In Ps 27:1-3 David asks, Whom shall I fear? Of whom shall I be afraid? The context of these questions is a fight. Notice the references to the wicked, mine enemies, my foes, an host, and war. We are in a fight. Paul told Timothy to fight the good fight of faith. Paul’s own testimony was, “I have fought a good fight,” [2 Tim 4:7].
You are going to face a fight, if you live for the Lord, whether you like it or not. And when you face your enemy, if you don’t understand and believe this passage, you are liable to back down from the fight and lose because of fear. David said, “my heart shall not fear.” And you’re heart shouldn’t fear either. You should be “confident” and able to say, like David my heart shall not fear:
In a fight with the devil – David said the Lord is my light. The devil is the ruler of the darkness of this world, Eph 6:12. And the devil is the enemy, Matt 13:25, 39. The Lord is light, 1 Jn 1:5; Jn 8:12. When we follow the Lord, we “shall not walk in darkness.” Jesus told his disciples in Lk 10:17-19, I give you power over all the power of the enemy. So, you have no reason to fear the devil even though he is relentless in his fight against you. “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God,” 1 Pet 5:6. God is light. “Resist the devil and he will flee from you,” Jas 4:7. That’s because he hates the light, like Jn 3:20. Follow the Lord and his light will give you the victory.
In a fight with men – David said the Lord is my salvation. Deut 20:4 the Lord your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you. Ps 3:5-8, “I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people… save me, O my God… Salvation belongeth unto the Lord.” If you’re going to live for God you are going to face persecutions. In 2 Tim 3:11-12, Paul said about his persecutions… out of them all the Lord delivered me. According to Phil 3:18 these folks are the enemies of the cross.
In Phil 1:19 he was sure that the Lord would save him. Paul was not afraid of bonds in Jerusalem [Acts 20:22-24] because he did not count his life dear unto him. You don’t win these fights, the Lord does.
In a fight by myself – David said the Lord is the strength of my life (at a time when it might cost you your life). In Lk 22:41-43, Jesus was all alone and there appeared an angel, strengthening him. In 2 Tim 4:16-17 Paul was all alone and said, the Lord stood with me and strengthened me. In 2 Cor 1:8-10 Paul said, when they were pressed out of measure, above strength, that they did not trust in themselves, but in God. In Neh 6:9-14, notice how Nehemiah prayed for God to strengthen his hands when “they” were trying to make him afraid and put him in fear.
Conclusion: you and I have no reason to fear in a fight with the devil or men whether we have help from others or whether we are all alone. Your confidence is in the Lord’s light, salvation and strength, not your own.