True Resistance

“How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence.” (Ps 62:3 AV)

Resist the enemy long enough, and he will give up.  History has proven this out.  At least generationally.  The context of this psalm is when David fled in the middle of the night from his own house because Saul set watchers outside his home to kill him when he left.  His wife, Michal, let him down through a window, then placed a bolster in the bed claiming David was sick and laid up.  Saul sent the murderers into the bedroom to slay David and discovered the deception.  Rather than side with her husband, Michal lied and blamed it all on David.  This verse is David’s declaration of resistance unto victory.  No matter what the enemy does, he will not lose.  They can devise whatever means they wish.  If God is with him, he will go on to victory.  He will have to battle through it.  He will suffer a few setbacks.  There will be a few scars.  But in the end, he is resolved to stand and face the enemy and by the power of God, he will not be defeated!

I know I use these stories quite a bit, but life lessons often come is droves.  One traumatic experience can yield and virtual trove of applications, lessons, and wisdom.  Such was my time in grade school.  I was regularly bullied by the tough guys.  One in particular.  Matt was his name.  He had a twin brother, Pat.  Matt used to do all sorts of things to me.  He was relentless.  On one occasion, we were sitting in class.  His desk was very near mine.  Pat’s desk was also very near mine.  Matt started in with verbal assaults.  I remember this incident because I could not understand Pat.  He refused to help his brother be cruel.  But he would do nothing to stop his brothers torture.  I also remember it because it was the time Matt learned that none of his bullying was going to work.  I refused to cry.  I refused to show any emotion whatsoever.  I simply refused to be a victim.  This only enraged Matt more.  His insults became more verbose and louder.  The teacher took notice and let Matt have it.  Down to the principal’s office he was sent and were it not for my sense of fairness, Pat would have been sent to.  A word from me kept him from getting into trouble.  From that point on, the bullying decreased and eventually went away.

The point is this:  the reason the devil has to go around seeking whom he may devour is because he cannot devour us all.  He has to roam around because he knows there are certain that will resist and not succumb to his tactics.  Resist long enough, and the devil will flee.  That is the promise.  Paul, when speaking of the spiritual armor of which the believer should use, tells us that once we are equipped, or having done all, to stand!  Just like the playground frolics of the bullies who thought stealing my hat was going to work, resolve chases the foolishness away.  Resist long enough and the enemy will give up.  He is not looking for difficult marks.  He is looking for easy marks.  The enemy is an opportunist and lazy.  Set your resolve and the enemy will give up.