Dressed, Ready, and Alert

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. (Ephesians 6:12-13)

If you haven't realized the innumerable forces standing against you, it is likely you've 'felt' their influence all around you. Unseen, in the periphery, and right there in front of you - the forces exist, are at work, and are constantly looking for any opportunity to call into question your faith and trust in God. Why? They don't like your determination to follow Jesus. You are a threat to them, so they want to make you think they are a threat to you!

Every piece of armor has been provided so we stand stronger than any attack they bring. Everything we think they have to use 'against us' is nothing more than them fighting against us with NERF guns! We have the Word of God to dispel all manner of untruth they fling our way. The breastplate of righteousness is ours because in Christ Jesus we bear his protection over our heart. Feet shod with the Gospel of Peace - making all we stand upon secure and certain. We take up the shield of faith, knowing God's protection outweighs anything the enemy can hurl our way. Our minds are protected by the helmet of salvation. The Spirit of God is like a sword to cut down all manner of attack against us. 

What does the armor do? It helps us to 'resist'. It doesn't keep us from attack, but it prepares us to be ready and able to resist the attack. We can withstand the actions and effects of evil all around us. The darkness still exists, but we aren't overcome by it because light dwells within. There is no better 'prep' for our day than to spend time with Jesus. It is like we are 'putting on' that whole armor of God as we do. Be more than an armor-bearer. Be an armor-wearer. Just sayin!

Spent as he sees fit

Do what is good and run from evil so that you may live! Then the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies will be your helper, just as you have claimed. Hate evil and love what is good; turn your courts into true halls of justice. Perhaps even yet the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies will have mercy on the remnant of his people. (Amos 5:14-15)

We all face the enemy, but he doesn't always use the same attack for each of us. His attacks are all aimed at the same thing - getting us to turn our backs on righteousness. James 4:7 reminds us to "...humble ourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from us." Amos tells us to actually run from evil - either way, we are supposed to put some distance between us and our enemy! It is this 'distance' that can give us the time to regain right perspective in the midst of the battle. Without the 'distance', we could be overcome by the chaos of the attack!

How do we 'create distance' in our lives? If we are always living so close to the edge of making the right choices God desires of us and choosing to go our own way, we haven't created enough 'distance'. We need 'room' to think what our actions should be, but thinking through actions isn't going to work well if we do all our thinking 'in the moment'. This is why it is good to have time apart with Jesus each day. To give him our best and first. Then when we need time to 'think through' some decision to pursue one course over another, we have already had some groundwork prepared for that 'battle decision'. 

Hate evil and love what is good. The only way to develop the proper perspective about what is 'evil' and what is 'good' is to ask Jesus for that clarity - not just in the moment of temptation, but in those quiet times we set aside to learn from him. Does Jesus get your attention more than just during church service? If we aren't getting into the Word daily, we won't have the ammunition to fight the battle at hand during the week. Satan doesn't just attack on Sundays - he is right there with all of his 'evil intent' every day! We need to prepare for battle on a daily basis.

When I first tried to spend time each day with Jesus, there were lots of distractions that stole my attentiveness. I found myself giving into those distractions too often - the phone, the TV, the computer, the reminders on my calendar. I found that those distractions had to be 'managed' if I was to actually take even five minutes with him. My time with Jesus started as just that - five minutes in the morning. For those of you getting all 'judgy' on that one, don't! Five soon led to seven, and seven to fifteen. Now I don't even watch the clock. God manages my time - I just spend it as he sees fit. How about you? Just askin!

Get to know your enemy

"The battle of life is, in most cases, fought uphill; and to win it without a struggle were perhaps to win it without honor. If there were no difficulties there would be no success; if there were nothing to struggle for, there would be nothing to be achieved." (Samuel Smiles) All 'battles' have a battleground. All 'wars' have some strategy of warfare. The hardest battles are those where we find it hardest to zero in on the 'right' form of warfare for the battle at hand.

O Lord, oppose those who oppose me. Fight those who fight against me. Put on your armor, and take up your shield. Prepare for battle, and come to my aid. Lift up your spear and javelin against those who pursue me. Let me hear you say, “I will give you victory!” (Psalm 35:1-3)

There are battles of words and there are battles of wits. Which one would you want to fight? Words can be harsh or healing, helpful or devoid of real depth, critical or poignant - maybe that is the battle you will fight. Wit can put you in a place where you perceive something a bit better than another - perhaps this is the battle you should fight. Wit is what actually reveals the connection between the words and the intent or meaning of those words. 

Perception is paramount to success on the battlefield. We need to understand our enemy and then be open to formulating a plan that actually shows how well we perceive our enemy's every move. How do we get to know our enemy that well? I think we find out most about the enemy we are fighting by observing what he does. His words will reveal one thing, but his actions reveal something else. See what causes him to advance and formulate the plan to staunch his advance. See what causes him to halt in his path and create the plan that stops him dead in his tracks.

Get into the Word of God - learn how God moves and you will surely recognize when the army advancing against you is NOT his! You don't have to get to know the devil as much as you need to get to know your God! When you recognize the movement and tact of the one who sits as Commander & Chief in your life, you soon recognize when any movement is contrary to how he moves. That contrary movement is sure to be something cooked up by the enemy of your soul! Just sayin!

We or He

If we are to look at the life of King David, we will observe how he reminds us no king succeeds by his own doing. Big armies and lots of loyal servants does not make one successful - indeed, it gives an "appearance" of success, but it is nothing compared to the glory of being anointed by the Most High God. It is noteworthy to mention how many times he points out the futility of thinking a warrior's strength is his own. This is often a struggle for us because we see our "strength" as something we possess, but in truth it is something we are "granted". David lays out the silliness of thinking having more "horsepower" or "brute strength" will win battles. When we "count on" the wrong stuff, we often don't really "win" the battles - sometimes we don't even make it through them at all!

