Pilgrim's Battle with Apollyon

Reading through Pilgrim's Progress, something caught my eye this last week.  When Pilgrim is in a death match battle, doing hand to hand combat with Apollyon, he loses his sword.  At that point Apollyon aims to strike the final death blow, but Pilgrim quotes scripture at him from Micah 7:8 "Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise."  The Word of God deals Apollyon a mighty blow and the monster runs away.

How often do we do that?  How often, when in the heat of battle where Satan is attacking us with all his might, do we remember our scripture as a weapon?  How often do we rely on All Prayer when we are under attack?  I know I don't.  To be fully honest, when they days are rough and I feel stretched I reach for my phone.  I have a handful of buddies that I text the situation to.   These are Christians sisters who are home with their kids, schooling their kids, and who fully understand what I am experiencing at that exact moment.  They encourage, make me smile through it, but they are not God.  They are not the Savior that I should be running to in my time of trouble.

This is what Scripture says about our day of trouble:

Call upon me in the day of trouble ...

and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me." (Psa 50:15)

Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?  Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. (Psa 42:11) 

O LORD, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear  (Psa 10:17) 

 

For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you. (Psa 86:5)

 

So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, "Put away the foreign gods that are among you and purify yourselves and change your garments. Then let us arise and go up to Bethel, so that I may make there an altar to the God who answers me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone."  (Gen 35:2,3)

 

Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,  (Psa 103:2)

 

I love the LORD, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live. The snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me; I suffered distress and anguish. Then I called on the name of the LORD: "O LORD, I pray, deliver my soul!" (Psa 116:1-4)

We are all pilgrim's on a journey.  If you happen to be journeying like Pilgrim towards the Celestial City, and you happen to find yourself in a trial or battle, remember to call upon the Lord.  He is faithful and promises to be our salvation.

Written by,