“I will love thee, O Lord, my strength” (Ps 18:1)
Five days ago, a sister in our church, a member of the choir, a young wife and mother of three children was shot and killed by armed robbers. This was a shock to all of us. Such a tragic and untimely death! Like a cloud of darkness, this event brought a sudden pain and depression upon myself. For two days I could only grieve without comfort. I was restless. I am her pastor. My sheep was killed by wicked men from outside the fence. ‘Abba Father, what shall I do?’ Some months ago she told me: “Malia, I think that God is calling me to come closer to Him. But I am afraid…” I told her: ‘If God is calling you don’t be afraid. God is a good God. He wants to bless you!’ Like an evil tsunami, the shock of this story pushed me away from the usual peace of God. The only scripture that I could remember to anchor my soul upon was this: “When my heart is overwhelmed lead me to the rock that is higher than I” (Ps 61:2). I needed a leading back to the Rock of Ages. Jesus is the way. I prayed for help so that I can follow His leading. I did not want to settle in depression and doubt. I need to go to the Savior, my solid unmovable Rock! A rock in the desert protects from the heat of the sun. Occasionally it rains in the desert. It produces flash floods that can easily drown a man. I hide in the Rock. I climb on the rock. This rock is my safety and my strength. I am week but He is strong. This Rock is not just a place, but a Person. This Rock is Christ, the only source of Living water (1Cor 10:4).

The Holy Spirit led the way back to the Word. Slowly, I crawled back to the manifested presence of God. On the third day I touched the Rock once more. Immediately my eyes were opened and I saw God in the tragic story. Like drinking water in the desert, I received the comfort of the Holy Spirit. Suddenly, peace rested on my soul again. It was a miracle deliverance healing holy comfort moment. Praise the Lord! The Holy Spirit directed me to Psalm 18. I read it slowly and with each word I gained more strength. I saw that David too has suffered many things. He knew loneliness, rejection, betrayal, tragic loss and pain. The words I, me and mine appear 95 times in 50 verses. This describes a personal pain and a personal salvation. I need Jesus!!! Before I can help others, I need the Holy Spirit for myself! For as long as you are not able to enter another person’s pain, you cannot help that one. ‘You weep with those who weep and you rejoice with them who rejoice’ (Rom 12:15). These are deep words, exchanges of spiritual virtue and life from the stronger to the weak. Supernatural comfort is given not to store but to be shared with the needy.

I saw that thru all the trials of life one thing never changed: God! David testifies that God was always with him. God delivered him from violent men and from wicked hateful spirits. With the Help of the Holy Spirit, reading this Psalm, I could see God in the tragic story of this sister’s death. The armed robbers could only kill her body. They could not kill her soul. They could not take her to hell. They are not the heroes of this story. They were agents of darkness, cowards and failures. God is the hero of the story. Jesus, the Savior of this sister takes all the glory. What looked like a tragedy, to me now looks like powerful deliverance. The wicked men were violent and noisy. But the angels of God were gentle with her, quieting her soul in the few seconds of life she had on earth. ‘You stoop down to make me great…Your gentleness has made me great’ (Ps 18:35). In that night of lonely pain, God stooped down and Sister Mimi became ‘great’ in His presence. What a change of feelings for me! The angels carried her soul up to God in quietness and peace. This is my testimony: for me, the two days of painful mourning ended when I saw the truth. Sister Mimi is now free to worship God forever, in heaven. God won the battle! To God be all the glory! Me too I worship God who is greater than all!

Let’s pray: I come against any evil spirit of depression, witchcraft, fear, doubt and backsliding. I reject you! I destroy any spell of unholy bitter hopeless mourning over your soul. In Jesus name! I declare that Jesus is Lord! By the power of the Holy Spirit, be comforted today. Comfort others with the comfort you have received from God. We shall continue to worship God to the end, now and forever! Death cannot separate us from the love of God found in Christ Jesus! Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!

“I love you, Lord
And I lift my voice
To worship You
Oh, my soul, rejoice!
Take joy my King
In what You hear
Let it be a sweet, sweet sound
In Your ear…”