The Lord’s plan to deliver His people sometimes entails drawing out wickedness against them in all its force. This is very alarming in itself, but it is God’s way of delivering, because the effect is to break down the flesh, to show that we have no strength at all. And this is our victory, for then the question is between God and Satan, and not between us and Satan.
In Egypt, the Lord delivered the Israelites by bringing all Pharaoh’s host against them. They saw that they had no strength themselves, and they cried unto the Lord; they were comforted with the promise, “The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace” (Ex. 14:10-14).
In the time of Jehoshaphat, the children of Israel were like two little flocks of kids, while the Syrians filled the country, but the Lord promised, “Therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thine hand, and ye shall know that I am the Lord” (1 Kings 20:27-28).
The Jews had a country on earth, and he that killed them would remove them from earth; but the saints are strangers on earth, having their country in heaven; therefore they do not need the same kind of deliverance the Jews did, and should not look for it.
The prince of the power of the air, the rulers of the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness in heavenly places are the enemies of the saint, trying to hinder heavenly-mindedness, and keep him from communion with the Father and the Son.
If the weakest saint is leaning only on Jesus, he is stronger than all the powers of Satan, because Jesus is stronger. May He who works in His people to will and to do of His good pleasure work in our souls, delivering us from that great work of Satan — a form of godliness without power.
Christian Truth, Vol. 4