In the Presence of My Enemies Part 2 - Learning to Stay Seated
In this powerful continuation of our Psalm 23 series, Diana unpacks what it means to remain seated at the table God prepares for us — even in the presence of enemies, uncertainty, and fear.
Through Scripture, personal reflection, and the beautiful name Jehovah Shaphat (The Lord Who Judges), you’ll learn why you no longer need to defend yourself, strive, or stand guard. God Himself is your Judge, Defender, and Host.
With warmth, humor, and heartfelt honesty, Diana shares how the Holy Spirit empowers us to surrender control, let go of fear, and grow in deep, unshakeable trust.
If you’ve ever struggled with anxiety, self-protection, or feeling overwhelmed by life, this episode will speak peace straight into your soul.
Diana’s Notes
Series: “Our Identity in His Greatness: Continuing The Long Road to Healing and Humility”
Hello everybody!!! And welcome to today’s episode, In the Presence of My Enemies – Learning to Stay Seated, as we continue our topic of learning to find our identity in His Greatness- along the winding, bumpy, curvy, long road, lol, to healing and humility here on Heartfelt Conversations with Diana!
Last time we were together, we discovered something powerful:
In the presence of our enemy, the table was already there.
God had already prepared a table to sit with our Shepherd at, and today, we are going to be talking about staying seated at the Master’s table.
Because let’s be honest…
When we somehow manage to find our way to the table.
And when we finally begin to let go of control, and with a humble heart, sit down at the Table.
Somehow or another, we almost always jump back up again.
Why?
Because walking by faith can feel like walking blindfolded, we can’t see the way ourselves, so we are uneasy. We grip tightly to the One leading, and we tend to drag our heels a little, following along reluctantly, not trusting that we won’t be led into danger.
And if you’ve ever been abused, abandoned, betrayed, or taken advantage of…, blindfolded trust is simply terrifying.
We want something tangible. Something we can control. But faith doesn’t operate by control. It operates by surrender.
Enoch, the great-grandson of Adam, lived a life marked by faith, obedience, and a personal, close relationship with God.
Hebrews 11:5-6: (NLT ) It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying—“he disappeared, because God took him.” Before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God.
(Verse 6): And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.
It is by faith alone that we can have such a great walk with God and have full security in knowing He has set our table for all circumstances. Faith asks us to sit and trust.
And here’s something the Lord showed me gently:
Sometimes what we call discernment… the ability to judge well, is really self-protection.
Sometimes what we call strength… is really pride wearing the armor.
When I speak of pride, I’m not necessarily speaking of defiant pride. Although it can be. I know I have been defiant many times, and I usually pay for it in the end! Anyone else!?? lol
I mean self-reliance. Self-powered living.
The belief that if I don’t manage everything, everything will collapse.
But Psalm 23:5 paints a different picture.
“You prepare a table before me…”
When you’re invited to someone’s home for dinner, you don’t walk into their kitchen and start opening cabinets, pulling out pots and pans, and begin cooking! No.
You sit.
You wait.
You receive.
That requires humility.
It requires trust.
It requires trusting that this person knows how to cook! LOL
It requires letting someone else provide. That is not easy for me! I struggle in this area.
I learned, and I am learning every day to let God provide my needs in any way He sees best for me.
We get into a habit- a prideful habit of thinking nobody can do it as we can! And, maybe to some extent, that is true; maybe sometimes they just do it differently, but even if no one does it better than you, humility - a heart rooted in humility and wisdom knows without doubt that no one is able or more capable of doing it, whatever it is, better than God.
When was the last time you spent alone, quietly seeking God and praising Him for all of His Majesty?
My dad’s favorite hymn, if anyone knows what a hymn is anymore, lol, was How Great Thou Art.
A song of praising God for how awesome and wonderful He is!
Oh Lord, my God
When I, in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout the universe displayed
2
And when I think that God, His Son, not sparing
Sent Him to die, I scarcely can take it in
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing
He bled and died to take away my sin
3
When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration
And then proclaim, my God, how great Thou art
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
When was the last time you bowed before God in humble adoration?
Acknowledging your complete dependence on Him as your God.
David understood dependence.
The same God who spread a table in the wilderness for Israel…
The same God who provides manna…
The same God Paul describes in Philippians 4:19 — meeting every need according to His riches…
Philippians 4:19 (AMP) And my God will liberally supply (fill until full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
This verse emphasizes that God’s provision for you is not limited.
When we rely on God’s guidance for our finances, our physical health, mental health, spiritual health, when we rely on Him as our merciful and just Father, then this is where another one of God’s names transforms everything:
Jehovah Shaphat — The Lord Who Judges.
Isaiah 33:22: (AMP) tells us: For the LORD is our Judge, The LORD is our Ruler, The LORD is our King; He will save us.