Watch this: God's eye is on those who respect him, the ones who are looking for his love. He's ready to come to their rescue in bad times; in lean times he keeps body and soul together. We're depending on God; he's everything we need. What's more, our hearts brim with joy since we've taken for our own his holy name. Love us, God, with all you've got—that's what we're depending on. (Psalm 33:18-22)

As I speak with many of my friends these days, I hear one common theme - the battle is tough! This pandemic has 'kicked us in the butt'. Not to mention that the struggles with life-debilitating disease processes almost overwhelms families in the throws of a world in chaos. The constant changing environments within work, home, and community seem to be pulling us in all different directions - oftentimes quite stretched beyond capacity. Grief doesn't seem to pass because the losses are so great; despite the passage of time, seeing loved ones go from vital and strong to being ushered into heaven's courts is just plain too much for some to bear. In short, the outlook might not seem to "clear up" for some who are battling so much - it continues to be a little more than challenging!

Watch this! This is a call to pay attention to what David is going to lay out that we all need to hear and understand fully. He has taken hold of something that has been able to take him through similar tough times and he is calling us to pay attention to what he has to share with us - things that he has learned in his times of experiencing the greatness of God in the midst of the worst the world has to offer. Wouldn't it be a shame to have the answer to our "need" right there in front of us and miss it totally? God's eye is on us! Our part is to respect him and look for his love. Now, don't get this wrong - respect is more than just holding God in "high regard". It is giving him the foremost part of our being - our attention focused on him above all else. Too many times, we think we can be "casual" with God - just holding him in "high esteem", but his instruction is clear - have no other god before him. When he has the right focus in our lives, it is natural for us to actually look for his love - with expectation and hope. We begin to "count on" his love. What excites me most about this is the "face-to-face" contact we have with the one we honor! His back is not to us - it is his face! You cannot "eyeball" someone with your back toward them! When seeking God, holding him in the center of our focus, we are completely in his! 

He is ready! God doesn't delay - although we may think the answer is slow coming! Bad times and lean times come - there is never any assurance in scripture of these being totally avoided by service to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Too many times I think we have a little bit of warped belief here. I think we believe God should "keep us from" these bad and lean times. I challenge this. In the lean times, I have come to appreciate how little I have and how much I need what he has! In bad times, I have drawn closer to his heart - just to hear it beat a little faster when I draw near! Going back to God's eye being on us - his hands are also ready to intervene for us. Look at the outcome - body and soul are kept together. In the bad times, doesn't it feel like we are being "ripped apart" by the struggles we are in? This is another word picture to show us how much God is the "cement" which holds us together even in the midst of forces who'd like nothing more than to see us "undone"! We can depend on him! The instruction here is not one of living "independent" of God - it is one of relinquishing our control and giving it to him. In the times of challenge - don't we always want to "fix" whatever we can first, then ask God to help us with the rest? Or is this just my struggle? I think I might be in good company here - we try the best we can to "fix" the leanness or change the outcomes of the bad stuff. When we just can't get it done - then we turn to God. Oh, what a warped sense of importance we give ourselves! We try to live independent of God while all the while he is saying he is the one we can depend upon!

I associate with David - he wanted nothing more than to serve his God well. He struggled with the "real stuff" of life and yet each time he found God utterly and totally faithful in his life. He leaves us with this thought - "God, love us with all you've got!" Now, isn't it interesting - he doesn't close with, "So, God I am going to love you with all I've got!" Instead, he brings us back to what brings us through the challenges unscathed, stronger than we went into them - God loving us with all he's got! It is good to keep the right perspective! We "make it through" or we are "brought through" each battle- which would you prefer? Quite honestly, I'd prefer the latter! Just sayin!

It is not just 'full-speed ahead'

Maybe life is a little complicated for us right now - every day brings new reports of worsening pandemic, more loss of life, riots, disagreements, and the list goes on. Why would we ever want to leave the safety of our homes? We have all experienced those moments when the "mess" of our present "muddled circumstances" seems like more than enough to handle - then along comes someone telling us to get "deeper" into the "muddle"! I think we all probably might have responded similarly to the one who tells us to get ourselves into a deeper muddle - it probably went something like, "Are you nuts! Things are more than I can handle right here and you want me to do what?" Hey, this is not a new response! In fact, there is are tons of similar ones recorded in the Bible - I think God doesn't want us to think we are alone in this muddle!

But David's men said, "We live in fear of our lives right here in Judah. How can you think of going to Keilah in the thick of the Philistines?" So David went back to God in prayer. God said, "Get going. Head for Keilah. I'm placing the Philistines in your hands." (I Samuel 23:3-4 MSG)

David was the one asking for them to get "deeper into the muddle" - something he had done before, but now he was asking for his men to follow along. It should not go without note - the entire army of men responded back, "We live in fear of our lives RIGHT HERE!" If we just look at this portion of the passage, we might feel like David was an insensitive leader, or completely self-centered with motives that bordered on selfish or self-elevating. When we look a little deeper, here's what we find - David did not act alone in asking for them to join forces and fight! He consulted God first! He took what he knew to God - the Philistines were attacking the region of Keilah and raiding the fields of grain. He asked God what to do with what it was he knew about the circumstances at hand - "Should I go after these Philistines and teach them a lesson?" He received his confirmation before involving others in his plans - God said, "Go. Attack the Philistines and save Keilah."

We have all responded at one time or another with the admission of living in fear right here in the present muddle we are in. The things we face seem insurmountable to us - because we can only see our own mess and the impact it has on us. The impression we have of being "surrounded" on all sides can seem to overwhelm our faith at times. David was probably not immune to this same sort of 'woe is me' fear at times. He hid in caves, trying to escape the pursuing armies that sought him out. He escaped in the dead of night, to get a running start on his enemies so they might not catch up with him. He knew the wisdom of retreat and the value of the right time to attack. He also knew if God was for him, none could stand against him (and his armies)! We often don't realize the impact of our actions. David clearly did not move ahead of God's plans here. He FIRST consulted God - then he ENGAGED others in the plan. Whenever we do this the other way around, we are getting the cart before the horse - and we all know that doesn't work so well. I appreciate David's men because they were totally honest - admitting to living in fear right there where they were in Judah! In their present mess of trouble, they were fearful for their future state. They were surrounded on all sides - Judah was under siege. The enemy was unrelenting. I don't think there is anything wrong with their honesty because they were having a "faith-struggle". When we are honest about our struggle, our deliverance is made possible.

