“O LORD of Heaven’s Armies, God of Israel, you are enthroned between the mighty cherubim! You alone are God of all the kingdoms of the earth. Bend down, O LORD, and listen! Open your eyes, O LORD, and see! Listen to Sennacherib’s words of defiance against the living God.” ISAIAH 37:16-17 (NLT)

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You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You welcome me as a guest, anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings.
Psalm 23:5

Michael W. Smith sings a song called Surrounded (Fight My Battles). It is one of those songs a preacher buddy of mine called a 7/11 song. It has seven words and you repeat them eleven times. Check it out here: (https://bit.ly/3iv9jF4)

Sometimes the 7/11 style works pretty well, like The Hallelujah Chorus. Sometimes Michael W. Smith’s simple restatement of Psalm 23:5 is what I need in the middle of a difficult moment. 

When it looks like I’m surrounded, I’m surrounded by you.

King Hezekiah was surrounded. There were 185,000 plus soldiers ready to settle in for a nice, long siege leading to the destruction of Jerusalem. Hezekiah did what we should always do when we find ourselves surrounded. He took the letter from King Sennacherib and laid it out before God in prayer. 

Notice how he prayed. Sennacherib may have had 185,000 soldiers, but God controlled the innumerable armies of heaven. Sennacherib may have ruled an expanding territory, but God rules all kings and kingdoms. Sennacherib may have been waiting for Hezekiah’s trembling acquiescence, but Hezekiah was waiting on God’s intervention. 

When it looks like I’m surrounded, I’m surrounded by you.

When difficult circumstances press in, remember how God prepares a feast for you in the presence of your enemies. Remember how your cup overflows with his blessings. Remember to let God fight your battles. 

Keep reading in Isaiah and you will see how God delivered King Hezekiah and Jerusalem. You will see what happened to the little king with the big army when he came up against the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. 

This is how we fight our battles.

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I will leave the fighting to the Lord.

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Our Father, when it looks like I’m surrounded, I’m surrounded by you. This is how I fight my battles. Amen.