Astonishment

Whenever God is answering prayer, the enemy wants to ruin the blessing, and if he cannot do that, then he tries to distract me with severe temptations or problems. This is why prayer is called spiritual warfare.

Yesterday, God answered a vital prayer concerning a necessary confrontation with someone who needs much more spiritual help than any human being can give her. Her problems include a past filled with emotional and physical abuse and an attitude that she must be the center of attention. She is a believer but so easily sidetracked and so difficult to help. As I talked to her, God gave her ears to hear. After our telephone conversation, I was totally astounded at what He had done. I stood by my studio window silent and shaking.

My granddaughter was on the other side of the house. She rarely enters my studio and hasn’t been much for showing affection, but she came rushing in. “What’s wrong, Grandma? I think you need a hug.”

Astonishment all over again! How did she know? My voice had been low and calm; she could not have heard that conversation. I briefly told her what had happened, but I think I was more astounded at the Holy Spirit putting it on her heart to come to my emotional support than I was at the amazing response of this other person to what was essentially a strong rebuke.

Last night and this morning the enemy began thumping on me. Negative thoughts and awful ideas flashed through my head, stuff that I didn’t want to think about. I called out to God for help, knowing that I’m in a war.

As I sat down to read today’s devotional passage, my mouth dropped open in amazement at these five verses from Psalm 20:

May the Lord answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you. May he send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion. May he remember all your sacrifices and accept your burnt offerings. May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed. We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the Lord grant all your requests.

When God does things like this and speaks to me so directly to confirm that it was He who did it and He who will preserve me and give me victory in this war, my eyes fill with tears and my heart with joy. I am speechless; all I can say is praise God!