We've Got Them Surrounded

Image by Manfred Richter from Pixabay 

‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’says the Lord Almighty. 

Zechariah 4:6

Don’t tell anyone, but I love the movie Labyrinth. It might be because of David Bowie. Alright, it’s David Bowie. However, my other favorite characters in this favorite movie are Sir Didymus and his cowardly sheep-dog steed, Ambrosius. 

When Sarah and company reach the Goblin City, Sir Didymus utters several of my favorite lines, all while surrounded by the Goblin army: “Don’t worry Ambrosius, I think we’ve got them surrounded.”  “I have you right where I want you!” And, famously, to a hoard of goblins pointing spears at him, “So, had enough, eh? All right then, throw down your weapons, and I’ll see that you’re well treated.”

If I were to take one of those online quizzes to reveal which Labyrinth character I was, I hope it would be Sir Didymus. I love his moxie. 

As I put on the full armor of God daily, and stand my ground in spiritual battles, there are so many ways Sir Didymus resonates. He’s little and scruffy – he looks nothing like a knight in shining armor. (What is he, anyway? Fox terrier?) I feel little and scruffy. Unlike me, though, he has unlimited courage. My online quiz would probably show I was more like Ambrosius. (“Whoa, not that way! The battle’s behind us!”)

Not only do Sir Didymus and Ambrosius resonate with me, I think they must resonate with God, because the Bible is full of similar stories: David and Goliath, Gideon and his 300 men, Elijah facing down the prophets of Baal – all accounts of God’s children overcoming enormous odds with the Lord’s help and intervention. 

Paul wrote in II Corinthians 12:9, But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

There are two things to keep in mind here: one is that we really are little and scruffy. We do well to remember that we don’t win spiritual battles due to our own prowess or might. Humility is a good thing, stick with that. But if we focus on our weakness too much, we turn into Ambrosius, fleeing the battle. God has called us to go take the territory for His Kingdom.

The other thing, the flip side, is to remember that Christ’s power rests on us, and through Him all things are possible. While I know Sir Didymus is a movie character - a muppet no less - he reminds me of faith, of speaking what we believe and not what we see. We step forth in faith, believing the battle is won, although we certainly look outnumbered, outclassed and overwhelmed. Elisha’s servant, in II Kings 6:17, saw they were surrounded by a huge enemy army. And Elisha prayed,

Image by azboomer from Pixabay 

“Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

I do not underestimate the difficulty, especially when it seems like we truly are surrounded by powerful enemies, when bad news on top of bad news arrives. It’s a very real battle, and while the enemy is very present and visible, the “chariots of fire” that surrounded Elisha I have to...see by faith.

But I do not underestimate Sir Didymus’s example. When the goblins of weariness, pain and grief have us surrounded, it really is possible to stand up tall and in Christ’s strength say, “So, had enough, eh?”

While it might seem like we are outnumbered, outclassed and overwhelmed, we can declare by faith in things we cannot see, “Don’t worry, we’ve got them surrounded.”

Margaret