There is an old story from the Knights of the round table, about a newly knighted knight. He was sent on a quest to rescue a damsel held hostage by four tyrant brothers! The yellow knight, the green knight, the red knight, and then the most feared, the black knight! The story is entitled "Sir Beaumains, the Kitchen Knight", if you wish to read it for yourself.
Let's cut to the chase; each of the brothers guarded a bridge at a Forde in the river. Sir Beaumains had to fight each one before rescuing the damsel from the last one, a horrible black knight and each battle got significantly harder. After defeating the first three nights he approaches the dark gloomy castle of the black knight! He's physically and emotionally exhausted! The drawbridge comes down and the biggest knight he has ever seen on the biggest black steed comes out to meet him! They charge with lances and to his surprise the black night was unhorsed quickly and easily. As he went to deal the deathblow he heard the voice of a young boy call out from the armour,"slay me not! My brothers bade me do it to make a horror all about the place! They never dreamed their passes would be passed!" Here is the ending line..."thus was the lady Lyonors set free and in the castle was high revel held that eventide, that after all their foolish fears he whom they had so dreaded, was proven but a blooming boy."
Now listen to this scripture:
so humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowels around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, And be strong in your faith.
1 Peter 5:6-9a
Let me put the key phrases together: humble yourselves, give all your worries and cares to God, stay alert! Stand firm, be strong in your faith.
Remember the enemy against you is a deceiver and a liar. We need to be in the fight! In the final analysis, against Jesus and his power, he's a little boy in big armour!
Anxiety and fear are his friend because they make him large and our God small. Stand strong in faith, humble yourself under God's mighty power and at the right time, he will lift you up in honour.