A Seat At The Table Part 2

 Part 2 of A Seat At The Table  The 23rd Psalm

Verse 5 says You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. 

Now, keep that verse in mind as we will return to it several times and really dive into what I think that is saying to us in line with what we are discussing today. 

The table God has prepared for you will not sequester you nor will it extract you from a broken world.

In fact, it tells us that the table will be situated right in the middle of your enemies You don’t have to worry though, you will feel and know his presence because He is seated at the table with you. 

Now, what if you are your own shepherd?  He is not seated at the table with you.  What can I expect?  In whatever way the Devil gains access to your table, his goals are always the same.

 He wants to gain access to your mind so he can destroy you. He wants to get inside your head so harmful thoughts can be planted within you.

Those thoughts will grow unchecked and spill out into actions. He wants you to be overtaken by wickedness. He wants to steal everything that is valuable from you.

He wants to kill your relationship with God. He wants to cause division between you and the people who care for you.

The Devil is not gentle - not in the long run. He was 'a murderer from the beginning' (John 8:44), and he sets snares that capture people so they do his will (2 Timothy 2:26). The Devil is vicious and cruel, and he's always prowling around 'like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour' (1 Peter 5:8).

That someone is you.

The Devil wants nothing more than to crush you. He wants to steal from you everything you value.

He wants to kill everything in your life that's good. Ultimately, he wants to destroy you. If he can claim the victory over your mind, he can eventually claim the victory over your life.

But the message of Psalm 23 is that the Good Shepherd prepares a table for you. It's a table for two, and the Devil is not invited to sit

How do you refuse the Enemy a seat your table? You must start from this place of identity. You remind yourself that Jesus has already won your struggle.

 And because you are joined with Him, something powerful has already happened. Whatever He has won, you have won. You are in Christ, and Christ is in you.

Since Christ has victory, you have access to that victory right now. You're not fighting the battle against sin on your own strength. You're tapping into the huge, all-powerful engine of God's resurrection power Philippians 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death

Notice again that the table is in the presence of the enemies because God wants you to know that you'll always have enough for every moment, every struggle.

 He'll sustain you in every dark night. And God wants the enemies to watch you shine. Why?

Because in time they will stop gawking at you and turn their attention to the One who has the ability to keep your face beaming

The table is in the presence of your enemies so they can hear your song. With your eyes locked on Jesus, your worship will be uninterrupted. And your worship will become your weapon. Not only will God be exalted, but chains will break as you fight with this declaration: It may look like I'm surrounded, but I'm surrounded by You, Jesus. Everything shifts when you exchange a teacup-sized knowledge of God for an oceanic understanding of who He is.

It will be hard for the Enemy to crowd in on your newfound relationship with God.

How do you win the battle for your mind? Keep your mind on Christ. Period.

There's no way the Enemy will get a seat at your table.” 

Whatever the circumstances, whether it’s persecution or difficulty or a cancer ward or a diagnosis or family strife, God says “I’m going to prepare a table for you right in the middle of whatever it is.”  And here’s the beautiful thing about it, it’s a table for two! 

Remember this: The God of the universe wants to be your shepherd.  He wants to lead you and guide you and restore you.  He wants to be with you and protect you and provide for you, anoint you and overflow in you.

The Lord is good.  That is where we are starting this journey.  We’re starting with a good God, with a gracious God, with a God of abundance. 

And here is the main takeaway: We know at the end of it all that it’s not what’s on the table, but who’s at the table.  We know that he is always going to be everything we need. 

Accept his invitation, join Him at the table for two, and don’t give the enemy a seat at your table!