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Life is short, then you die; when it’s all said and done life is vanity, a vapor, a passing shadow, a mirage, a sojourning in a strange land, and as nothing before an eternal God. Old age reflects: What was it all about? My Sin, my Enemy, brings me to the point of puzzling over the meaning of life (more so as age creeps on).

If all is vanity and life seems meaningless anyway what am I working for, why am I anxious and worried, what am I waiting for? Aha! My hope is in God! I am nothing; He is all. My life is short; His is eternal. I am an alien in a strange land; God is my home. I exist suffocated by sin and death constantly reminding me of vanity and meaninglessness; Jesus is the only thing that is real. Lord, forgive my sin and unite me with you.

God is the meaning; Jesus is the answer. Hope is what I have today, and I possess what I hope for right now, not later maybe. Hope is present reality; Hope is substance; Hope sees the unseen. God forgives and brings me into His Presence now. And life is good.

Terrible sickness leads some people to the erroneous conclusion that God is punishing them for some sin. No, clearly, no. Although God may use an affliction from the Enemy as His loving discipline to effect something good, God punishes all sin, every last one, on the cross of Christ. The source of sickness is Death, the source of death is Sin, and the source of sin is the Devil and the Self. Sin is always, without exception, followed by bad consequences, not punishments.

Each of these Persons is the Enemy that is causing the terrible sickness, the excruciating physical pain, the emotional torment, the social isolation, and the spiritual alienation of the sufferer in Psalm 38. Yes, the Lord is angry, but He is angry at Sin and Death who are causing the suffering of His beloved sinner.

The sufferer recognizes that his condition is caused by foolishness, the denial of God’s rule in human affairs. The wonderful result of this experience (guided by the Holy Spirit) is that he turns to his loving Lord in prayer, in sorrow for sin, in desire for God and in trust for His Salvation. And that’s a good thing. He knows God cares.

Why should I forsake and resist the enemies? Why should I turn to the Lord and trust Him at all times? Because it is good for you in the long run; things will definitely turn out better in the right time when you wait with faith on the Lord who will work everything out for good. Every thought and decision has a consequence, good or bad. This truth must be believed since it is not usually seen right away. It’s like  the consequence of Adam, “You will die.” Most consequences are unseen, that is, we don’t discern the connection between a given choice and it’s outcome.

For this reason, humans need moral instruction on how to live a pleasant life (wisdom); this wisdom is freely provided in God’s Word, which, when believed and followed, yields wonderful results. Do not be deceived by short term appearances when you see bad people prospering and good people suffering. Enemies like envy and greed will destroy, while patient trust in Jesus and faithfulness to Him will bless and enrich. Confess envy and embrace Jesus. Fantastic results are described in Psalm 37.

Transgression, rebellion and sin speaks and motivates deep in my heart. Sin, my enemy, is the source of Pride, Unbelief and Selfishness; it is the cause of all my misery and trouble. Sin defies God by blithely ignoring Him (assuming He is not present), or even by consciously denying Him (thinking He is not there). Sin deceives by removing the fear (terror) of God, who hates Sin, and the love (faith) for God, who loves the sinner. Sin must be recognized, hated, and crushed; only Jesus can do this, and He did. There the worker of iniquity (the Sin in me) lies fallen, thrust down, and unable to rise.

The contrast, and the solution, to sin and evil is not trying to do good and being better. That is not where the struggle of life lies. The contrast to evil, and the solution of my enemy problem, lies in the awesome love and the incredible mercy of God. His mercy and faithfulness is bigger than the expansive universe; His provision and care freely blesses with an abundant and satisfying life. His lovingkindness in Christ continues for those who know Him intimately. Repent of sin and believe the Good News.

The Bible uses figurative and metaphorical language to show us the spiritual realities of the invisible world we cannot see; the figure exhibits the real; the physical reveals the spiritual. When the child of God asks the Lord to become the Enemy of his enemies and drive them away violently it is helpful to specifically know and name the enemy: it is the Devil, it is Death, it is Sin; it is even more helpful to identify the sin precisely, as we do in confession and daily repentance.

It is vital to remember that it is not the World, the people or the things in it, that is the real spiritual enemy that hates us and seeks to destroy the soul; then we have no qualms about asking God to be an enemy of my enemies and violently destroy them.

The figures of spiritual warfare employed in Psalm 35 are both military and legal. Jesus uses the words of verse 19, “My foes hate me without cause.” That’s how He got crucified. Jesus underwent human hatred to eliminate the curses hanging over me as a consequence of my sin. So I pray to God: “Say to my soul, ‘I am your salvation.'” (v. 3) And so I tell Sin and Satan!

