God Promises He is Complete for You

​Psalm 86:14-17 The arrogant are attacking me, O God; a band of ruthless men seeks my life – men without regard for you. 15 But you, O LORD, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. 16 Turn to me and have mercy on me; grant your strength to your servant and save the son of your maidservant. 17 Give me a sign of your goodness, that my enemies may see it and be put to shame, for you, O LORD, have helped me and comforted me.
 
THIS is a remarkable response to another life-threatening time in David’s life. As David looked to the opposition’s strength, he contrasted the enemy’s power with God’s character. David knows he belongs to the God, who has the strength to save the son of your maidservant. (David apparently refers to his mother as a faithful servant of God.)
   David’s response is a good lesson in prayer and spiritual warfare. David prays, “Save me LORD.” by exalting the fullness of God’s character. His pattern is to declare God is compassionate, a gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. He prays God will turn and have mercy on him. And David petitions God to grant me your strength, to give him a sign of your goodness. David prays for God to show himself so completely to David that my enemies may see (God’s glory) and be put to shame. He wants all to know the LORD has helped and comforted him.
   David praises God for his mercy, grace, patience, love, faithfulness, strength and goodness. Note he is not praying for God to protect and save him with military force. David is trusting God’s character to fill him, so he is prepared to confront the opposition with the fullness of God.
   Jesus wants you to know he has prepared you with God’s fullness to oppose Satan’s warfare. Our Savior told us, “The thief comes to kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)
   The full life is striving to resist the devil and to live into God’s abundant character. He fully makes himself available to you: Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Do you see the Spirit’s fruit compares with David’s list of God’s character? God promises to be fully available to protect and empower you against evil.
   When you are in Christ, the enemy Satan will always attempt to destroy you. As David called on God to confront and destroy the enemy, so we must grasp the fullness of God to engage his protection and power for our lives.
   We fight the battles; we  win the war with God’s character filling our souls.