In 1 Peter 5:1, Peter said he was “a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed” (1 Peter 5:1 NKJV). He truthfully told about something hard he had witnessed, but immediately his focus went to something amazing that is coming from the really hard: partaking “of the glory that will be revealed.” Instead of dwelling on the hard past, he looked forward to the amazing that is coming. I believe this is a good example for us.

We’ve stood on the promises God has made to us through His Word and personally, but when things are hard during the time between the promises and when we catch up in time to the promises fulfilled, we must focus on the truth of the promises, the reality of the promises.

Isaiah 59:19 gives us a promise of something good coming from something hard: “When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.” The hard part: the enemy comes in like a flood. He is ruthless. He wants to steal, kill, and destroy at all costs, and he can be so distracting it is difficult to think of anything else, much less to focus on something else. So, when the enemy comes in like a flood, what is there to look forward to? What are we supposed to do? Be happy that the enemy is coming in like a flood? No, we are supposed to pray through the burden, and praise through the heaviness, praising God through His Word (Psalm 56:4, 10), and look forward to—drum roll, please—the Lord’s taking a stand and planting His ensign in our prodigals’ hearts and lives!

When we witness the enemy’s coming in like a flood, we can know a standard has already been lifted against him! We take God at His Word that He will handle the enemy. He promised!

When He tells us, “Let us cross over to the other side” (Mark 4:35), we keep rowing until we get to the other side, because it will happen, despite any storm.

When He tells us the enemy will bring our sons and daughters back on their shoulders (Isaiah 49:22), we get ready and watch for them to come back.

When we are in dire straits, remember that the Lord has said, “‘Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go’” (Joshua 1:9).

When we read that the Lord will lift up a standard against Satan and his demons, we can trust that the standard is Jehovah Nissi, The Lord Our Banner, and He cannot be denied! He will put the enemy to flight!

When our focus is on the Lord and what He promised, what He can and will do, when we “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7), we can live victoriously until that day when we catch up in time to what He has promised. The battle and the flood of the enemy are only temporary distractions. What God promised is what is real!

How do we know? Because of who God is: Most High God, God Of Power And Might, Creator of all things, Healer, Savior, Redeemer, Provider, Deliverer, Everlasting, Helper, and He has the final say. He knows all things, sees all things and people, and He is all-wise. We also know this is real because God has no rival for power and might; He cannot be overcome, overwhelmed, or defeated. His purposes stand, and His Word is true. He alone is God and King.

When He lifts up a standard, there is no contest!

PRAYER: Our Father, our prodigals are desolate and afflicted and their heart troubles are growing larger. Please have mercy on them, bring them out of distress, and forgive their sins (Psalm 25:16–18). They are walking in trouble. We pray You will revive and save them, come against their enemies, and perfect that which concerns them. Do not forsake the works of Your hands (Psalm 138:7–8). We pray no weapon formed against them will prosper (Isaiah 54:17).

“Rescue [our prodigals] from [their] destructions” (Psalm 35:17 KJV). We look forward to the enemy’s defeat in their lives.

As for us, help us to look forward to victory, knowing that it is coming. Help us to look forward to their salvation, their deliverance, their freedom, their surrender, and Your lifting up a standard against the enemy of their souls.

In Jesus’ name we pray.