the insolent smear me with lies, but with my whole heart i keep your precepts; their heart is unfeeling like fat, but i delight in your law. [psalm 119:69-70]
we have a crafty enemy who wants us dead and our fellowship with Christ and his bride utterly destroyed. he wants the holy name of God the Creator dragged through the mud, cursed, rejected by man. he works tirelessly for this purpose, using any means and minions necessary to get the job done. and so we are smeared with lies. lies that our sin doesn’t matter, lies that the world has something better to offer than God’s presence, lies that God doesn’t or couldn’t love us, lies that we are not really his children, lies that tell us we need control of our own lives, lies that we deserve comfort, lies that tell us we can have God and also have the world. and so often we believe these lies because they’re not spoken quite so plainly as i’ve listed here. they’re subtle. they’re slippery. they even seem good, but they lead to death.
thankfully, he who is in [us] is greater than he who is in the world! [1 john 4:4] we have weapons to fight against these untruths and these weapons are full of the power of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. we have the living word of God. ultimate truth at our fingertips that the psalmist here says he keeps with his whole heart. he holds it near, searches it, memorizes it, meditates on it, eats and drinks it in daily. he says he delights in it, he loves it, and this word is what will quiet the lies of his enemy. we are told in ephesians to put on the whole armor of God to fight our enemy. it is a gift to each child of God, and we can wear it with no fear, knowing that we have the steadfast love of a God who has already overcome the world!
finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. for we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. in all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. to that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which i am an ambassador in chains, that i may declare it boldly, as i ought to speak. [ephesians 6:10-20]
~ arwen eastman