Feast Before Your Enemies

It's been a few days, and I have been feeling the nudge to record a prayer post. And as I was asking for the scriptures to pray from, Jonah's prayer was highlighted to me. The story of Jonah being swallowed by a whale, to me, was a story of the Heavenly Father's lovingkindness chasing after His child. Saving him from death that would rob him of his purpose. As I reflected on this, the 2nd scripture that was highlighted to me was Psalm 23.

As I prepared to record the video, I changed the 2nd set of scriptures to pray from Psalm 23 to Psalm 42. But, God is so good to lead me back to Psalm 23 as I began to pray in the Spirit.

And here's what I saw: Jesus and a man sitting across from each other on a picnic table on a cliff overlooking the sea and the horizon, where the sun was shining. As they sat and feasted, a prowling lion came and was hiding behind the bush. But Jesus and the man were unbothered, and they began drinking from a giant mug. Then, the scene changed, and I saw two giant mugs clinking, and I heard, "Cheers in Victory!"

I believe we are entering an era where we need to make Psalm 23 come alive in our lives. And, make it part of our lifestyle to learn how to be led by the Shepherd, to learn how to feast before our enemies, and have a deep knowing that his lovingkindness and goodness have caught up with us.

It's a time when our hearts need to be fully anchored in the truth of God's goodness. As the prowling lion is vigilant in spreading lies, fear, deception, and chaos to dislodge us from being anchored in the truth of God's goodness, we fall into despair and hope deferred, losing our joy in the Lord and our strength. The enemy wants to keep us from the Victory won by Christ. The enemy wants us to lose trust in the Good Shepherd. The enemy wants us to let go of the Heavenly Father's hand. And ultimately lead us away from the fulfillment of our kingdom purpose and keep us from our promised land.

And this is the Heart of the Heavenly Father. Fear not the prowling lion that seeks to steal, kill, and destroy, for My Son has given you abundant life. The abundant life and eternal life do not begin in a distant future; they start as you learn to feast with Me before your enemies.

The spread has been laid out; the table has been set. Everything has been prepared. Now, will you choose to dine with Me?

Many are the cares of this world, many are the worries that life brings, and many are the troubles set by the enemy. But I am your salvation.

Enter the hedge of My protection. Enter the warmth of My embrace. Enter the heart of My dwelling place. For I lead you to quiet your mind, to soothe your heart, and to prosper your soul.

Will you take My hand? Will you allow My goodness to overtake you? Will you let My lovingkindness overcome you? For I have been blamed for the tragedies of this world, but I only give good and perfect gifts.

Have I not told you that I am a good and perfect Father? Am I a man that I should lie? Many songs have been written about My goodness, but I see the heart and not just hear the words. Are you just mouthing words, or is my goodness true to your heartΩ

So, anchor yourself in the truth of My goodness and set yourself high in expectation to witness My goodness in the land of the living.

For the Lion of Judah has conquered, and My Son has won the victory. Do not tremble at the sight of the prowling lion, but stand strong in the joy of My presence.

When you feast with Me, the enemy cannot touch you. So, drink of Me until you overflow. Eat My Word until you are filled. Bask in My presence until you are strengthened. Shout your praise to the God who makes the impossible possible!

Rehearse your testimonies of My goodness. Set your eyes on what I am showing you, and you will see victory. For you feast with Me not just on occasions but as a lifestyle. The enemy may prowl, but victory is Mine and it is made available to you every day of your life. So, come and feast with me before your enemies. This is the Heart of the Heavenly Father.

Here are some verses for this word.

Jonah 1:17-2:10 AMP

Now the Lord had prepared appointed, destined a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the stomach of the fish three days and three nights. Jonah’s Prayer. Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the stomach of the fish, and said, “I called out of my trouble and distress to the Lord, And He answered me. Out of the belly of Sheol I cried for help, And You heard my voice. “For You cast me into the deep, Into the deep heart of the seas, And the currents surrounded and engulfed me. All Your breakers and billowing waves passed over me. “Then I said, ‘I have been cast out of Your sight. Nevertheless I will look again toward Your holy temple.’ “The waters surrounded me, to the point of death. The great deep engulfed me, Seaweed was wrapped around my head. “I descended to the very roots of the mountains. The earth with its bars closed behind me bolting me in forever, Yet You have brought up my life from the pit death, O Lord my God. “When my soul was fainting within me, I remembered the Lord, And my prayer came to You, Into Your holy temple. “Those who regard and follow worthless idols Turn away from their living source of mercy and lovingkindness. “But as for me, I will sacrifice to You With the voice of thanksgiving.

I shall pay that which I have vowed. Salvation is from the Lord!” So the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah up onto the dry land.

Psalm 42:6-11 AMP

O my God, my soul is in despair within me the burden more than I can bear. Therefore I will fervently remember You from the land of the Jordan And the peaks of Mount Hermon, from Mount Mizar. Deep calls to deep at the thundering sound of Your waterfalls. All Your breakers and Your waves have rolled over me. Yet the Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, And in the night His song will be with me, A prayer to the God of my life. I will say to God my rock, “Why have You forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?” As a crushing of my bones with a sword, my adversaries taunt me, While they say continually to me, “Where is your God?” Why are you in despair, O my soul? Why have you become restless and disquieted within me? Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.

Psalm 23 AMP

The Lord is my Shepherd to feed, to guide and to shield me, I shall not want. He lets me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside the still and quiet waters. He refreshes and restores my soul life. He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the sunless valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me. Your rod to protect and Your staff to guide, they comfort and console me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You have anointed and refreshed my head with oil. My cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, And I shall dwell forever throughout all my days in the house and in the presence of the Lord.

Psalm 118:19-29 AMP

Open to me the temple gates of righteousness. I shall enter through them, I shall give thanks to the Lord. This is the gate of the Lord. The righteous will enter through it. I will give thanks to You, for You have heard and answered me. And You have become my salvation my Rescuer, my Savior. The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief corner stone. This is from the Lord and is His doing. It is marvelous in our eyes. This day in which God has saved me is the day which the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. O Lord, save now, we beseech You. O Lord, we beseech You, send now prosperity and give us success! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. We have blessed you from the house of the Lord you who come into His sanctuary under His guardianship. The Lord is God, and He has given us light illuminating us with His grace and freedom and joy. Bind the festival sacrifices with cords to the horns of the altar. You are my God, and I give thanks to You. You are my God, I extol You. O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. For His lovingkindness endures forever.

1 Peter 5:6-11 AMP

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God set aside self-righteous pride, so that He may exalt you to a place of honor in His service at the appropriate time, casting all your cares all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all on Him, for He cares about you with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully. Be sober well balanced and self-disciplined, be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion fiercely hungry, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, be firm in your faith against his attack—rooted, established, immovable, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being experienced by your brothers and sisters throughout the world. You do not suffer alone. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace who imparts His blessing and favor, who called you to His own eternal glory in Christ, will Himself complete, confirm, strengthen, and establish you making you what you ought to be. To Him be dominion power, authority, sovereignty forever and ever. Amen.