David knew their next move - but he had to help them overcome their present fear. He doesn't just plunge ahead. He regroups with God. Often the most telling thing we do with our fear is revealed in who we take it to! We have a tendency to take our fears to other men - those with similar fears. What does that do for us? If we were honest - we all just have one big pity-party with it! When we take those same fears to God, what does he do with them? He clarifies and confirms the steps we are to take! David received the confirmation from God - "I'm placing the Philistines in your hands". The first time around, God said to David, "Go. Attack the Philistines and save Keilah." This time around, he confirmed the victory! In feeling doubt, we might just shrink away or pull back. In finding faith, we plunge ahead. Whenever we find ourselves shrinking back, we need to admit how the enemy's attack (the muddled circumstances we are experiencing) is impacting us. When we "feel" surrounded and under siege, chances are our faith is taking the blunt of the blow! The only place to have our faith "settled" and "made sure" again is at the feet of Jesus. If we don't get it the first time, then we need to go back again and again until we do!

In the midst of the muddled circumstances, we are seldom alone - others are experiencing the "muddle" with us. There is great wisdom in walking with another through the mess of circumstances. We do better "in the muddle" when we have our flanks covered by other warriors. We need to be sure we have the right "order" to our battle march, thought. First - we seek God's plan. Then, we engage others! When we engage first, we are open to all kinds of "advice" which may not always be what God intends for the present battle. God's advice comes in the quiet place of prayer - his battle charge comes in the presence of others of like faith! The battle charge begins in the quiet of his confirming counsel! Just sayin!

It is all out war

There are certainly times when we feel we have some form of an enemy breathing down our neck and to be honest here, we just want to run like a crazy person from the "threat" we feel. In a literal sense, we have very real enemies who come against us, determined to make life miserable for us. In a spiritual sense, we have one really big enemy - Satan. In an emotional sense, we have lots of enemies, such as fear, pride, and lust. Regardless of the enemy we face today, we need to hear the words: The closer they get to us, the farther they are from the truth God reveals when we draw closer to him! The way we don't succumb to their attack is by drawing closer to God while under attack!

As those out to get me come closer and closer, they go farther and farther from the truth you reveal; but you're the closest of all to me, God, and all your judgments true. I've known all along from the evidence of your words that you meant them to last forever. (Psalm 119:150-152)

The enemy of fear drives a hard bargain. With fear, the goal is to shut us down so we are no longer making forward progress of any sort - to kind of 'paralyze us in place'. Any of our human or spiritual enemies can use fear as a weapon in their arsenal to wage an attack upon us if we are not paying attention to our own emotional responses to their attack. Fear is the exact opposite of faith - the outcome of fear is paralysis (a lack of movement). No enemy we face is more happy than the one who takes advantage of us as "sitting ducks" - paralyzed in fear and immovable because we don't know which way to go!

The enemy of pride demands a place of prominence, constantly reminding us we can be more, do more, get more. The focus of pride's attack is in the area of our satisfaction - pride tunes into our forces of perception and focuses us on what we "don't" have rather than on what we "do" have. The outcome of pride's attack is an inattentiveness to the things which really matter in life. Quantity is rarely equal to quality. My pastor frequently reminds us that where comparison enters in, contentment is quickly departing the door! Anytime we focus more on comparing what we have or don't have, we are opening the door for discontent.

The enemy of lust wiggles into our lives through our "eye gate". The things we behold with our eyes become the things which eventually will tickle some fancy. The things we learn to desire because they "look" good are not always good. I have often wondered where we would be today if Eve never considered the apple on the tree of good and evil! It was in the moment of considering that the battle began. There is no greater weapon we have than our ability to flee the very first tug to move toward something we would be better off leaving alone!

The enemies go on and on. You get the idea. The opposite of our enemy is our God! The opposite outcome of our enemy's attack is our God's blessing! The opposite of our enemy's lies if our God's truth! No enemy wages an attack that catches God off-guard (even though it may catch US a little off-guard, it hasn't escaped his attention). The best place to be when we feel the heat of our enemy's breath is close to God's heart! Trust me on this one...our enemy has a hard time maintaining any breath when they have to look him in the eyes! Just sayin!

Grace Guides

"Who has a harder fight than he who is striving to overcome himself?" Thomas a Kempis

There can be some pretty tough fights we go through in our lifetime, but I think this clergyman of an era gone by hit the nail square on the head! There is no harder fight hand the one we fight with ourselves - especially when there is some 'flaw' we see within ourselves we feel must be overcome. The more we strive to overcome it, the harder the battle gets, and the worse we feel when we find ourselves not 'doing well' in the fight. We are invited to live life to the fullest - in Christ Jesus. Attempting to find a 'full life' outside of that relationship is impossible and can yield some of the toughest fights we will ever have to fight in our lifetime. Our sins are dealt with once and for all. The freedom to live the right way and the desire to live as we should are both provided at the foot of the cross.

This is the kind of life you’ve been invited into, the kind of life Christ lived. He suffered everything that came his way so you would know that it could be done, and also know how to do it, step-by-step.
He never did one thing wrong, not once said anything amiss. They called him every name in the book and he said nothing back. He suffered in silence, content to let God set things right. He used his servant body to carry our sins to the Cross so we could be rid of sin, free to live the right way. His wounds became your healing. You were lost sheep with no idea who you were or where you were going. Now you’re named and kept for good by the Shepherd of your souls. (I Peter 2:21-25)

Peter began this chapter with the reminder to make a clean sweep of some of the most basic of sins such as envy and hurtful talk. The simplest of things some might assume, but the hardest to actually live out in our daily choices. Learn to live without needing to boast of one accomplishments, or put another down with words that cut deep and you have learned a great lesson. Live life like this all the time and you are living a life free! There are lots and lots of things we need to be 'free of' that are revealed in our daily choices. Things we might not realize we need to let go of, or that need to let go of us! As God points even one iota of those things out to us, we need to carry them to the foot of the cross and leave them there. It is only as we do that we are ever going to be truly free.

