Psalm 3:1 Lord, how they are increased that trouble me! Many are they that rise up against me.
Someone asked recently, “Is there a lot of battle in this walk with the Lord?” When a Christian breaks out of religion into a real walk with God in the Spirit, he finds himself in the end-time battle, and it is then that he says, “Lord, how they are increased that trouble me! Many are they that rise up against me.” Let me explain something about the end-time battle. The world will know an end-time battle and religion will know an end-time battle. However, there are many Christians in the end-time battle now. Christians on the lower realms of Christianity are not experiencing the warfare at the end of the age; to them it is in the future, a day yet to come, but those who are contending for the higher realms of glory in the Lord are in the battle of the ages now. They have set their hearts to walk with God in the heavenly realm and because of that the demonic forces of Satan have risen up from the bottomless pit of their fallen nature to oppose them. Yes, there is battle in this walk with the Lord! We are finding out what it means to be really born of God. Do you really want to be born of God? Here is what happens: Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom (this takes place in you); and there shall be famines (the Lord cutting off the supply to your flesh nature), and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places (in you). All these are the beginnings of birth pangs. Matthew 24:7-8. There are many Christians who have experienced a little forgiveness and are boasting about being born again; it doesn’t happen without this warfare. The Lord Himself must come forth in you and declare war on your fallen nature (Revelation 6:2; II Thessalonians 1:10).
Psalm 3:2 Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah.
All this voicing of futility will come from your flesh nature. The chief priests, scribes, and elders of the Jewish religion mocked Jesus in this way as He hung on the cross. The chief priests mocking Him, with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He be the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now, if He will have Him; for He said, I am the Son of God. Matthew 27:41-43. We, too, must suffer with Him (Romans 8:17; II Timothy 2:12). When we begin experiencing our cross experience the many voices of our flesh nature will cry out, There is no help for him in God.
Psalm 3:3 But Thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.
The Lord’s provision for us at such a time is the shield of faith. Take the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. Ephesians 6:16. Does every Christian have this shield of faith? No, only those who take it. Those on the lower realm of Christianity don’t know anything about this kind of battle. The shield of faith is taken up by those who are in the end time battle. They take it up to quench the fiery darts of the wicked one coming through their flesh nature.
The lifter up of mine head: My Head is the Lord Jesus Christ! The most important thing of all when you are in this warfare is a revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is most important for the revelation of Him to be greater than the voices of your flesh. The Book of Revelation begins, The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave… (Revelation 1:1). The Book of Revelation is a book of warfare between the satanic forces that come through the flesh and the saints of the Most High. Thus, it begins with a revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ in His many-membered Body: I turned to see the voice that spoke to me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; and in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man… Revelation 1:12-13. When you find yourself in the battle, pray for a lifting up of your Head – the Lord Jesus Christ.
Psalm 3:4 I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and He heard me out of His holy hill. Selah.
I cried unto the Lord with my voice. This is not speaking of the natural voice, but the voice of one’s spirit crying out to the Lord. When the Lord speaks to us His words are “spirit and Life” (John 6:63), so our words to Him must be spirit and life, too. For we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And He that searches the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. Romans 8:26-27.
He heard me out of His holy hill. This holy hill is the place where He has been crowned King of kings. I have set My King upon My holy hill of Zion. Psalm 2:6. Those who come through the battle of the end time will reign as kings under His Kingship. He is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords (I Timothy 6:15).
Psalm 3:5 I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me.
To understand this verse we must be aware of what “sleep” means in the Scriptures. First, we must understand that correct interpretation of Scripture can come on different levels. For example, this verse can simply mean that the Psalmist laid down, went to sleep, and when he awoke the Lord sustained him, or there could be mystical interpretations on different levels. You will remember that when David died the Word says that He “slept with his fathers” (I Kings 11:21). So sleep has to do with death. Also, the Scriptures speak of the unsaved as “dead (or asleep) in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1). This particular verse has usually been interpreted as prophetic of Jesus Christ and His resurrection. That would be a true fulfillment of this prophetic verse, but not the only true fulfillment. This verse could also depict the truth of Christ descending into flesh and arising in strength to minister as Jesus the Nazarene. It could also speak of the ascended Christ descending into the lower parts of our earthen nature, thus creating a many-membered Body of Christ. Now that He ascended, what is it but that He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill all things. Ephesians 4:9-10. In order for us to overcome in the end time battle He must be laid down in us and awaken us in His strength, and in this way we are sustained.
Psalm 3:6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.
Man’s flesh nature is a fallen nature, and it is Satan’s access to us. He is behind all fear and unbelief, and the fear and unbelief that comes through one’s flesh has the force of ten thousand people. The answer is the lifting up of our Head. The revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ is our armor of God. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places, wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Ephesians 6:11-13. The whole armor of God is a whole revelation of the Lord. It is not what you believe He is; it is what He is in you that dispels all fear.
Psalm 3:7 Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God: for Thou has smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; Thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.
The area of the cheek bone is where the sign of assault appears. The call is for the Lord to assault the enemies of the flesh nature; that is, the works of the flesh. The teeth of the ungodly signifies the abusive words of the wicked one in the sense of Paul’s statement, If you bite and devour one another, take heed that you are not consumed one of another. Galatians 5:15. Do you understand how in this end-time battle, as you are moving into sonship, takes place within you? The time comes when you will say, “Lord, arise in me; invade My life and conquer my flesh. Smite my enemies and break the teeth of my ungodly flesh nature.”
Psalm 3:8 Salvation belongs to the Lord; Thy blessing is upon Thy people. Selah.
Psalm 9:19 says, Arise, O Lord; let not man prevail; let the heathen be judged in Thy sight. His blessing is upon those who say, “Arise in me, O Lord, and let not my man nature prevail; let the heathen of my flesh be judged in Thy sight.” The salvation belongs to the Lord!
Copyright © 2008 by Henry DuBose