If you follow me on Facebook, you’ll know that I’ve recently felt attacked on every side—another stress fracture in one foot, mouth sores, an eye infection, and a chest pain incident. I didn’t mention the near-miss car accident. And then there was the tumble I took on our boat-home. I’m sure my guardian angels received bonus pay for the last two incidents.
I’m not one to look for the devil behind every bush when things go wrong. In many cases, stuff happens just because that’s the nature of things. But sometimes the devil is to blame, and I’m blaming him for the litany of recent misadventures.
I’ve been working on my new book and discovering more about the character of God as manifested through His names. I suspect the devil doesn’t like what I’m doing. Neither does he want this information to get into your hands. Researching and writing on this topic is changing my life and bolstering my faith in the Lord, so it’s likely to do the same for you when you read it. The thought of a believer’s faith growing scares him, so it seems he’s going out of his way to distract me and make my life difficult. If he considers me a threat, then I must be doing something right!
With all that’s happened, the chapter about Jehovah Sabaoth has proven especially meaningful for me. By using this name, God is telling us that he is the Lord of hosts, the Commander-in-Chief over armies of men, angelic beings, and the heavenly hosts including stars, the moon, and the sun.
Let’s think about that for a moment. Jehovah Sabaoth rules supreme over the universe. Nothing is stronger than Him. No one is wiser. No one is bigger. No one possesses forces like His, and no one has authority like His to call those forces into action to help us when we feel attacked.
These truths are amazing in themselves, but there’s more…
No one loves us more than God does. He holds us in His hand. He knows the number of hairs on our head. He hears our cries and promises to rescue us. He surrounds us with His lovingkindness. No one wants to see us flourish more than He does.
Considering these truths about who God is and the depth of His love and care for us, we have no reason to entertain fear or to doubt His ability and desire to rescue us.
Alicia Britt Chole writes, “When placed in the light of our awesome God, our lives find new perspective. Anxiety is replaced by hope when we see that nothing could ever be bigger than God. Fear loses its strength when we recognize that God’s power and love are a million times greater than our weakness and failure. Peace floods our lives when we remember that all our needs are safely encompassed by God’s brilliant sufficiency.”
Keeping one’s courage can prove challenging when we feel attacked on every side. Persevering can be tough when you feel like you have a target on your back and the devil is taking aim. Don’t let him intimidate you, my friend. Jehovah Sabaoth, Commander-in-Chief of the heavenly hosts, is on your side.
As Ms. Chole says, “When placed in the light of our awesome God, our lives find new perspective.” We needn’t wake with a knot in our stomach about what the day might bring. Instead, we can wake with gratitude in our heart and confidence that God is with us no matter what the day brings.
May I pray for you? “Father, we praise You for being Jehovah Sabaoth, Commander-in Chief of all the forces in heaven and on earth. Satan and his armies don’t stand a chance against You. When difficult circumstances cause us to feel afraid, please remind us that You’re in charge, and send Your forces to fight on our behalf. Teach us to trust in You and to not entertain fear when we feel attacked. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Enjoy “Battle Belongs” by Phil Wickham.
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