
There is no other way. Many refuse the part about receiving the Holy Spirit, they say the day for speaking in tongues has passed away. These are missing the infilling and indwelling and empowerment of God Himself and then we wonder why our enemies triumph over us, we’ve only followed half of His departing commands. Be aware that the enemy has lied to us, caused us to be afraid of God and His spirit. That is a bunch of hogwash. Be aware of why the enemy would do this, speak this lie to Christians, telling them to only be born again, but don’t get filled up. He knows we are more of a threat to his lies if we are filled full of God!
When we do what Jesus says, we are blessed, when we do what we think is right in our own eyes or make up our own rules and follow our own way, we are not blessed, we struggle along in life.
David cried out for freedom from captivity, a captivity that is spiritual in nature and effects every natural thing we do. David understood that people form alliances with enemy powers and need to be released from the grip and stronghold of the bondage of sin.
I know it sounds like it, but people are NOT our enemies, no matter how bad they act. God loves people, no matter how intertwined in sin they become. He is looking for some people who will rise up and willingly insist on the freedom of captives, who will stick with them like glue in the spirit, not allowing the evil influences to keep a hold of them. Our warfare is spiritual in nature, we are here to overcome for Christ and God. We are here to demonstrate His Almighty power in human form; to veer our dependencies on Him, and live decisively for His kingdom to come.
The kingdom comes as revelation and then as each decides and follows through, That is when it is evidenced in each person and then it can come to the world.
This is how it comes to the world. When Jesus was here the followers did not understand Him or His mission. They completely expected Him to overturn physical and natural governments, kill of a few bad men and free then from what appeared to be enemy rule. He began to teach about loving enemies and not killing. They could not believe He died before he had a chance to be crowned King of kings! It was confounding to them and they felt hopeless.
Then they remembered Him saying, don’t look so far out there for the kingdom to come, it is being built IN you.
My kingdom must be formed inside of you before it can be manifested for the world to see. If I rule you, I rule. But I don’t rule by forceful entry into your life. I rule because you love Me and you willingly allow Me to rule.
This is the best rule, submission because of love, trust because of love, surrender. His kingdom is a kingdom of kings who have surrendered. They have willingly, given up their crowns of self leadership and said, “Lord, You have Your way in me!”
Wanna know what’s hard? It’s hard for a man to lay down a crown. Wanna know why? It is sin, a root sin, a sin that started the whole war, the very sin we struggle with, because it is THE enemy of our souls. It is the very sin we are here to overcome- Pride, which leads to rebellion!
These are the greatest enemies of our soul’s salvation.
If you knew what your enemy looked like, what would you do? Wouldn’t you look for him, be on watch, wait for him and then be ready to destroy him?
Today I have shown you your enemy- pride, rebellion. Enemy #1 to Your Father God who loves you and gave His life for you. What should that do to you, a warrior for the Lord, one who’s give his own crown to Christ? Be on watch, do not allow this sin to rule you, close the door to its former allegiances. Take its power and break its influence over you. If you see it coming, do not allow it in! Now you know, it is your enemy, despise its presence.

Daily Thought to Ponder -
“Oh Give Thanks to the Lord for He is Good!”