What to Do First

Read Psalm 35:1-10

"And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord; it shall rejoice in His salvation" (v. 9). This is David's glad response to God's gracious deliverance from his enemies. David was in trouble; his enemies were accusing him and lying about him. What did he do? He prayed.

Our first reaction to false accusations is to fight. We want to fight back and defend our name and protect our reputation. But David was far more concerned about his character than his reputation. He knew that if he was right with God, it made no difference what people did to him or said about him. So he started with prayer. "Plead my cause, O Lord, with those who strive with me; fight against those who fight against me" (v. 1). When the Enemy fights against you, he's really fighting against the Lord. That's a good principle to remember. When the child of God is in the will of God, he can claim the help and the protection of the Father.

David started with prayer, and he admitted his own helplessness. "All my bones shall say, 'Lord, who is like You, delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him?'" (v. 10). Our enemies are too strong for us. We have to turn them over to the Lord. David trusted God to work on his behalf, and He did.

God will work for you today, too. In His time and in His way, He will accomplish what needs to be done. And when that day comes to an end, or whenever the opportunity might arise, you will say, "And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord; it shall rejoice in His salvation." It's not your salvation--it's not based on what you have done for yourself but on what God has done for you. I trust that today you'll have the joy of His victory in your life.

When dealing with your enemies, your first response might be to react instead of to act positively. Your best response is to pray. As God's child, you can turn your enemies over to Him and claim His help and protection. Is the Enemy attacking you ? Give your burden to the Lord, and He will work on your behalf.

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