I am always grateful that God doesn't just 'tell us' to live right and make right choices. He gives us the step-by-step instructions, illustrations through lives both well-lived and those lived without restraint. We don't have to flounder or wonder. We can see plainly in his Word, in the lives of those he puts up before us as both positive and not so very positive examples of how we are to live. These are 'grace guides' to help us through this journey of letting go of what needs to be left at the cross and then lay hold of that which will become the way of obedience.

Where are your areas of greatest struggle today? Are they in the area of your attitude or words? Are they in the realm of your lusts and desires? Are they perhaps in the choices once made, repeated, and now formed into solidly bad habits? It matters not where the struggle is, the same means of freedom exists for all of them! The cross provides the means of deliverance - the repeated direction of our "grace guides" helps us live free each day. These are not mystical 'guides' from the netherworld, but rather the truth of the Word of God, the examples of grace given to us in lives clearly touched by his presence, and the reminders of his Spirit deep within to truly 'live free'. 

We don't have to fight with futility. Our battles have all been declared as 'won' in Christ Jesus. We just sometimes need to 'dispossess' our enemy from the land! We might just never feel totally free until the 'enemy within' is totally and completely sent packing! Where is it that this battle is won? At the foot of the cross and no other place! You don't have to be 'spiritual' - you just have to be real in God's presence. You don't have to be 'perfect' - you just have to be transparent. You don't have to know what it is you are battling - you just have to be willing to listen to your Commander in Chief. Just sayin!

A well-placed heel

The moment we realize we are in the thick of the fight, we can begin to waver a little bit in our faith, can't we? Being on the outside looking in isn't all that intimidating, but being right there in the middle of the fight - well that is a different matter all together! God rarely calls us into spectator faith - he wants us involved! That means we will get our hands dirty on occasion, and that we won't always be able to be observers. There will be times we must step up, be the one to take on the enemy, and then to push on through until we see the enemy turn tail and run. At other times, we will be called to fight to the death - not ours - the enemy we face off with will be the one to meet their end. There is no middle-ground in this Christianity thing - either we are in it or not!

When they had them all there in front of Joshua, he called up the army and told the field commanders who had been with him, "Come here. Put your feet on the necks of these kings." They stepped up and put their feet on their necks. Joshua told them, "Don't hold back. Don't be timid. Be strong! Be confident! This is what God will do to all your enemies when you fight them." (Joshua 10:24-25)

Joshua was going up against one army after another as Israel was coming into possession of their promised land - Canaan. One of the tribes of Israel, Gibeon, was in serious trouble with enemy kings surrounding them. Not just one army attacking, but five Amorite kings had mustered their military might and had surrounded Gibeon! Ever feel like Gibeon? Surrounded on all sides and ready to send up the white flag? Ready to call it quits - to just be a spectator again...maybe all we need it to 'send word' that we need help - that this enemy we are facing is bigger or tougher than we can face on our own. The men of Gibeon send word to Joshua that they are surrounded and require his immediate intervention. They raise the standard higher - not of surrender - but of intent to fight on.

Joshua had been camped at Gilgal with his army. They had to march all night to reach Gibeon, but the call for help would not go unanswered. As they approached Gibeon, scripture tells us that God threw all the military of these five opposing kings into immediate panic and confusion. The five armies scattered to the hills and valleys - running in panic. This military battle is probably best known for the prayer of Joshua - asking God to stop the sun and moon - giving him more time to attack until every last one was rounded up. The five kings were not too eager to lose their lives, so they hid in a cave - just remember that - the enemy often hides out, hoping we will just give up in our pursuit of their total destruction. When Joshua and his men had finished the work of taking the five armies, they came back to the cave and took the kings.  They are brought before the people of Israel, where the military field leaders of Israel's army are instructed to come forward and place their feet on the necks of these five kings. A strange thing to ask, huh? Not really when you understand the purpose or symbolism of that maneuver.

Joshua was giving Israel a visual display of the might of their God. He was showing them that God had delivered these kings and all their military might or tactics into their hands. They were victorious over even the strongest of the military in the land - none could stand in their way. The foot on the neck is a symbol of victory - it is a sign of submission by those that are held in such a manner. A humbling experience for these kings of the Amorites indeed. Imagine how our enemy might feel when we do exactly the same thing! Nothing can stand against the people of God. God is supreme and when he is raised up in the lives of his people, he will go before them. When we have the faith to believe the impossible, God has the wherewithal to do the impossible. I have never asked the sun or moon to stand still, but I have asked God to heal cancer, restore lost children, and release me from guilt, just to name a few. In each prayer, he has been faithful. Victory belongs to God. As his children, it belongs to us, too. He invites us forward, just as Joshua invited the military field commanders to come, in order that we might place our foot on the neck of our greatest enemies.

Our enemies come in many forms - that favorite sin that drags us down, the long-held shame of past failures, the present compromise of misplaced affections. Regardless of the form, God is victor over all. If we are "in Christ" and Christ is "in us", then we are victors over all, as well. Today, we are invited to come into victory - not to be observers, but participants in pushing that enemy fully out of the caves where they hide in our lives and then declaring our total and absolute victory over them. Ask God for what seems impossible. Place your heel upon the neck of your enemy today. Your victory awaits. Just sayin!

Never to be seen again

Battles come our way - not those fought on enemy soil with automatic weapons, tanks, and grenades, complete with every 'military tactic' operational - but those things that give us "fits" internally (emotionally, spiritually, and sometimes even physically).  We struggle with the outcome because we try to remain in control of the situation instead of turning it over to God.  The battle becomes a burden we "slug" through rather than having the unlimited resources of heaven at our disposal. It is time to stopping being 'slugs' when it comes to these battles - they need a quicker end than we are capable of in our own efforts!

