Psalm 23
1The LORD is my
shepherd,
I shall not want.
2He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He
leads me beside quiet waters.
3He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths
of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
4Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow
of death,
I fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your
staff, they comfort me.
5You prepare a table before me in the presence of my
enemies;
You have anointed my head with oil;
My cup
overflows.
6Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me
all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
We have all read this chapter a million times. It brings hope to the weary, strength to the weak, and comfort to the fearful. A restore group that was held in my home did a study on Psalm 23, Psalm 91, and Isaiah 43. It was such a phenomenal study and I only wish everyone I know and love could have been there. Or even every military family, especially ones prepping for this deployment.
As my home and family gets ready to send Mike to Afghanistan, the level of fear seems to be rising. My family is becoming distraught with anxiety and thoughts of "what ifs". I keep coming back to this highlighted section of Psalm 23. Notice it says "valley of the shadow of death". We are walking through it now. We are walking through the "shadow".
Well, lets put this into perspective.... what is a shadow? Remember being a little kid and scared of the dark? Or even now, as a parent, comforting your child who is afraid of the monsters that are creeping in the corners of their room? What did your parents tell you that you now tell your babies? It's only just a shadow. (Check out this WHOLE song... you will love it!) There isn't anything actually there. It is just the darkness creeping in and trying to scare you.
There is a very real and very tangible enemy who fights for our attention. He doesn't want us to KNOW that Mike is going to be just fine and completely protected in Afghanistan. He doesn't want us to KNOW that the kids and wives left behind are going to thrive and make it through with help, love, and support from our brothers and sisters in Christ. He wants to distract our faith by replacing it with fear. Fear of being separated from loved ones, fear of being hurt or even killed, fear of having to hurt or possibly kill another. There is so much fear that it will smother you if you let it. That is exactly where he wants you. So deep in a dark hole of fear and misery that you can't see the light.
What you need to remember is this.
Isaiah 43: 1-7
1But now, thus says the LORD, your Creator, O Jacob,
And He who formed you, O
Israel,
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by
name; you are Mine!
2“When you pass through the waters, I will be with
you;
And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.
When you walk
through the fire, you will not be scorched,
Nor will the flame burn
you.
3“For I am the LORD your
God,
The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I have given Egypt as your
ransom,
Cush and Seba in your place.
4“Since you are precious in My
sight,
Since you are honored and I love you,
I will give
other men in your place and other peoples in exchange for your
life.
5“Do not fear, for I am with you;
I will bring
your offspring from the east,
And gather you from the west.
6“I will say to the
north, ‘Give them up!’
And to the south, ‘Do not hold them
back.’
Bring My sons from afar
And My daughters from the ends of the
earth,
7Everyone who is called by My name,
And whom I
have created for My glory,
Whom I have formed, even whom I have
made.”
You are His! You know how you would do anything and everything in your power to protect and care for your children? Well so would God! And his "anything and everything" is SO much bigger than anything you can even fathom! Do not be afraid of the lies and the "shadows" that the enemy will whisper in your ear! Do not give in to the doubt and deceit! You have so much more control over it than you know! Pray like crazy and cast out in JESUS name anything that wishes to bring darkness over you or your family!
An incredible woman told me about a man who was laying in bed and heard his rocking chair from his living room start rocking. Knowing there was nobody else in the house, he went to check it out only to see the Devil sitting in the chair. The man said, "Oh. It's just you." And with that he went back to bed. That is precisely how we should treat him. With nothing more than a passing glance. We do not have to fear him or anything he brings our way. We are the daughters and sons of the Most High God! The enemy has NO authority over us! Praise God for redeeming us, loving us, carrying us, and bringing us out of the "shadow"!