The Lord delivers me from all my fears by bringing me into the fear of the Lord. I will experience fear, trouble and affliction: Bad things happen to good people. Why? Because every person, good and bad, constantly has around him and in him the enemies (sin, death and devil) causing bad experiences. The name for these enemies is “Evil”.

Evil seeks to destroy while God promises to keep from being destroyed. He does not promise bad things won’t happen, but He does promise that they won’t defeat us. The key: seek Him. “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” Both God and Enemies are ever present; turn from one and look to the other. The Holy Spirit prompts the turning. This is the “fear of the Lord” that frees from fear.

Young lions are the strongest and most self-sufficient beings we know of; but they will lack and go hungry. Those who trust in themselves and their own ability and effort will suffer want and go empty. But he who seeks the Lord and is dependent on Him will never (this means not ever) lack any good thing. Fear the Lord for He is Good!

Rejoice in the Lord, praise Him, and sing with gusto to the awesome Creator of the universe and the human beings he made it for. Praise God for His Word by which He made all things and holds it all together; for His Wisdom by which His unstoppable plan comes together in history for good; for His all-seeing Omniscience by which He fashions each unique person and cares about absolutely everything in everyone; for His awesome almighty Power by which He is able to deliver his people from death and famine.

The devil is the overcome enemy whose schemes are totally frustrated by the wiser God. Death is the other overcome enemy from which Almighty God delivers those who fear, love, and trust Him so that He will bring them into fullness of life in relationship with Him. His lovingkindness is upon his people so that He is their Help and their Shield, and He can do. We praise Him and trust Him because he is the Crestor and Orderer of each individual life.

Therefore, Rejoice in the Lord!

Sin is a terrible enemy to life in the soul, bringing terrible consequences to one’s life on earth. Sin and its effects cannot be overcome by trying harder, by will power, by resolving to be better, or by any human effort. I deal daily and finally with Sin by inflicting a crushing and violent blow: repent and believe, that is, openly admit and honestly confess sin and then gladly receive and securely apply forgiveness through faith in Jesus.

Blessings come to the one whose transgression (rebellion) is forgiven, whose sin (turning away) is covered, and whose iniquity (distortion) is not counted against him. Woes come to the one who keeps silent, meaning he either refuses to confess because he stubbornly insists on dealing with problems by himself or forgets to confess because his mind is not on God and he doesn’t make the connection between his sin and the consequent issues that make life hard.

Though sin is always present to us, its power to inflict damage is removed. The words, “Sin is covered,” does not mean pretending it doesn’t exist; it means the cancer is surgically removed or the infection is medically destroyed. The result is spiritual health, with physical and emotional benefits, without Enemy interference.

The Sin of other people in the world causes grief and distress for me, but it is the Sin that is the enemy not the Sinner that is being used. “Love your enemies,” but hate the Sin that uses them. Also, the Sin of my own self causes stress, but Sin is the enemy not the self. “Love yourself,” but hate the Sin that dwells within.

Prayer for escape from the consequences of sin that one feels (we feel the consequences, not the cause) always involves violence to the source. Jesus suffered innocent violence to the cause and source of our problems in our place on the cross. Now in the resurrection victory over Sin, Death, and the Devil we believers do violence to the sins of others by forgiving them, and we do violence to the sins of self by heartfelt repenting of them and receiving forgiveness.

Therefore we can pray with trust in God for escape because He is faithful to his covenant promises sealed for us in the Blood of Christ. We can say with confidence, “My times are in Your hands.”

A man praises the Lord after God delivers him from sickness unto death; he asks others to join him in praises to God; he vows that he will praise the Lord his whole life long from now on; thanks will become habit.

To get to that point where I am continually thankful that God is life and everything good and I am nothing and ever close to death, one needs to be assailed by the last enemy, sickness and death, and turn to Jesus for rescue from the pit and look to him for overcoming.

This man needed to repent for the first sin: thinking that he didn’t need God, that he could do it himself, that his own efforts achieved. He repented: “I said In my prosperity, ‘I shall never be moved.'” Then the Lord healed him and drew him up from death’s door, after repentance, faith, and asking for mercy.

Joy comes in the morning; mourning is turned into dancing; clothes of gladness replace sackcloth; and the grace of the Lord makes my mountain stand strong. God does it all. Joy comes. What’s left for me but thanks and praise?