Surrounded by God’s Shouts of Deliverance

My children and I recently visited the On-A-Slant Mandan Village at Fort Abraham Lincoln in Mandan, ND. 

We had fun exploring the round houses and marveling at their construction.

In the models of the village as it was in the early 1700’s, there is a long palisade along one side.

As I looked at the area where the fence had been, I imagined enemy tribes pouring over the hilly prairie and storming the village. Did the fence keep the enemy out while the Mandan warriors assembled? 

I thought of the Psalm which reads, “Therefore, let everyone who is Godly offer prayer to you at a time when You may be found; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him. You are a hiding place for me; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with shouts of deliverance.”

What is it like to be surrounded by God’s shouts of deliverance?

I have been praying all week for a group of believers who are experiencing pointed persecution because they are teaching that Jesus is the only true God and that He is the only way to be saved.

Jesus Himself taught this: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”And the Jews crucified Him for it. 

The persecuted believers are experiencing displacement, opposition, threats of violence, and uncertainty. We know that the true enemy is not the government of their nation but instead Satan.

I have been praying that these persecuted believers will be surrounded by God’s shouts of deliverance. I often pray that same prayer for the people of my church who experience opposition, discouragement, temptation, and weakness. Lord, let us be surrounded by Your shouts of deliverance!

When David became king of Israel, he wondered what to do about his enemies, the Philistines. The first time, the Lord told David to attack them. When David obeyed, the Lord broke through the Philistine line like a flood of many waters ahead of David’s army and made it possible for David to triumph.

The second time, though, God gave different directions: go behind them, and when you hear the sound of marching in the trees, then rouse yourself and fight, for the Lord has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines!

When David wrote the Psalm about God’s shouts of deliverance and the rush of great waters, I wonder if he was thinking of these two instances when the Lord brought deliverance.

Sometimes, the Lord breaks through opposition like a flood, and all we have to do is follow Him. At other times, it may seem like we are behind or being trampled by the enemy, but we need only to listen for the sound of marching in the tops of the trees and faithfully join the fight. 

In Christ, we are surrounded by His shouts of deliverance.