Peace In The Promise

besieged:

(of a place) surrounded by armed forces aiming to capture it or force surrender

to surround a place, especially with an army, to prevent people or supplies getting in or out

A prisoner of the past…

[1] Then the angel showed me Jeshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord. The Accuser, Satan, was there at the angel’s right hand, making accusations against Jeshua.

Zechariah 3:1 NLT

The enemy has weaponized the pasts of many, urging them to disqualify themselves. Many have felt like prisoners of their past, and have experienced insurmountable pressure as they have faced blow after blow, causing them to allow their past to negatively shape their future. Due to this, many have unknowingly shrunk their hopes for what they have deemed possible for their lives.

Like Elisha’s servant (above), many have been terrified by the “army” of threats that have surrounded them and intimidated them into silence.

²⁴ Some time later, however, King Ben-hadad of Aram mustered his entire army and besieged Samaria. ²⁵ As a result, there was a great famine in the city. The siege lasted so long that a donkey’s head sold for eighty pieces of silver, and a cup of dove’s dung sold for five pieces^[a] of silver.

2 Kings 6:24-25

Many have felt backed against a wall with their resources swiftly running out. Where they would have normally poured out, they have held back for fear of retaliation from the accusers that surround them.

Why is this an issue?

The Lord has designed your gifts to be poured out for you to be filled up again. Speaking of the Holy Spirit, Jesus said:

“Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’””

John 7:38

A river by nature flows freely with fresh water flowing from higher to lower areas (National Geographic, 2026). Likewise, a believer ought to be a vessel that the Holy Spirit flows through freely.

Much like an ancient city, a believer is required to venture out with their goods and share them with others. From there, the believer is also able to obtain what they need to bring back to their “city”. But the enemy has surrounded many believers with threats (much like Jezebels’ threat to Elijah in 1 Kings 19:2, and Sennacherib’s threats to King Hezekiah in 2 Kings 19:10-13) and accusations, intimidating and immobilising them.

Because many have been stagnant in an attempt to “wait the besiegement out,” they are largely dry and are out of fresh resources. 

Any time they have sought to venture out, they have been met with a shower of accusation and intimidation, which has caused them to retreat yet again into hiding.

What’s the good news?

Where the enemy has held onto expired receipts, the Lord has held on to his sovereign promises for your future.

[2] And the Lord said to Satan, “I, the Lord, reject your accusations, Satan. Yes, the Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebukes you. This man is like a burning stick that has been snatched from the fire.” [3] Jeshua’s clothing was filthy as he stood there before the angel. [4] So the angel said to the others standing there, “Take off his filthy clothes.” And turning to Jeshua he said, “See, I have taken away your sins, and now I am giving you these fine new clothes.”

Zechariah 3:2-4 NLT

Where the enemy has accused the faithful, insulted the LORD, and exalted himself, the LORD has stooped to listen and has prepared his just response:

[22] Who is it you have ridiculed and blasphemed? Against whom have you raised your voice and lifted your eyes in pride? Against the Holy One of Israel!
[27] “ ‘But I know where you are and when you come and go and how you rage against me. [28] Because you rage against me and because your insolence has reached my ears, I will put my hook in your nose and my bit in your mouth, and I will make you return by the way you came.’

2 Kings 19:22, 27-28 NIV

The Lord has commanded an end to the besiegement of his people.

This besiegement has been time consuming and costly – robbing many impactful servants of valuable time that ought to have been spent on their heavenly assignments.

There will be a real-time expression of Psalm 91 in the lives of those impacted.

There will be:

• A complete scattering of accusers (as was in the case of the woman caught in adultery)

[7] “The Lord will conquer your enemies when they attack you. They will attack you from one direction, but they will scatter from you in seven!

Deuteronomy 28:7 NLT

• Heavenly help. In terms of spiritual defence, yes, but more so in terms of aiding believers in maintaining godly character amidst attacks

[11] For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go. [12] They will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone. [13] You will trample upon lions and cobras; you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet! [14] The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. [15] When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them.

Psalms 91:11-15 NLT

and

[42] “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” [43] Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him.

Luke 22:42-43 NLT

• A mighty overcoming of the enemy’s bullying tactic, as the children of God rise up in authority and resist the intimidation of the enemy in the way of Hezekiah in 2 Kings 19 – complete surrender to the LORD.

¹⁷ And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

2 Kings 6:17

and

[17] But in that coming day no weapon turned against you will succeed. You will silence every voice raised up to accuse you. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the Lord; their vindication will come from me. I, the Lord, have spoken!

Isaiah 54:17 NLT

• Supernatural endurance – there will be a notable increase in the spiritual endurance of the believers who have endured this testing in submission to the Holy Spirit.

[44] But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! [45] In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. [46] If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. [47] If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. [48] But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Matthew 5:44-48 NLT

Final remarks

I exhort you with the wise and effective words penned by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians:

¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³ Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵ and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. ¹⁸ And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. 

Ephesians 6:10-18

Peace

References

Bible Gateway. (2011). New International Version. Bible Gateway. https://www.biblegateway.com/

‌National Geographic. (2023). Understanding Rivers. Education.nationalgeographic.org. https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/understanding-rivers/

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