"Ten Thousand Against Me"
Music by Paul Lytle Lyrics inspired by Psalm 3
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
Psalm 23:4
The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him.
Psalm 28:7
You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.
Matthew 10:22
I was crying to the Lord with my voice
And You answered me from Your holy mount
I felt beset, regret for how I got here
They're all about me, and I dare not count
Selah
Yeah, Yeah, my adversaries
Rise against me
But You, O Lord, are a shield about me
Yeah, Yeah, I lay down to sleep
And You sustain me
And I'll not fear ten thousand against me
I was crying to the Lord with my voice
And You answered me to make a stand
For You have smitten all my enemies
You have shattered the teeth of the damned
Selah
Yeah, Yeah, my adversaries
Rise against me
But You, O Lord, are a shield about me
Yeah, Yeah, I lay down to sleep
And You sustain me
And I'll not fear ten thousand against me
Yeah, Yeah, my adversaries
Try to break me
But You, O Lord, are a shield about me
Yeah, Yeah, I rest in Your arms
You keep me from harm
And I'll not fear ten thousand against me
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Heavenly Father, You have promised that we will be persecuted for loving You, but I know that you will protect me. No harm can befall me that You have not willed. I praise You for Your faithfulness and strength, and I ask that You lead me unafraid into the stronghold of the enemy. Amen.
The more I grow in my faith, the more I see this spiritual part of Creation as a war between the forces of good and the forces of evil. Revelation certainly speaks of things in that manner, but on a practical level it is the same. We strategize about invading an enemy stronghold (whether the inner city or a Communist country). We rally our own forces in revivals and conferences. We concern ourselves with our numbers and the numbers of the enemies. We take note of the strategies of the enemy and counter them. This is a war.
That being said, we need not emphasis the analogy too much. The Bible makes it clear that though this is a war, the outcome of that war is certain. We will win. There can be no doubt, for our Commander has more power than all of the enemy's forces combined. He is our victory.
This band uses images of war and fighting to make a point, but at the same time, we have named ourselves after the outcome, not the struggle. This is a certain victory, and we should take comfort in that. When the world attacks us, and it will, we must remember that we are protected in the best way possible. It is in Christ that we are victorious. Nothing the enemy can do, and nothing that we can do, will change the triumph of the Cross. Our names are written in the book of life, which insures that will be part of the conquest.
-Paul
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