An Ever Present Help In Trouble

I stumbled upon this picture on Pinterest, and it speaks volumes about my emotions at times. The enemy surrounds me, whispering lies and taunting me relentlessly. I feel his breath on my neck, and fear grips me, paralyzing me from movement. The battle within me rages on, and I yearn for it to end. Exhaustion and weariness weigh heavily on my soul.

The enemy’s relentless attacks repeat the same lies over and over: “unwanted,” “not needed,” “unnecessary,” “not good enough,” “failure.” But amidst this darkness, a glimmer of hope emerges. In the background, Jesus approaches me, not walking but running towards me, ready to lend a hand. Scriptures like Psalm 27:2-3 come to mind: “When the wicked advance against me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall. Though an army besieges me, my heart will not fear; though war breaks out against me, even then I will be confident.”

Why can I find confidence in the midst of darkness? Because The Lord is my light and my salvation. Who shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life. Who shall I be afraid of?” (Psalm 27:1 ESV).

When I feel defeated and tempted to succumb to the negativity surrounding me, whispering, “That’s too much for you,” or “You can’t do that,” I must remember the words of Jesus in Luke 10:19: “I have given you authority…over all the power of the enemy.”

It is His power within me that enables me to overcome, resist negative emotions, and seek His strength and encouragement to persevere. I stand up against the enemy, who, like Peter, is described as a “roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

I find comfort in remembering Deuteronomy 20:4, which proclaims, “For the Lord your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.”

So, when you feel like there’s an “army encamped against you” or a war is raging in your mind or heart, remember Ephesians 6:12. It reminds us that we don’t fight against flesh and blood but against unseen forces in the heavenly places. Isaiah 54:17 also reinforces this truth, assuring us that “no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed” (ESV). Why? Because we possess the shield of faith, which enables us to extinguish the fiery darts of the evil one (Ephesians 6:16).

Remember, we are not alone. God has promised us that He will never abandon us or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6). He is with us wherever we go (Joshua 1:9). He has granted us victory (1 Corinthians 15:57), and He fights our battles for us (Exodus 14:14); (Deuteronomy 1:30).

As Psalm 91:5 proclaims, “You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day.”

Instead of succumbing to Satan’s lies, let’s replace them with the truth of who God says we are. We are chosen and deeply loved; we are fearfully and wonderfully made; we are precious in His eyes and honored; we are redeemed.

And whenever needed, let’s remind ourselves of these truths every moment of every day.