SNATCHING VICTORY FROM THE JAWS OF DEFEAT

January 28, 2009

SNATCHING VICTORY FROM THE JAWS OF DEFEAT

Psalm 20

Patti Shaffner

Central Truth

The Lord knows our sacrifices and desires and listens to our requests. Even in the darkest days and in hopeless situations, we should remain faithful and trust that, through Him, we will be victorious.

Then we will shout for joy over your victory; we will rejoice in the name of our God! May the Lord grant all your requests! (Psalm 20:5)

Trust in the Name of the LORD Our God

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

1 May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble!
    May the name of the God of Jacob protect you!
2 May he send you help from the sanctuary
    and give you support from Zion!
3 May he remember all your offerings
    and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices! Selah

4 May he grant you your heart's desire
and fulfill all your plans!
5 May we shout for joy over your salvation,
and in the name of our God set up our banners!
May the LORD fulfill all your petitions!

6 Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed;
    he will answer him from his holy heaven
    with the saving might of his right hand.
7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
    but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
8 They collapse and fall,
    but we rise and stand upright.

9 O LORD, save the king!
May he answer us when we call.

This is one of my favorite chapters in Psalms. When my father passed away three years ago, I placed these verses on my mirror as a daily reminder and encouragement to me that the Lord is always there for me, just waiting for me to call out to Him. In times of distress, in times of hopelessness, in times of great sacrifice, and even in times when we just don't think we will ever have our deepest desire met, He is there.

Originally written as a request to help King David in battle, the psalmist begins by asking that requests for help be answered, followed immediately by assurance that the Lord will drive them to victory. It amazes me to think that in the midst of what was likely an against-all-odds military battle, David and his men were able to have such faith in the Lord and confidence in His delivering them to victory. How little faith we sometimes have that God can intercede in even the smallest of situations!

What battle are you facing in which you could use the Lord as your Commander-in-Chief? Are you confronting your battles with the same assurance of victory that David and his men did? Are you asking God to make you victorious?

It is so easy to get discouraged these days, whether it's a life-changing situation or just a bad day. I know that when I lost my father it would have been so easy to have a pity party for myself; but I would have missed out on such great joy, as the Lord made clear to me that I was blessed beyond measure to have had this amazing man as my father. I had to go continuously to the Lord, though, and ask for His intercession. That's what this passage shows us. We must present our requests to the Lord, and He will listen and bring us to a place of His victory, no matter what the situation. Once we are there, no matter what that victory looks like, rejoice!

1. Are you entrusting all your concerns as well as your desires to God?

2. What battles or struggles do you need to give to God, and why are you holding on to them?
3. In what areas can you see that God has claimed victory for you?
4. What does it look like to you to shout for joy when you are victorious?
5. Are you giving God the glory for all of your (His) victories?