Finding Peace in the Presence of Enemies: Understanding Psalm 23:5

In the fifth verse of Psalm 23, David writes, "You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessing." This powerful verse reveals how God provides for us even when we're surrounded by challenges and opposition.

What does it mean that God prepares a feast in the presence of enemies?

When we read this verse, we need to understand it through both the lens of a shepherd caring for sheep and a gracious host welcoming guests. In Middle Eastern culture, people were often judged by the meals they set before guests. Hospitality was paramount, and the quality of a feast reflected on the host.

For shepherds, the "table" represented a plateau or mesa—higher ground where sheep could safely graze. Before leading sheep through dangerous valleys, a good shepherd would go ahead to prepare this table-land:

Clearing water holes and springs

Removing debris, leaves, and stones from drinking places

Repairing small earth dams to hold water

Opening springs that had become overgrown

This preparation ensured the sheep would have nourishment and refreshment when they arrived. Similarly, Christ, our Good Shepherd, has gone before us in every situation we might encounter.

How does God detain us for our blessing?

W.S. Plummer described God's preparation as a way of "detaining" us—not in the negative sense we often think of, but in a positive one. God sometimes holds us back specifically to surprise us with the full extent of His care.

Have you ever felt God arrest your spirit for a moment? That He's holding you for a purpose? This divine detention is often His way of preparing you for what lies ahead—setting a table in the presence of your enemies.

Who are the enemies that surround us?

In John 10:1-10, Jesus uses shepherd language similar to Psalm 23. He warns about thieves and robbers who come to "steal, kill, and destroy," contrasting their intentions with His purpose to give "a rich and satisfying life."

Our enemies include:

The enemy of our soul who wants to kill our spirit

Forces that seek to steal our joy

Influences that aim to rob our reputation

Deception that leads us away from truth

As Peter wrote in 1 Peter 5:8, "Stay alert. Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."

What does the anointing with oil represent?

The second part of Psalm 23:5 mentions anointing with oil. For sheep, this was intensely practical. They faced irritants like flies that would lay eggs in their nostrils, leading to larvae burrowing into their flesh. Unable to find relief, sheep would beat their heads against rocks or each other.

The shepherd's solution was to completely cover their heads with oil—not just a dab, but a thorough application that would:

Prevent flies from approaching

Soothe existing pain

Provide protection from future irritation

This oil represents the Holy Spirit in our lives. Just as sheep needed continuous application of oil throughout the summer, we need daily filling of the Spirit. Ephesians 5:18 instructs us, "Don't be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit."

This filling:

Is not a one-time experience

Requires daily renewal

Helps us deal with life's irritations

Produces the fruit of the Spirit in our lives

What does it mean that our cup overflows?

The final part of the verse describes an overflowing cup. For shepherds, this referred to large hollowed stones holding water for sheep. For a host, it was simply keeping a guest's cup perpetually filled—sometimes to overflowing.

This imagery teaches us that God is more than enough. Some Christians have a poverty mentality about God's provision, but Scripture shows us that:

God continually blesses His people

His favor isn't "fair"—it's abundant

Psalm 34:8-10 promises that "those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing"

Our appropriate response to this overflowing cup is gratitude. The more God gives, the more thankful we should become. The atmosphere of this verse breathes the kind of great gratitude that is born of great generosity.

Life Application

God prepares all we need to fight life's battles. He goes before us, making ready the provisions we'll need when facing our enemies. This week, consider these questions:

Where do you need to recognize God's preparation in your life right now?

Are you experiencing irritations that require a fresh anointing of God's Spirit?

How can you cultivate greater gratitude for God's overflowing blessings?

In what areas are you trying to fight battles in your own strength rather than trusting God's provision?

Remember that God doesn't just give you enough to survive—His cup overflows with blessing. He is Jehovah Nissi (the Lord our Banner) and Jehovah M’Kaddesh (the Lord who sanctifies). He prepares, protects, and provides abundantly, even when enemies surround you.

This week, look for ways God has prepared a table for you, and respond with overflowing gratitude for His generosity.

**This blog is based on the 5th message in the series, Chasing Green Pastures, on Psalm 23. If you would like to get the audio or video messages go to www.connectathope.com or www.rustyposey.com**

Are You Interested or Committed?

The last week, I have been reading the devotion, 21 Days after Camp. This is the first year I haven't been to a summer camp in almost a decade. My purpose in reading the devotional was to read what our students are reading. My daughter, Mady, has been doing this devotion as well and I wanted to be able to talk with her about what she has been learning. 

