Text: “Let them
(oppressors) be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them
be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.”
Psalm 35:4.
Good
morning, powerfully equipped Christian!
When we study God’s Holy Word to us, ‘His people’, we find that we are a
powerfully equipped people indeed. We
are given Spiritual weapons by the Lord God to wage war and to defend our
soul’s territory from the most powerful adversaries of the world, the flesh,
and the Devil. One of our most powerful
Spiritual weapons is the power of fervent prayer.
Here
in Psalm 35, the Psalmist David is pleading with the Lord to CONFOUND his
enemies that are oppressing him without proper or just cause. Let us look briefly at the concept of
confounding, and in particular, at the Lord God’s power to confound the enemies
of ‘His people’.
Dictionary Definition:
Confound – (verb transitive) to overthrow, to defeat;
to confuse, to throw into disorder; to defeat in argument; to perplex; to
astonish; (to damn, blast, and curse to shame…)
(The Chambers Dictionary, page 345)
If
worldlings, ungodly Governments, and anti-Christian detractors seek to
persecute, slander, and oppress Blood-bought Christians; they should not be
surprised when they are cursed by the Lord God Who suffered and died on a Cross
for those whom they persecute. Take
heed, persecutor of true Christians! God
is watching you!
“Be
not deceived; God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man/woman soweth (continues
to do), that shall he/she also reap (get back in).” (Galatians 6:7)
“See
that ye refuse not Him that speaketh.
For if they escaped not who refused Him that spake on earth, much more
shall not we escape, if we turn away from Him that speaketh from Heaven.” (Hebrews 12:25)
The
Lord God is NOT some old man with white hair and a long beard, as unbelieving
fools seem to think. Our God really is,
‘…a consuming fire.’!
“It is a fearful thing to fall
into the hands of the Living God.”
(Hebrews 10:31)
The
Lord God gives ‘His people’ sure and powerful promises as they continue on
believing/trusting in His Spirit-inspired Word.
We are called to use such powers.
“Fear
thou not; for I am with thee; be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I WILL
strengthen thee, yea, I WILL help thee, yea, I WILL uphold thee with the right
hand of My righteousness…For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand,
saying unto thee, Fear not, I WILL help thee.”
(Isaiah 41:10;13)
Look
again, now, what the Psalmist is pleading before God’s throne of Grace in his
prayer. He is praying for God to
confound those that seek to hurt him and oppress his soul – that is, temporal
and Spiritual enemies included! He is,
primarily, saying, ‘Lord, I am not able to bear the attacks of these enemies;
please deal with them at the same level of hurt which they themselves are
dealing with me.’
This
is a powerful prayer for the total ‘confounding’ of those who are seeking David’s
downfall: a prayer to overthrow, defeat; confuse, throw into disorder; defeat in argument;
perplex; astonish; (damn, blast, and curse to shame…) all those that are
causing him such oppression without just cause!’
All this is being prayed under instruction from God’s own Word! What a Spiritual weapon! It is time to break it out again and use it!
“Finally,
my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be
able to stand against the wiles of the Devil.
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities
(Spiritual and temporal), against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of
this world, against Spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Ephesians 6:10-12)
The
powerful pleas contained in Psalm 35 are an integral part of ‘the whole armour
of God’ detailed in the book of Ephesians, chapter 6, especially taking note of
verse 18, which clearly states: “Praying always with all prayer and
supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and
supplication for all saints (all born again believers).” (Ephesians 6:18)
However,
many professing Christ today would be most reluctant to pray such imprecatory
prayers – it seems that THEY have become more ‘spiritual’ than the Psalmist David! If God’s Word makes sense – don’t try to make
it nonsense! If king David, a man after God’s own heart, the anointed king of
Israel, sees fit to pray such powerful imprecatory prayers (prayers containing
God’s curse upon enemies), then surely we latter day Bible-believers should do
so also? It is time to take off the
velvet gloves. I am convinced that we
are in the very ‘last days’ in this 21st Century.
“This
know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come…” Read 2 Timothy
3:1-17 and understand the seriousness of this subject, brethren.
Verse
4. “Let them be…brought to confusion
that devise my hurt. This is a sincere prayer, prayed from a clear conscience that loves and
seeks to serve the Lord God Jehovah – Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Christ did teach us to pray for our enemies,
and those that ‘despitefully use us…’. However, such prayers are not always for
our enemy’s conversion, or for their well-being! No. Those that blatantly and maliciously set
out to persecute, slander, prevent and hinder true Bible-believing Christians
as we go about our God-ordained ministries in the Gospel of Jesus Christ need
to beware! If such detractors seek to
persecute and oppose us ‘…without cause… (verse 7); then they are fair game in
the prayer life of Christian believers who may legitimately call down God’s
wrath upon them. Serious persecution requires
God’s sternest rebuke.
Thought: Satan trembles when he sees, the weakest
saints upon our knees!