#47 - Joby Martin // Prepare a Table – Transformed in Light of Enemies

Summary

Summary of Podcast Episode #47: "Prepare a Table – Transformed in Light of Enemies"

Released on March 6, 2025, "The Daily Blade" is a devotional podcast hosted by Pastor Joby Martin of the Church of Eleven22 and Kyle Thompson of Undaunted.Life. Episode #47 delves into Psalm 23, exploring themes of divine provision, protection, and the profound transformation that occurs when believers encounter God amidst adversity.

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1. Introduction to Psalm 23

The episode commences with an affirmation of the Word of God as the "sword of the spirit," symbolizing the primary spiritual weapon Christians wield against evil forces (00:01). Hosts Joby Martin and Kyle Thompson set the stage for an in-depth exploration of the 23rd Psalm, emphasizing its relevance in equipping men for spiritual battles.

2. Recitation and Initial Interpretation of Psalm 23

Kyle Thompson begins by reciting Psalm 23, highlighting its comforting verses:

• "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want."
• "He makes me to lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters."
• "He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake."
• "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me."
• "Your rod and your staff, they comfort me."
• "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil. My cup overflows." (00:20)

3. The Anointing of the Spirit and Overflowing Love

Joby Martin delves into the latter part of the Psalm, dissecting verses that speak to the anointing and abundance bestowed upon believers:

• Anointing with Oil: Martin interprets this as a representation of the Holy Spirit's presence in believers' lives. "You anoint my head with oil. This is a coming picture of the anointing of the spirit of God on anyone who would believe in Jesus." (00:45)

• Overflowing Cup: He explains that God's love is so abundant that it cannot be contained within an individual. "My cup overflows. That God's love is poured into every single believer of Jesus to the point where your body, your person cannot contain the love of God anymore." (01:10)

• Love for Neighbors and Enemies: Expanding on the overflow, Martin emphasizes the Christian call to love others, including enemies, as a reflection of God's sacrifice. "We are even supposed to love our enemies. Why? Because you and I were enemies of the Lord Jesus Christ." (02:00)

4. Divine Provision Amidst Adversity

Addressing the perplexity believers might feel when facing enemies despite God's sovereignty, Martin reassures listeners of God's unwavering support:

• God's Sovereignty vs. Personal Circumstances: Martin poses rhetorical questions about why God doesn't eliminate enemies despite His omnipotence. He responds by clarifying that Scripture doesn't promise altered circumstances based on personal desires. "The Bible never promises that God will ever do what we want him to do." (02:30)

• Faith Beyond Circumstances: He urges believers to anchor their faith in God's unchanging nature rather than fluctuating external situations. "We are not called to put our faith in our circumstances. We are called to put our faith in the Almighty, unchanging, ever loving God of the universe." (02:45)

5. The Significance of the “Table” in Adversity

Martin elaborates on the metaphor of God preparing a table in the presence of enemies:

• Nourishment Through Relationship: He explains that being at a table symbolizes a relational nourishment provided by God, ensuring that adversities do not separate believers from Him. "What David is letting us know is though my circumstances may look dire, they will never take me away from you." (03:10)

• Guarding the Table from Negative Influences: Martin advises listeners to exclude negative emotions and behaviors—such as worry, comparison, ego, insecurity, and pride—from their spiritual communion. "Don't invite worry. Don't invite comparison. Don't invite ego, don't invite insecurity. Don't invite pride to come and sit at the table that God has prepared for you." (04:00)

6. Invitation of Jesus and Divine Peace

Referencing Revelation 3:20, Martin underscores the immediacy and accessibility of Jesus' presence:

• Jesus at the Door: "Behold, I stand at the door and knock, and if anyone hears my voice, I will come in and sup with him and he with me. I will come in and sit down at his table and have a relationship." (04:15)

• Peace Beyond Circumstances: He contrasts the pursuit of peace through external means with the profound peace found in a relationship with Jesus. "You're not going to find peace in your circumstances. You're going to find peace in a person and his name is Jesus, and he prepares a table for the two of you to sit down at together." (04:50)

7. Conclusion and Call to Action

The episode wraps up with a powerful affirmation of God's promise to provide and protect believers, even amidst challenges. Martin reiterates that true peace emanates from a personal relationship with Jesus, who stands with believers at their metaphorical tables.