Moses spoke to the people: "Don't be afraid. Stand firm and watch God do his work of salvation for you today. Take a good look at the Egyptians today for you're never going to see them again.  God will fight the battle for you. And you? You keep your mouths shut!" (Exodus 14:13-14)

Moses was given a direct message from God to tell the people - the battle lies ahead and here's what you should do in the midst of the battle!  Most of us don't get some "authoritative" messenger of God sent into our lives after having had such a dynamic conversation with God himself, armed with the message to stand firm in the midst of the fight.  At least, not one that we recognize as a messenger!  The message God gives him to bring to the people tell us a great deal about how it is we are to face the battle. Let's look:

• Don't be afraid - the idea is that we are not to be filled with fear or apprehension.  Our concept of the situation (perception) produces either fear or trust. Another word for these perceptions is suspicions - we develop various suspicions about the reason for the battle, the outcome, and even the enemy we are battling. Anticipation and awareness of danger both produce fear and anxiety. Do not be anxious about ANYTHING, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. (Phil. 4:6) There is a time in the battle when we have to "reign it all in" and lay it all out before God. In so doing, we begin to be in a place to see clearly what it is that is before us. Our suspicions are addressed, not with our ideas, but with God's accurate perception.
• Stand firm - maintain your position, hold your course, and remain firm. To maintain your position is to hold the position of a witness - be alert, be attentive, be accurate. Weakness and uncertainty do not play a part in being a witness in the courtroom of life. The witness is to give a testimony that is free of revision or change. God is asking us to be well-founded in our beliefs and values. Steadfastness is really what is pictured here - accurately perceiving the circumstances and then able to navigate them.
• Watch for the deliverance - it is inevitable when the battle is in his hands. We may lose the battle in our own ability, but in his hands, the deliverance is sure to come. When we actually see something, we are recognizing it and placing that into actual experience. In other words, stand firm, without fear, and God will be on the scene to bring the deliverance (making it a reality). Deliverance is liberty - it is rescue, or being set free. The promised, desired, and expected results will be -produced - when we stand firm, with our fear under his control.
• You will never see that enemy again - Moses was speaking to Israel about the Egyptians. They were an enemy that could have slaughtered them, bringing an end to their existence. Yet, he says with total assurance, that they would never see them again. What is pictured is the idea of total deliverance from the bondage of a task-master that is demanding, unyielding, and controlling. Kind of like the image we have of sin's control in our lives, huh? God is the one that will cause it to become a reality that we move from a place of total bondage into total freedom - never to be under that condition of bondage again.  
• Keep your mouth shut - this is not easy in the midst of the battle. Instead of being still, at peace, and in control of our emotions, we are a miserable wreck! It is not easy being in a place where we stand with an assurance when the end of our bondage seems to be impossible, and then to stand settled, calm and in a place of peace. Yet it is the very thing that God expects of us in the midst of the battle. When trust is placed in the right (true and accurate) place, the battle is assured.

To that, I can only add some words from David: Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. (Psalm 46:10-11) See the emphatic statement here: I WILL BE EXALTED! God is not a mamby-pamby kind of God - he is supreme, sovereign over any other force on this earth, in your life, or in mine. He WILL be exalted - stand firm, be assured, and be still. He is in control! Just sayin!

This is tough!

When I call, give me answers. God, take my side! Once, in a tight place, you gave me room; now I'm in trouble again: grace me! hear me! You rabble—how long do I put up with your scorn? How long will you lust after lies? How long will you live crazed by illusion?  Look at this: look who got picked by God! He listens the split second I call to him.  Complain if you must, but don't lash out. Keep your mouth shut, and let your heart do the talking. Build your case before God and wait for his verdict. 6-8 Why is everyone hungry for more? "More, more," they say. "More, more." I have God's more-than-enough, more joy in one ordinary day than they get in all their shopping sprees. At day's end I'm ready for sound sleep, for you, God, have put my life back together. 

(Psalm 4:1-5 MSG)

Enemies will come and go - their attacks are as certain as the sun rising and setting - there will always be opportunities for us in this lifetime. Yet, in the midst of scorn, lies, and all kinds of attack, we can stand before our God, our acquaintances, and even our enemies with the same assurance we know in the "good times" when there is no sense of 'attack' around us. We have all been in "tight places" before - but our God has always come to our rescue, giving us the room we needed in order to dodge the attack of these enemies. In that place of feeling "boxed in" by life at any time in our walk with Jesus, all we need to do is call out to God for his grace.

It is that ability to call out to God with an assurance that we will be heard that allows us to turn to our enemies head on and ask, "How long...?" We can know their attempts to tear us down are limited by the keeping hand of God in our lives. I love it when David looks at his enemy squarely in the face and says, "Look who got picked by God!" It is kind of like a "na-na-na-na-nah" response! He knows, standing with absolute conviction and assurance that the moment he calls out to God, God listens. There is no delay in responsiveness on God's part - he is always listening. This is the same assurance and absolute conviction we can have in our lives, as well.

Sometimes we might even spend a little time complaining to God (complain if you must), but we don’t lash out and accuse God of the attacks in our lives – that would be incorrect. God may have allowed it for our growth and development, but he is not the one doing the attacking. It is okay for you to let your heart do the talking. Why? God wants to hear from us exactly where we are at (he actually appreciates the honest approach) - no embellishments, no need to "clean it up" for him - simply being real is how he wants us to approach him.

This psalm closes with a message of assurance - God is more than enough! We know that we possess God's "more than enough" for the present circumstance and the ones that may yet come with the dawn of each new day. We serve the God of "more than enough" and enjoy the rest that brings to our soul. That is how we lay our head down at night in the midst of tough circumstances and sleep like a baby! I know the value of a night's rest to my body and the difference it makes to the view I take of the circumstances I am in – without it, I see the circumstances as a lot harder and bigger than they really are. It is in trusting God's "more than enough" that we can rest - really rest. 

If today is one of those days when you are up against tough odds - run to the God who is "more than enough" to deal with those odds. Pour out your heart to him - even if you must complain - he listens. Then, stand assured that the graces of God will take you through – remembering each step of the way that he is more than enough! Think about that - more than enough. That means that there are "left-overs" in the grace department with God. Left-overs that can even be a blessing through our lives into the lives of those who observe the struggle, those who stand as enemies in our path, or simply those who brush up against us long enough to enjoy them! We serve a God that stands ready to give us rest in the battle. Cry out to him today - he is listening. Just cryin!

