Psalm 7:6-8. David asks God to arise, awaken his anger, and lift himself up against the fury of David's enemies. God has appointed a judgment, let this be the time. Let his people be gathered about him as he takes his seat on high. God judges all people, so David asks "judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, and according to the integrity that is in me."

I keep asking the same thing of God - I ask him to arise against my enemies. Our enemies right now are the forces of evil - I can feel them, I think we all can. They are running amok and having great success; it is the cause of all of our distress. So I keep asking God to awaken and lift his fury against these principalities and powers. But then I remember that Jesus has already defeated these powers. The war has been won, we are now just in the clean-up battle, and this is our time, our battle to fight (with Him at our side, of course). Lately, it feels a lot like a big clean-up battle, like something big is about to happen. I think that is why our enemies are fighting as hard as they are, and making themselves so obvious - evil is usually much more subtle than it is right now - they know that their defeat is at hand.

But, also like David, I have to remember that I myself will also be judged, so the way I fight is important. I cannot allow myself to be drawn into the evil. The devil can corrupt my righteous indignation just as easily as he draws me into other sin. The final defeat of our enemies will mean the time of judgment that David describes. How will I stand under that scrutiny? Have I withstood the impulse to participate in the evil around me? I have to admit that I have not always - it has caused me to lose my temper and to sin in other ways more times than I like.

I then, like David, ask to be judged by the righteousness I have done, the integrity that is in me, and not by my bad, weak actions. I am trying, and I know that God knows that. Also, unlike David, I have the blessing of confession, so I know that all of my weaknesses are forgiven if only I repent and ask for his mercy.

God is so good, and this really is such an exciting time to be alive! We are in a momentous battle, perhaps the final battle, but we must fight with integrity and righteousness so that when the time of judgment comes, we are not found to have given in to the wickedness of our enemies.