In this morning's reading, there was a quote that grabbed my attention. 

“There’s a difference between interest and commitment. When you’re interested in something you do it when it benefits you and when you have nothing better to do. When you’re committed to something you accept no excuses, only results.” -Kenneth Blanchard

Committed Followers of Jesus...

1. Connect When There's Distractions

There are always distractions in life. From the moment I wake up in the morning, there are emails, social media, phone calls, texts, etc. clamoring for my attention. On the flip side, our society is filled with activities, hobbies and destinations that are appealing. Nothing is wrong with any of that in and of itself. However, when they keep us from connecting with God through prayer and reading/study His word or connecting with others by taking us away from regular church attendance, then it becomes an issue. Interested followers connect when it is convenient. Committed followers connect because they want to be with God and His people. 

2. Love When It is Hard

There are people that are hard to love. They may not look like us, smell like or act like us. They may get on our last nerve and jump up and down on it. The truth is there are probably people we all rub the wrong way too. Interested followers love when it benefits them. Committed people love even the most difficult people. These committed followers are living out the words of Jesus' instruction to love our neighbor as ourselves. 

3. Serve When It is Inconvenient

Last week, several of the men of our church rallied together to help a single mom with trimming some trees. Once we heard of the need, we put together a team quickly. It was the day before a major holiday and several men came out after having worked all day. They are committed! There are times it is inconvenient to serve, but committed people serve when it is inconvenient. The real heroes of our church are the committed followers of Jesus who invest in the next generation every Sunday by serving in our Kids Ministries. These folks volunteer to serve when they could be sitting in the sanctuary being ministered to, but their passion is to invest in the next generation and choose to be committed instead of just interested. 

4. Give When It is Difficult

Luke 21:1–4 (NLT) "While Jesus was in the Temple, he watched the rich people dropping their gifts in the collection box. ² Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two small coins. ³ “I tell you the truth,” Jesus said, “this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them. ⁴ For they have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has.”

This women gave when it was difficult. She was poor and gave her last two coins. Talk about commitment!?! This women had it. She was committed.  

Are you interested or committed? As you evaluate where you are at in your life, ask yourself that question. When you are making decisions and choices whether to connect, love, serve and give, filter it through the lens of interest or commitment. 

A Tribute to my Grandaddy, Norris Posey

On July 21st of this year, my Grandaddy, Norris Posey, passed from this life into eternity. He was my hero. Prior to his passing, he told my aunts he wanted me to do his funeral message. Instead of posting the transcript, I wanted to post the video to better capture the love I had for him.

There are a few glitches because this was only the second time the church had used the system. We are grateful to Northside for allowing us to use the sanctuary and recording the video.

As an added bonus, here is my Uncle Mike and cousin, Lance Smith, singing "It is well with my soul" during the service.

I Will Not Forget You

I first heard this song while playing with the College Ministry worship band at Lufkin First Assembly around 2000. It really struck a chord (pun intended) with me. It became a staple for our youth ministries and camps I did around that time.

The premise is that a lot of people give credit to other things for the good things God does for us. As for me, I will not forget God. He is my Savior. My hope for you today is you see the goodness of God at work around you.

Dealing With Disappointment

Have you ever gotten your hopes up only to have your dreams crushed? Ok, that's probably a little melodramatic, but we've all dealt with disappointment. From the rejection of a middle school relationship to losing out on the promotion, disappointments have the potential to crush us. How do we handle disappointment?

Some people handle disappointment by lashing out. They attack the source of their disappointment. They belittle the person who was chosen instead of them. They handle their pain by creating pain for someone else. The old saying is true. Hurting people hurt people. 

Some people handle disappointment by withdrawing. They give up. Instead of trying to do better the next time, they never try again. 

Some people use disappointment as motivation. Athletes use losses to fuel their success. Business leaders turn their passed over promotion to a drive to prove others wrong. Good leaders use disappointment as an opportunity to grow in their professional and people skills. 

Godly people trust God through their disappointment. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT) wisely states, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take." God has a plan and a purpose for your life. While you may feel disappointed, trust God that he has a better plan for your life. His understanding is better than our understanding. Seek him for your next steps and he will show you the path to take. 

How do you handle disappointment?

The Art of Accountability

"Will you hold me accountable?" I've heard that question too many times to count and asked it a few times myself. There is value in accountability. From helping to shed a few pounds to overcoming a sinful addiction, accountability can be the little thing that makes a big difference to your success.

