Recently I was talking to one of my friends and the conversation went along the lines of “how do you cope under stress?” That is a really light topic to talk about!

Well I realised afterwards that to cope with any sort of stress is for many of us a way of life and life in itself could be very stressful.

The question for me becomes more and more poignant since I love receiving and  releasing the Presence of God on people.  I will never forget when my youngest daughter said to me that every time I spend time in the Presence of Jesus I am more loving and less grumpy!

But, how do we cope with difficult situation that make us really stressful, situations that are potentially harmful? How do we deal with our enemies?

I have found in Psalm 23:5 can point us to the right direction.

“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” Psalms 23:5 NIV11

What does it mean that God is preparing a table before me in the presence of my enemies?

We have enemies and they are very  real and how we deal with them will in many ways reflect our level of stress.

This Psalm of David is telling me that God himself is preparing a table for me, meaning that in the very presence of my enemies He invites me to have fellowship, intimacy, and communion with Him.

David is saying that in the middle of the battle the presence of God can be found if we hear God’s invitation to seat at His table.

One of my enemies is Depression, I do not suffer from it but I have seen its dirty power over so many people. I want you to know that in the mist of a depressive season or under heavy stress God has prepared a table for you.

Would you come and take your place at that table and watch how your enemies are looking at you now?

Ah… There is more!

Seating at God’s table means that we automatically receive His anointing oil over us, and this basically means an empowerment from God to us, from His Presence to us till you and I overflow with His power. When you see something that is overflowing it is very hard to stop it and if you want to stop it then you need to go to the source of it, or you wait till it runs out. This empowerment may run out every time we leave that table but we are promised that the Source never runs out.

As I take my place at that table I am  wondering how my enemies are feeling and thinking right now…