When I learned this name, something in me finally exhaled.
Because for years, I lived under the weight of other people’s opinions —
their judgments, their assumptions, their labels, their misunderstandings.
And maybe you’ve been there too.
But the Lord gently reminded me…
His verdict is the only one that matters.
And through Christ, His verdict over you is:
Forgiven! Free! Righteous! Accepted! Beloved!
Psalm 9:8 says He judges with righteousness.
Romans 8:1 says there is no condemnation in Christ.
Isaiah 30:18 says He defends the oppressed.
And suddenly Psalm 23:5 looked different to me.
I learned that if Jehovah Shaphat, the God who judges with perfect justice,
is also your Host…then you don’t have to jump up from the table to defend yourself! He Will!
You don’t have to fight.
You don’t have to explain.
You don’t have to guard yourself.
You don’t have to justify anything.
You don’t have to anticipate every enemy.
You can stay seated.
Because the Righteous and Holy Judge is also your High Priest, your Savior & Defender.
As Jehovah Shaphat, the Judge who rules with justice and mercy, who will lovingly provide for all your needs, including relational needs and emotional needs. Seated at God’s Table, we will find that we are in need of nothing. For God has supplied all our needs!
That by His hand, by Him being the Host of the table we sit at, we need not fear. We are safe, we are secure, and we are free from all our enemies when He is our defense. Our fortress and strong tower.
His care is constant, more than sufficient, and personal. He will love you and care for you and understand you like no other!
Plug for Annie and Zack DTR - guidance.
When Jesus is your Shepherd, your Savior, God, the Father Is your Host. You are now seated at the table of the Most High God.
Learning to yield to the spirit of humility teaches us meekness, dependence on God, not our own selves. Like we said last week, meekness is not weakness, and dependence on God is not weakness either.
It is His divine design. It is His provision He gives to His children. It is a trust that we have confidence in His hand upon our lives.
Religion often teaches us to perform for God. Faith teaches us to remain seated in Christ. Jesus died to give us this seat of honor as a beloved son or daughter of God.
And here is where it gets beautiful. Radical. Revolutionary.
Romans 8 tells us the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead lives in us.
That means you are not white-knuckling faith alone.
Where I live, winters can be a little dramatic for those who aren’t used to navigating around snowdrifts, icy roads, and squalls and blizzards that come up suddenly, and the next thing you know, you can’t tell where the road went! You know! The kind that makes you grab the steering wheel for dear life!
And that’s exactly how we approach life sometimes: white-knuckled, tense, hyper-aware of danger.
But with the Holy Spirit leading the way, we can remain calm, we can breathe, we can rest and remain seated, knowing God has us, front to back, top to bottom, side to side.
He reminds us of God’s truth. He helps us develop a stable mind and overcome distorted beliefs. He untangles the voices in our head. He leads us back when we wander. He whispers peace into the places fear once ruled.
He helps us see that sometimes the greatest act of spiritual maturity…
is stillness.
Psalm 46:10 ( ) “Be still, and know that I am God.”
The Holy Spirit helps us from getting up from the table and trying to handle the circumstances on our own and allows us to stay seated.
Trusting God, our Father.
The Holy Spirit reminds us of His truth, which is why we need the Truth to be in us. That is why we need to be in our Bibles, so the Holy Spirit can remind us of God’s love toward us and of His Truth when the enemy comes to our table.
I mentioned that the Holy Spirit helps correct distorted and maybe even delusional beliefs. That is one area in which I really learned to trust the Holy Spirit - helping me discern all the voices in my head and tune in to the Voice of truth.
And when I failed to listen or ignored His guidance, and I ended up doing my own thing again, the Holy Spirit would gently nudge me back on the right path. He leads you back when you wander.
And yes — sometimes the greatest act of spiritual maturity…
is stillness.
To be still and know that He is God.
It is through my own personal experience with Him, learning to surrender and learning to trust Him Alone, especially when the way felt too hard or I felt insecure or I felt under attack, yet during those especially difficult times when I yielded to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, rather than trusting in my old ways, in my old habits and patterns, that He always led me gently and tenderly along the right paths.
One of the things that I am learning and growing in is that the path we often choose on our own without His guidance is generally not the best path, and we make our journey filled with more stress and less joy.
We hold everything in our hands of control rather than trusting it to the hand of God.
Sometimes the “right path,” the “right thing,” looks like doing less… and trusting God more.
Maybe you’ve been standing at the table.
Hovering near it.
Circling it.
But not resting in the seat of it. Not sitting in the mercy seat of Jesus, who takes all the pressure off of you and reminds you that it is finished. He paid all expenses for you to dine at the table, so come, sit. Learn about Jesus.
Can I ask you today…
What enemy has convinced you that you need to stand guard for yourself?