Fighting the inanimate

“The Lord says, ‘Don’t be afraid! Don’t be paralyzed by this mighty army! For the battle is not yours, but God’s!" (2 Chronicles 20:15 TLB)

There are times when we know we are fighting a battle because the bombs are bursting, bullets are flying, and there is so much chaos we just know we are in the midst of the fray. At other times, it feels as though we are fighting some type of "inanimate" object - not seen, not heard, but somehow wreaking havoc in our lives. Let me ask - which battle is the hardest to fight - the one where you see the enemy and hear his attack, or the one where he is cleverly hidden and you have no idea where? Both could be equally similar, but one reveals himself while the other remains hidden. We can fear them both - right? The thing with the attack from the enemy who remains cleverly hidden is that we have no idea what our "counter-attack" should be until he reveals a little about himself! We might do best when we know the enemy we are fighting, but there is just as much resource at our disposal for the enemy we see as there is for the one we don't! 

Our response to the enemy can be that of fear - paralyzing us in our progress and keeping us bound by that which we see or sense. It could be that we want to turn tail and run, but find ourselves "stuck" as though some huge weight was keeping us from actually moving. Honestly, that is why the Philistines sent out Goliath everyday to taunt the Israelite army - his shear size, booming voice, and formidable armor made it look like there was no way past him. He invoked fear in those who took in his appearance, but never forget that even the most formidable opponent has at least one weak spot! David knew the weak spot was known by God and that God knew exactly how to deal with this "threat"!

Why does the enemy use threatening attacks at one point in time, then remain hidden at others? In battle, there are times it takes a good while for those under fire to locate their "threat". Why? That threat has "dug in" and is really well disguised. What advantage does the enemy have? His cover! His position is just perfect to hurl attack after attack without us knowing exactly where he is attacking from because he has a "perfect cover". Remember that scripture warns us Satan can come in many ways, even as an angel! So, we don't always recognize him or see him moving "into position" for the attack because we aren't aware of his tactics.

This might be why scripture also reminds us that God doesn't want us to be "unaware" of his wiles - we are to be wise and use that wisdom to our benefit. There is no greater wisdom than to realize we cannot take up weapons we are not familiar with. David was offered the sword, shield, and armor of a mighty warrior, but the only weapons he was familiar with were the stone and sling. He didn't attempt to use what he had never used before - he relied upon the weaponry he had come to appreciate as "reliable" when God was behind each stone launched. Just sayin!

Growing through or just going through?

Every now and again, a quote comes across the social feed that just catches my eye and holds my heart. One such is that by Toby Mac: "If you saw the size of the blessing coming, you would understand the magnitude of the battle you are fighting." We SEE the battle raging around us. We EXPERIENCE the torment of the fight. We DELIBERATE over the choices we must make.We AGONIZE over the complexity of the circumstances. Yet, in all this, we don't ever really know the true size of the blessing just around the corner!

You have armed me with strength for the battle; you have subdued my enemies under my feet. (Psalm 18:39 NLT)

Who arms us for the battle?  God himself provides the armor, sends in the legions of angels who battle in heavenly places, unseen by our naked eye, but there nonetheless. Who gives us the strength to put one foot in front of the other when there is no human strength left to put forth?  God himself renews our energies, not just physical, but spiritual and emotional, as well. Who has the plan that will set our enemies to flight?  God himself orchestrates not just the "pushing back" of the enemy lines in our life, but the complete annihilation of those opposing forces.  

If we saw the size of the blessing - would we fight harder? Maybe, but could it just be that God wants us to trust him and fight just as hard even without knowing what awaits us just around that corner? I think God wants us to fight, not because of the blessing, but because we trust him with all that is within us - even if the blessing weren't to come!  Right now, the battle seems too great to handle because we are "going through" what we are meant to "grow through".  No battle is without purpose - it is designed to grow us.

There is a vast difference between "going through" something and "growing through" it. Growth requires active participation. The plant must open its leaves to the sun, send its roots into the soil, take up the nutrients and drink in the refreshment of the water provided. The plant doesn't do all the work, but it does put forth some "effort" in order to realize growth. The same is true for us - the battle isn't just endured - it is fought! The battle isn't just "around us", it is "in us", "with us", and "against us". To "make it through" the battle is one thing - to come out victorious is quite another.

Too many of us are so focused on "going through" that we forget all about the purpose of "growing through" the battle. We put all our energies into just "staying afloat" and forget that God provided that which keeps us afloat, not so we will just survive, but that we might "arrive" at the place he intends for us to be at in the end of the battle. I don't know the magnitude of your blessing, but I see evidence of your battle, my friends. I don't "get" why the blessing has to come this way, but I know the faithfulness of the God who is keeping you afloat through it.

We might not want to go through this today, but if we change our focus to growing through it, I wonder if our attitude toward the battle would take on a different perspective?  Just askin!

The enemy within

Beware of no man more than of yourself; we carry our worst enemies within us. (Charles Spurgeon)

I have heard many a conflicted soul tell of the battle with those enemies within - bringing them to their knees more than once. There are those who see those enemies as something we must be rid of in order to move on, but I wonder how the Apostle Paul would see that one. He prayed, evidently repeatedly, requesting some "thorn" be removed that gave him a constant battle of some sort. Allegedly, it was something that kept him from getting too high a perception of himself - keeping him humble. I wonder if some of the "enemies" within are really those types of things that help to keep us humble?

So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.  Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away.  Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.  That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:7-10 NLT)

We might have been praying for deliverance from the enemies within, but as Paul indicates, it is quite possible that God's power is being revealed in the battle! Most of us think of power as deliverance - God might just see it as leaning a little more into his strength when the battle rages until we are living our way "through" the attack by the grace of God within! Kind of like a light in the darkest of rooms, God's power works best when weakness is the means by which his grace and power is most clearly revealed. 

Each time he said... 