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Notable Quotes

1. Joby Martin on Anointing:

   "You anoint my head with oil. This is a coming picture of the anointing of the spirit of God on anyone who would believe in Jesus." (00:45)

2. On Overflowing Love:

   "My cup overflows. That God's love is poured into every single believer of Jesus to the point where your body, your person cannot contain the love of God anymore." (01:10)

3. On Loving Enemies:

   "We are even supposed to love our enemies. Why? Because you and I were enemies of the Lord Jesus Christ." (02:00)

4. Faith Beyond Circumstances:

   "We are not called to put our faith in our circumstances. We are called to put our faith in the Almighty, unchanging, ever loving God of the universe." (02:45)

5. Guarding the Spiritual Table:

   "Don't invite worry. Don't invite comparison. Don't invite ego, don't invite insecurity. Don't invite pride to come and sit at the table that God has prepared for you." (04:00)

6. Invitation of Jesus:

   "Behold, I stand at the door and knock, and if anyone hears my voice, I will come in and sup with him and he with me. I will come in and sit down at his table and have a relationship." (04:15)

7. Finding Peace in Jesus:

   "You're not going to find peace in your circumstances. You're going to find peace in a person and his name is Jesus, and he prepares a table for the two of you to sit down at together." (04:50)

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Final Thoughts

Episode #47 of "The Daily Blade" offers a profound meditation on Psalm 23, encouraging believers to find strength and peace in their relationship with God, even when surrounded by adversity. Joby Martin and Kyle Thompson adeptly unpack the scriptures, providing listeners with practical insights on maintaining faith, fostering divine love, and embracing the transformative presence of Jesus in every aspect of life.

For those seeking deeper engagement, the hosts invite listeners to join them in person at the 2025 Men's Conference in Jacksonville, Florida. To secure a seat, visit mensconference.com.

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Transcript

[A]

Welcome to the Daily Blade. The word of God is described as the sword of the spirit, the primary spiritual weapon in the Christian's armor against the forces of evil. Your hosts are Joby Martin and Kyle Thompson, and they stand ready to equip men for the fight. Let's sharpen up.

[B]

Welcome to day four of week two of the 23rd Psalm. We're going to start from the beginning again. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. And yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. And now check this part out. And you prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil. My cup overflows. Reverse engineer this a little bit. You anoint my head with oil. This is a coming picture of the anointing of the spirit of God on anyone who would believe in Jesus. My cup overflows. That God's love is poured into every single believer of Jesus to the point where your body, your person cannot contain the love of God anymore. Therefore, the love of God is supposed to overflow out of us onto other people. That not only are we supposed to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, but we are supposed to love our neighbors as ourselves. And we are even supposed to love our enemies. Why? Because you and I were enemies of the Lord Jesus Christ. And instead of coming down and thwarting us and immediately conquering us and sending us to hell, he ransomed us, he bought us, he paid for us. He loved us at the cross and invited us who once were enemies to become sons and daughters of the most high King. And so that is how our cup is to overflow. But David says that God prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies. Now, don't you scratch your head sometimes and think, well, God, if you are the shepherd, if you are the sovereign king of the universe, if at your will everything quakes, if the lightning strikes where you tell it to and the seas billow where you rage them, then why don't you just wipe out my enemies? You know, why don't you just change my circumstances to line up with the way that I want them to be? Well, the Bible never promises that God will ever do what we want him to do. In fact, the Bible never promises that God is just going to change our circumstances because we ask him to change our circumstances. Why? Because we are not called to put our faith in our circumstances. We are called to put our faith in the Almighty, unchanging, ever loving God of the universe. And even in the presence of circumstances that we don't like, even in the presence of our very own enemies, God prepares a table. Well, what do you do at table? Well, one, that's where you are nourished. In other words, what David is letting us know is though my circumstances may look dire, they will never take me away from you. God and you and you alone are the one that nourishes me also. I don't know if you've ever paid attention to this, but if you're sitting down at a table with somebody, you are in relationship with the person at that table. One of the worst things that you can do, and Christians do this all the time, is we constantly invite the enemy to our table. What are you doing? Kick the enemy out of your table. Don't invite worry. Don't invite comparison. Don't invite ego, don't invite insecurity. Don't invite pride to come and sit at the table that God has prepared for you. In Revelation, chapter 3, verse 20, Jesus invites Himself to your table. He says, behold, I stand at the door and knock, and if anyone hears my voice, I will come in and sup with him and he with me. I will come in and sit down at his table and have a relationship. And have you ever noticed you don't have to make an appointment with somebody sitting at your table? That's right. You just lean over to the other side of the table and say, hey, can I ask you something? Maybe this is why the Apostle Paul in the book of Philippians says this. Be anxious for nothing. So you got some enemies, you got some circumstances you're anxious about. Well, you know what you do? You lean over the other side of the table and you and I be anxious for nothing. But in prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, make your request known to God. And the peace of God that transcends understanding will guard your heart and your mind. In Christ Jesus, God says, I'm going to do better than take out your enemies. I'm going to do something in you that even in the presence of your enemies, I'm going to anoint your head with oil, I'm going to overflow your cup, and I am going to sit at the table with you. And you're not going to find peace in your circumstances. You're going to find peace in a person and his name is Jesus, and he prepares a table for the two of you to sit down at together. And where the presence of God is, there is peace even in the presence of your enemies. Amen.

[A]

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