What if your Shepherd is not nervous about who you really are? Because he’s not. He really knows you and loves you!
What if He’s not scrambling? You are not some mountain of problems. He is scrambling to climb up. He is bigger than your mess. Trust me on this one!
What if He has already accounted for every threat? Every lie? Every battle? Every need?
Because he has. He has gone before you and knows every danger that is ahead. Will you let Him guide you through the valley?
The table is set.
The oil is poured.
The cup is overflowing. Your Host is capable.
And your seat is ready.
“When we come and sit at the table for a while, when we learn to have real, honest conversations with God about our needs, fears, and concerns.
Over time… those conversations deepen into love, trust, and absolute confidence in who God is.”
Remain seated, friends. Your Shepherd is near.
Don’t forget to check out today’s notes and Pastor Eric’s message: The God of the Journey - A great message on the 121st Psalm. You can find today’s notes and his message on - heartfeltconversations.com
Oh, and Pastor Zack and Annie’s message on Defining the Relationship will be on the notes as well!
This is the day the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it! Psalms 118:24:(NLT)
I will….. See ya next time on Heartfelt Conversations with Diana!
Flying Over 50? These 15 TSA Hacks Change Everything
I don’t know why it says Flying over 50, but it should be Define the Relationship!
Define the Relationship: Biblical Friendship | Pastor Eric Jones
Need a church home: Join us at VFC tell them Diana invited you! 🙂
Thirst Quenchers
Songs to Inspire You:
North Point Worship - "You Alone" (Official Lyric Video)
I Surrender - Hillsong Worship
Casting Crowns - Great Are You Lord (Official Live Performance)
Foundational Encouraging Verses:
Isaiah 42:16: God’s Word Translation
I will lead the blind on unfamiliar roads. I will lead them on unfamiliar paths. I will turn darkness into light in front of them. I will make rough places smooth. These are the things I will do for them, and I will never abandon them.
Isaiah 54:10: Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken, nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you.”
Psalm 119:105: Your word is a light unto our path and a light unto our feet.
Isaiah 54:17: 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 52:12: (EASY) But you will not have to hurry and run away. No, the Lord, Israel's God, will keep you safe. He will lead you at the front, and He will be your guard at the back.
Matthew 7:11: So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
1 Peter 2:23 tells us - When He was insulted, He did not answer back with an insult; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but placed His hopes in God, the righteous Judge.
Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."
1 Peter 2:12 says, “Live such good lives among the pagans that… they may see your good deeds and glorify God.”
The New Living Translation reads it this way: Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.
Deuteronomy 30:19-20: "I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Now choose life."
Luke 6:37 “Forgive, and you will be forgiven”.
Matthew 6:14: If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you.
Romans 8:31 in the AMP Bible tells us: What then shall we say to all these things? If God is for us, who can be [successful] against us?
Psalm 65:11: You crown the year with a bountiful harvest; even the hard pathways overflow with abundance.
Psalm 32:8: The LORD says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.
Proverbs 15:3: The Lord sees everything, whether good or bad.
1 Peter 5:7: Cast all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.
Additional Resources:
Steven Furtick: Triggered Taking Back Your Mind in the Age of Anxiety
Beth Jones: Getting a Grip on the Basics is a great resource to help you get the basics of how vital you are to God and how good He desires to be to you
https://www.thebasicsuniversity.com
Joyce Meyer: The Mind is a Battlefield - https://joycemeyer.org
Prayer of Salvation
Jesus has given salvation, healing, and countless benefits to all who call upon His name. These benefits can be yours if you receive Him into your heart by saying this prayer:
Heavenly Father, I come to You admitting that I am a sinner. Right now, I choose to turn away from sin, and I ask You to cleanse me of all unrighteousness. I believe that Jesus rose again from the dead so that I may be justified and made righteous through faith in Him. I call upon the name of Jesus Christ to be the Savior and Lord of my life. Jesus, I choose to follow You, and I ask that You fill me with the power of the Holy Spirit. I declare right now that I am a born-again child of God. I am free from sin and full of the righteousness of God. I am saved in Jesus’ name. Amen.
This prayer and the comment above were taken out of the book:
Secrets to Powerful Prayer - Discovering the Languages of the Heart
By Lynne Hammond and Patsy Cameneti
If you have just received Jesus as your Savior, please write Lynne Hammond Ministries at:
PO Box 29469
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55429-2946
Or, email one of the ministries listed on the Additional Resources Tab and let them know that you are a brand-new Christian and need some direction on the next steps for your new life in Christ.
Or email us here at Heartfelt Conversations with Diana, and we will forward your information to you.
Congratulations if you are a brand new Christian or if you have Returned Home! Welcome!!! Get in God’s Word and get it into you.