There is an art to accountability. I've had some great relationships for accountability and others that were a waste of time. Through the successes and failures, there are lessons I've learned to have better accountable relationships.

1. "Accountability is giving necessary information before it is required." This statement is attributed to Alton Garrison, the Assistant General Superintendent for the Assemblies of God. One of my former pastors would quote this to the leaders at our church. In an accountable relationship, it is not the job of the person holding you accountable to chase you down to find out what is going on. True accountability is giving necessary information before it is required. If someone asks me to hold them accountable, they should be open enough to tell me how things are going.

2. Transparency, Trust and Honesty are important in accountable relationships. Accountable relationships are built on trust. If one doesn't tell the truth to their accountability partner, they destroy the relationship. If someone is holding me accountable for my health and I give them a false report, I'm hurting myself and our relationship. Be truthful. It is important to note that confidentiality is imperative for trust to be maintained in the accountable relationship.

3. Agree on the parameters of the relationship at the beginning of the relationship. By agreeing on parameters beforehand, it prevents unrealistic expectations on the person holding you accountable. As a person holding someone accountable, we may base our methods on how a mentor held us accountable. That may or may not work with the person you are holding accountable. To avoid confusion and hurt feelings, set parameters for the relationship ahead of time. Parameters for accountability should include, but are not limited to how long will the relationship last, questions to be asked, frequency of the accountability, topics to be covered and things that are off limits.

What are some lessons you've learned to have better accountable relationships?

Do You Know What Your Kids Are Watching?

It has been said that the eyes are the gateway to the soul. What we watch, particularly on Television
and in Movies, can have a profound impact on our worldview. As adults, our worldview more than likely has been solidified for some time. However, Children and Teenagers are more impressionable. What they see and hear shapes their worldview.

Romans 16:19 (NLT) profoundly states, "But everyone knows that you are obedient to the Lord. This makes me very happy. I want you to be wise in doing right and to stay innocent of any wrong." Donald Stamps, missionary and author of the study notes for the Fire Bible, rightly instructs believers in his commentary on this verse. He writes, "Believers should do all in their power to keep their children from being exposed to sin's deceitfulness and the perverseness of this generation. To refuse to protect our children disregards the Holy Spirit's desire that they be innocent about what is evil." It is a parent's job to train their child in a way that will help them stay innocent of evil.

Do you know what your kids are watching? Through iPads, Television, Video Games, Netflix and Theaters, our children have access to all sorts of corrupt and vile things that have the potential to impact their lives in a negative manner.

So, how do we keep our kids "innocent of any wrong" in the digital age? Let me give you a quick guide to helping your children pick the right things to watch or play.

1. Use the Rating Systems - There are rating systems for movies, television and video games. All advertising should properly display the ratings so you will know ahead of time what rating the movie, show or game your child wants to see or play has. To learn more about movie ratings, go to The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). For Television ratings, go to The TV Parental Guidelines. The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) has created a rating system for video games.

2. Read Reviews - While the ratings systems give a good initial barometer, they are not entirely reliable when it comes to spiritual matters. Before Sasha and I decide to take our kids to a movie, we typically visit a review site that will tell us about the content of the movie. My favorite website to get reviews is Plugged In by Focus on the Family. They provide a great breakdown of the movies that give parent's a clear guide to what they will see in the movie. In addition to their movie reviews, they also have reviews for TV, Books and Games. Crosswalk.com and the Movieguide are two other great resources.

3. Screen It - If you still have some questions or there is no review, screen the movie or television show ahead of time. When our girls want to watch a new show on television, we will screen it before allowing them to watch it.

4. Set Parental Controls - Parental Controls can prevent kids from watching a show or movie over a certain rating. Dish Network, DirecTV and Netflix have parental controls and web pages about how to use them. We utilize the parental controls on Netflix. In order to watch above a certain rating, you need a password. In our house, only my wife and I know that password.

5. Be Ok With Saying No - There have been times we've had to say "No, that show/movie is not appropriate." There was one show we deemed appropriate only to have an episode come on later that advocated for something against our Biblical beliefs. We had to tell our girls they couldn't watch it anymore. We explained the content of the show had shifted and was against our Biblical beliefs. They understood. It is important to be ok with saying no even if your child is not happy about it. Even if "everybody else is watching it," stay strong. It is our responsibility to train our kids regardless of what everyone else is watching.