When in Battle, Feast

“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows” (Ps. 23:5, ESV).

Got any spiritual enemies trying to cause problems for you right now? I’m sure you do. We all do. Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against forces of evil in the heavenly places (Eph. 6:12). Whether you and I are aware of it at any given moment, we are in the middle of a war zone as long as we remain on Planet Earth.

Think about it. You know how on some days, it just feels like everything that could go wrong, is going wrong, and then some? That’s a prime example of your invisible enemies launching an attack to steal your peace. Yes, we all have enemies fighting against us, and sometimes it seems like it never stops.

So what is God’s response to this? To prepare a table for you. According to our verse for today, He readies a table for you in the very presence of your enemies. He spreads a spiritual feast for you, and warmly invites you to take a seat. With the eyes of your heart, do you see Him there, smiling welcomingly? He is completely unfazed by the commotion going on around you. He is eagerly, lovingly motioning for you to sit right next to Him and dine with Him.

He wants to teach you how to feast in the middle of your battles. He wants to train you to take your eyes off of what your enemies are doing, and to fix them on Him. Whenever you sense a skirmish starting, ask Him to show you what He is doing. Do whatever you need to, to find that moment to sit with Him at the banquet He has prepared. The more you learn to feast on His love even as the fighting continues, the more that perfect love will expel fear from your heart. Then you will see this come to pass: you will be “…not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God” (Phil. 1:28, ESV).

As you partake of the provision He has for you at His table, your enemies watch you becoming fearless. They tremble in fear, at such a clear sign of their imminent defeat!

“He leads me into a banquet room and looks at me with love” (Song 2:4, GW).

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Can you remember back to a time when the Lord supernaturally fed your soul and spirit in the middle of an intense battle?