There are probably times when we'd like a different answer from God, but "each time he says" what we probably don't want to hear, but need to hear nonetheless. God answers that he isn't going to deliver you from that rocky relationship, but that his grace will be sufficient to walk through even the most tenuous of places. God answers that he isn't going to magically fix that problem your over-spending got you into, but that his grace will teach you how to walk in wisdom where it comes to your finances as you slowly dig out. God answers he isn't going to remove that one coworker who constantly gets on your nerves, but that his grace will show you ways to bless that coworker instead.

God acts "contrary" to what we "reason" should happen in our lives many times - not because he wants us to suffer, but so he can show just how real his grace is and how powerful his presence can actually be within each of us. We may not like the "each time he said" answer we keep receiving, but it probably is the answer we need to hear the most! As with Paul, we will be able to stand in the certainty that when we lack the wisdom and strength, he stands strong to give us the wisdom which exceeds our understanding and the supernatural strength to walk through that place we'd probably rather just run from in the first place.

How is the power of Christ working through your lives today? Could it be in answering that question you see some area where an enemy within is waging battle, but in turn God's grace and power is helping you to stand stronger than the pull of that enemy's forceful efforts to bring you down? The battle doesn't always go to the strong - it goes to the ones willing to remain humble, lean in a little closer, and rely upon the grace and power of God within them to carry them through! Just sayin!

What are we seeking to win?

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. (Ephesians 6:12-13 NLT)

A German soldier by the name of Erin Rommel is quoted as saying, "Don't fight a battle if you don't gain anything by winning." There are a whole lot of battle lines being drawn in the sand these days - but I am afraid some just don't warrant our time or attention! I honestly have had to ask why some of these marches, protests, media campaigns, and rather large crowds of disagreeable people are doing what they are doing. I don't even know if some of these individuals in the crowd know what it is they are doing. Some may actually just be following along because they heard just enough to peak their interest, but neglected to really understand the battle being fought. If we are going to go to battle, we must know the real enemy - the specific purpose and intent of the battle - and the battleground we are about to launch our attack upon!

The biggest part of battle isn't the actual fighting - it is the preparation. British soldier Bernard Law Montgomery said it well: "Every soldier must know, before he goes into battle, how the little battle he is to fight fits into the larger picture, and how the success of his fighting will influence the battle as a whole." The warfare of a lifetime isn't always won on the "biggest" battlefields, but in the smaller battles of each man or woman's will, spirit, and desire. The "will" to win isn't the only necessary weapon in our arsenal in this battle we wage today. Why not? The battle isn't just political, physical or emotional. It is spiritual! All of life's most significant battles are won more in the realm of the spirit than in any other venue. Therefore, spiritual preparation is one of our most powerful weapons!

If we truthfully understood the spiritual forces waging war in our communities today, we'd do less protesting and more praying. We'd kneel more and throw fewer punches. We'd stand alongside each other in unity and oppose every force that sought to divide - for our strength comes not in just standing strong, but by standing united in warfare. We'd draw a few less lines in the sand and stand firmly at the foot of the cross - the real place the line was drawn in the first place! I think we'd take less "sides" and realize there is a place where all are truly made equal - at the judgment seat of God. We'd respect God's justice more and work to counter all that stands in the way of anything that opposes his truth. Maybe we'd realize the importance of the small part we play in this bigger battle - not because our "punches" alone will make much difference, but because our "prayers" together will drive back the most formidable enemy of all times - Satan himself. Just sayin!

Don't break the communication pathway

When trouble surrounded me, I cried out to the Eternal; He answered me and brought me to a wide, open space. The Eternal is with me, so I will not be afraid of anything. If God is on my side, how can anyone hurt me? (Psalm 118:5-6 VOICE)

Too many times we think "IF trouble ever surrounds me, then I will cry out...", but in reality, it is "WHEN trouble does surround me, I better be crying out!"  A lot of times we think we won't have those troubles someone else has, but we certainly will have troubles all our own. They may not be identical to what someone else is going through, but they will come - opposition will soon wage an attack and we had better stand ready! Soldiers will tell you the hardest time to withstand an attack is when you are just finished with the one that just came and is finally over. You are exhausted, with all too real memories still in the forefront of your brain of all the awful stuff you've just come through. Trust me on this one - the enemy of our souls knows the best time to get us down is when we are already exhausted by one battle!

When we are under attack, we cry out. When we anticipate attack, what is our tact then? It should also be to cry out! David described his enemies "surrounding him" - they were gathering their troops and getting "in position" for the attack. They were trying to structure their attack so there would be no way of escape and when we will be too tired or frustrated or weighted down with burdens to actually mount a defense. The time to cry out is not just when under attack, but when we know we are subject to attack because we might not be able to recognize all the ways the enemy is preparing for the attack!

What the enemy counts on as the attack is being mounted is that there will be no place of escape for us. Crying out for God's help isn't a sign of weakness - it is a sign of dependence upon the strategies of the one who sees it all and knows the specific route of escape! I think one of the most common reasons we don't do so well in the attack is that we don't seek a way of escape until we are so far into the battle that we are just about to succumb to the attack. The one successful in navigating the attack is the one who has rallied the troops - readied their defenses - and no greater defense exists than to lean into Jesus.

A word of practical advice here - your most powerful weapon is your reliance upon Jesus. The moment we cry out - he hears. In warfare, troops are connected to each other through various communication channels such as two-way radios of old and more immediate connections over satellite transmissions today. We do more "strategically" in our warfare via communication. The pathway to communication is the one point the enemy will most want to target because he knows if that goes down or is interrupted, then we often stand alone. Guard well the pathway to communication during the times of battle - your greatest opportunity for guidance and reinforced strength is via those pathways! Just sayin!

Not just a foxhole

Ever feel like your "battle" in life was more like an all-out attack? There are times when we all feel like taking one more step forward is just going to be met with a barrage of weaponry meant to mortally wound us.  We just cannot move for fear if we do our lives will be lost to the battle.  Most of us don't know the meaning of hunkering down in the depths of a foxhole (or fighting trench). The bullets whizzing by overhead, even shrapnel from shells exploding all around you, one tiny misstep into the line of fire meant you could be struck down in an instant!  What most of us don't recognize is the meaning of the foxhole - it is a place of defense!  That means it actually accomplishes something for our protection!  Instead of bemoaning your position in the foxhole, thinking you have succumb to defeat because you find yourself there, it is time to realize it is in the foxhole a good many positive things actually happen!  The foxhole actually allows a soldier to stand and fight!  He is just protecting his body in the process!

