Then the angel of the Lord went out and struck 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians; and when men arose early in the morning, behold, all of these were dead. So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and returned home and lived at Nineveh. 

                                                                                                                 Isaiah 37:36-37 

Today’s passage comes in the midst of an amazing piece of history. The Assyrian army, known for their fierceness and excellence in military strategy, were poised to invade and conquer the city of Jerusalem. This foreign enemy had already conquered the ten tribes of Israel to the north and had now set their eyes on Jerusalem as their next prize. But there was a man, a godly man, whose name was King Hezekiah. This king, who trusted in the Lord, called out to God and as a result saw the mighty protection of God. Instead of the Assyrians capturing the city, an angel of the Lord went into the camp of the Assyrians and struck down 185,000 soldiers. And because of this, the Assyrians left the region, returning to their own land. Jerusalem was saved and the people rejoiced.

We may not find ourselves under attack of a foreign army, but we certainly can experience spiritual attacks that come from our spiritual enemy. It is at these times that we need something more than just human remedy. We need the very protection of God. Consider the following verses reminding us of the reality of this spiritual battle:

Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God. Those beside the road are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they will not believe and be saved. 

                                                                                                                     Luke 8:11-12 

Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith… 

                                                                                                            1 Peter 5:8-9a 

…in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

                                                                                                                 Ephesians 6:16  

In all three of these passages, our spiritual enemy is identified. This enemy does not want us to hear the gospel and be saved. This enemy does not want us to grow in our faith because he knows that a Spirit-filled believer can do mighty things in this world in assisting others to believe and to grow.

So what is the primary resource that we have in which God will protect our lives? The answer is: our faith! It is by faith that we are saved. It is standing firm in our faith that allows us to resist the enemy. And it is our faith that acts like a shield in order to extinguish all of the enemy’s attempts to distract and defeat us. So just as God kept the Assyrians from conquering the city of Jerusalem, it is our faith in Christ that provides us with the Spirit, giving us the strength by which God continues to protect us. Consider the following:

‘Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

                                                                                                                 Isaiah 41:10 

Just as God strengthened His people Israel, He will likewise strengthen those who belong to Him under the new covenant. When God’s strengthens us, we can expect fear and anxiety to leave the scene. When God is holding us by the hand, we will not be defeated. Consider the following description of God:

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 

                                                                                       Psalm 46:1 

God is a refuge for those who belong to Him. He is our strength. He will be with us as we face hardships and persecution in this world. And consider the following passage from the New Testament pointing to the reality of God’s strength and protection:

But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. 

                                                                                                       2 Thessalonians 3:3 

All three passages talk about the strength that God will provide those who belong to Him. And all three of the previous passages deal with the role that faith plays in this protection. We need to make the connection between faith in Jesus Christ and how that faith yields spiritual strength. As believers, we live by the power of the Spirit in our lives. When we recognize the enemy’s attempts to sabotage our lives, we can exercise our faith and expect to see the intervention of God into the scene.

He is our refuge and is ready to cover us with His Divine protection as we call on Him by faith. And the spiritual strength that we find in those moments of protection is more than sufficient to resist the enemy and move us into a position of spiritual victory!