A Plan For Spiritual Warfare

PSALM 143:3–6

Before arriving at David’s specific petitions that he wants God to answer, we learn another valuable lesson related to spiritual warfare. We see a picture of David’s external and internal battle in verses 3–6. David exposes his present crisis to us (as he expresses it to God) and provides a helpful pattern for us. Consider three instructions for engaging in spiritual warfare.

Acknowledge Your Condition (143:3–4)

David doesn’t temper his words. David has an enemy who’s attacking him this enemy is stated generally, making it easily applicable for us. Whoever the enemy is, he has been successful, “crushing” David to the ground. As a result, David sits in “darkness and feels like a “dead” man internally, he has been brought low. He has a weak spirit and despairing heart

Kinder says of this description,

Every phrase here is so heavy with distress that no sufferer need feel unique in what he experiences. And the similarity of those terms to those that describe our Lord’s emotions remind [sic] us that none need feel himself alone, or less than fully understood.

Amen! You aren’t unusual if you have an enemy, if you feel crushed, if you’re experiencing despair, or if you’re spiritually weak. Further, Jesus understands our weakness and stands ready to grant us grace. Don’t hide your weaknesses. Admit them. Go to the Father with them.

At this point you might wonder, Doesn’t God already know my condition? Why tell him about it? Don’t think that. Prayer is about communicating with your Father. Open up your heart and express your weakness to him. Tell him about your predicament. You aren’t giving him new information but expressing intimacy and honesty in communication.

Lion Duncan described the prayer life of one of my Christian heroes, the mighty theologian Francis Schaeffer. Pastor Duncan highlighted the specificity and intimacy of Schaeffer’s prayers:

The prayer life of Schaeffer challenges us the prayer life of David challenges us let’s learn from them about the need to cultivate a deep, intimate, direct communion with God.

What can David do about his present crisis? He responds with God-centered meditation and yearning.

Meditate on God’s Work (143:5)

David teaches us to meditate on what God has done in the past. Memory has the ability to increase our faith in God. It can lift our spirits (cf. Ps 42). We have already studied several historical psalms that magnify God’s work in creation and redemption It’s incredibly important to deal with your present crisis by considering God’s past deeds Reflecting on what God has done inspires us to say, “Do it again, Lord!”

See the value here of mediating on Scripture and also God’s work throughout history. The Bible is filled with examples of how God has worked. Church history contains more examples. Our own lives also are filled with instances in which the Lord has blessed us in particular ways. Allow reflecting on them to bring you hope in the present and ask God to do a fresh work.

Yearn for God’s Presence (143:6)

In an attitude of desperation for God, David spreads out his hands to God; this is a posture of prayer. What’s most important, though, is the attitude of his heart. David is longing for Godmore than anything, even more than getting answersfrom God! David’s soul is thirsty. He knows only God will satisfy that thirst. He admits his spiritual dryness and asks God to come and satisfy his thirst with his presence. This kind of pursuit of God is expressed powerfully in two previous psalms:

As a deer longs for streams of water,

So I long for You, God.

I thirst for God, the living God. (Ps 42:1–2 HCSB)

God, you are my God; I eagerly seek you.

I thirst for you;

My body faints for you

In a land that is dry, desolate, and without water. (Ps 63:1 HCSB)

David knows that his greatest need is not answers. It’s not deliverance. It’s God himself. He needs to know the nearness of God.

In God’s presence we find joy, strength, and renewal when we experience his presence in close, powerful ways, we will begin to recover from spiritual darkness and dryness.

, “What is the best part of a trip?” it always coming home. David is expressing spiritual homesickness. His soul is in a parched land. He wants to return to his soul’s resting place in God’s presence. Can you identify with this longing?

Our spiritual lives have ups and downs. We go through seasons of deep intimacy with God and seasons of spiritual depression. Learn to yearn for God.