Your Spiritual Force Field
“… When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him and put him to flight.” Isaiah 59:19 (AMP)
Most of us who were alive at the time can recall where we were on 9/11 when we saw or heard the news of the terrorists’ attack on the Twin Towers. Never before had we witnessed such an act of terrorism on our own shores! It was horrific. Lives were lost, and many who survived would never be the same. The Bible says we have a real adversary who seeks to steal, to kill, and to destroy our lives. In fact, Peter warns us in his letter to, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him and be strong in your faith….” 1 Peter 5:8-9 (NLT) How do we do that? What do we do when the enemy attacks? Sometimes, the roar of the lion can be deafening, his pursuit relentless! How are we to stand firm against him and remain strong in our faith? Isaiah sheds some light on what to do when the enemy attacks, that offers us hope and confidence. The prophet says, “When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him and put him to flight.” Isaiah 59:19 (Amp)
Not long ago someone commented on that passage with a perspective that has changed my outlook on the attacks of the enemy in my life. It has given me greater confidence and transformed my thinking about the nature of spiritual warfare! For years, I’ve considered this passage when facing attacks from the enemy and claimed its promise that God would lift up the standard of His Word against the devil. This is the believer’s spiritual force field. However, it seemed that the enemy’s attacks would come like a flood or a tsunami that was overwhelming. It could be that we accept that idea because of misreading the passage from Isaiah. Although every word in the Bible is inspired by God, what is not inspired are the chapter divisions, verse numbers, and punctuations. These were inserted later by translators to make the Bible easier to read and locate verses for study. So, what if you moved the comma in this verse from where it is now and placed it after the word in. Just simply moving the location of the comma would change the emphasis of the passage. No longer would it read When the enemy comes in like a flood, … (with the emphasis on the enemy’s attack). Instead, it would read like this:
When the enemy shall come in, LIKE A FLOOD THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD WILL LIFT UP A STANDARD AGAINST HIM AND PUT HIM TO FLIGHT.
No longer do we need to feel overwhelmed by the attack of the enemy. Yes, he may have come in, but like a flood the Spirit of God will lift up the standard of His Word and His promises and His power against him and put him to flight! How awesome is that? The emphasis now is on the irresistible power of the Spirit of God to fight on behalf of His people! He is our spiritual force field against all the devil throws at us.
You are no longer a victim! You are a victor in Christ! That’s why Paul could say when speaking about death, the last enemy to be destroyed, “But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:57 (NIV)
Has the enemy attacked you? Your family? Your possessions? Take heart! Like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him and put him to flight! Stand firm against him and be strong in your faith! You have a spiritual force field in Christ. The victory is yours, and the battle is the Lord’s!
Another important part of your daily devotional is spending time with God in prayer. The Woodlands Church Prayer Board lists prayer requests submitted by our members and provides a way to send them some encouragement by using a button on the page to let them know that you prayed for them. Whether you use the Prayer Board, or pray from your heart, the goal is to build the habit of incorporating prayer into your quiet time.
Need prayer yourself? Let us know by submitting a prayer request on the Woodlands Church Prayer Board.