We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world. So put on all the armor that God gives. Then when that evil day comes, you will be able to defend yourself. And when the battle is over, you will still be standing firm. (Ephesians 6:12-13 CEV)

In modern terminology, a foxhole is termed a "defensive fighting position" and is built not all at once, but gradually.  It begins with what we might have seen in some of the earlier black and white films of military history - that shallow dugout which allowed the soldier to lay on his belly just below the line of fire. This provided a modicum of protection, but what it primarily did was allow the soldier to take time to develop this as a stronghold from which he might fight the battle with a great deal of protection.  The first step in standing against any attack in our lives is to "assume a position of protection".  This might not be physically digging a foxhole, but figuratively speaking - we do assume the position whereby we might "enlarge" our protective stance.  At first, we just duck and cover - finding it very hard to avoid all the "weaponry" of our enemy's attack.  Then in time we find our position leaves us vulnerable.  What we do next is what I think Paul had in mind when he spoke with the Ephesian church about putting on the full armor of God.

One of the things we forget is this idea of armor having two purposes - one is to defend ourselves - the other is to go on the offensive.  One is to stand strong - the other is to take on the attack with a little bit of fighting back.  Try speaking into your place of fear the next time with a strongly believed passage of scripture and see how this "weapon" of offense actually drives the fear back! At first, the tiny "dugout" protects us, but we cannot move all too well.  As we use this place of defense to shield us from the attack, we can actually "dig in" a little deeper, enlarging our place of defense over and over again until it become a full-fledged "dugout" within which we can maneuver.  Why is this significant in terms of spiritual defense?  The truth is that God wants us to have "room" to fight the attack around us.  He doesn't want us to feel like we are just barely escaping the rapid fire succession of the enemy's attacks - but we are carefully under the protective shelter of his enveloping presence.

As a member of the infantry in my younger days, I recall the instruction of our sergeant as we practiced the defensive maneuver of digging in.  What seemed like a lot of work to shield ourselves against attack also proved to be a little bit of an offensive maneuver, as well.  How so?  Well, the more we created the trench with care, we found that we could successfully control the noise which would often carry over the battlefield.  With the noise concealed in the depths of the trench, the enemy virtually did not know where we were.  They would often stumble into our waiting counter-attack without a clue they had!  The enemies we face are not too dissimilar - they may not realize the value of us drawing in, hunkering down, and settling into a defensive mode!  Instead, they see us as "not moving forward" and think they have us where they want us.  In actuality, God has the enemy moving into a position whereby he will be within the reach of our most powerful weaponry - that which will spell his ultimate defeat!

I don't know about you, but sometimes "drawing in", hunkering down, and just plain being enveloped in God's protection is the best place we can find ourselves. As we consider this place of protection, remember it is best when it is enlarged - and to be enlarged requires some effort on our part.  This is one of the things the infantry was really good at - creating places of defense!  As reinforcements came into the battle, they often found the place of defense created by the infantry as a place they might find the protection they would launch their counter-attack from.  We might want to find our "foxhole" a little more often if we'd just recognize the excellent place of defense it provides for us in the midst of the battle heating up all around us!  Just sayin!

My Ebenezer

To get a handle on our passage today, let me give you just a little background.  Israel had allowed the unthinkable to happen - they had compromised their stand with God by taking on the worship of idols and the practices of the lands around them.  This was something God had warned them not to do.  As a result, they lost something of great value to them - the help of God in the midst of their battles - to them this was the Ark of the Covenant.  Now, they are surrounded by some pretty fierce attackers - the Philistines.  The armies of the Philistines were known for their superior weaponry, often causing great fear or panic in all those they faced in battle.  The Israelites are facing this huge army of Philistines - not having done so well without God's presence, they hope the return of the ark might have "changed their fortunes".  Samuel is addressing them in this chapter - seeking to see if the Israelite's jubilation over the return of the ark was just surface deep, or if there was some root of repentance which went deeper.  He hears the solemn plea of the leaders - we want to return to our first love - God!  Nothing rings clearer in the ears of God's ears than a plea to return!  So, Samuel instructs them to "clean house" - to get rid of all their foreign gods, their false idols, and to ground themselves firmly in God.  

While Samuel was offering the sacrifice, the Philistines came within range to fight Israel. Just then God thundered, a huge thunderclap exploding among the Philistines. They panicked—mass confusion!—and ran helter-skelter from Israel. Israel poured out of Mizpah and gave chase, killing Philistines right and left, to a point just beyond Beth Car. Samuel took a single rock and set it upright between Mizpah and Shen. He named it “Ebenezer” (Rock of Help), saying, “This marks the place where God helped us.”  (I Samuel 7:10-12 MSG)

I think most of us can associate with the people of Israel at one point or another.  We also have our own "false gods" which attract so much of our attention and seem to make oblivious to the fact God is no longer central in our lives.  We may not be worshiping some carved pole with images of the false gods on them, but we do worship something other than God.  Hear the cry of God's heart, dear ones - he is calling us to get rid of whatever takes our attention away from God and to ground ourselves firmly in him!  Do you know the rest of the story here?  It goes on to tell us of Israel's commitment to get rid of their idols - to "clean house" and the resulting fear this determination put into the hearts of the Philistines.  Imagine that!  The centering of the hearts of God's people on him and him alone put more fear into the hearts of the Philistines than the mighty weapons of Israel's greatest enemy put in theirs!

I don't know about you, but whenever I have my focus on the enemy and not squarely on God, I have a tendency to fear whatever it is the enemy is wielding in my path!  When I squarely center my focus on God and God alone, my perception changes!  The enemy is still there - the Philistines didn't go away.  In fact, they watched from the periphery as Israel went through the process of "cleaning house"!  Don't ever think for one moment that your enemy doesn't see your change in focus - he knows when your eyes are firmly fixed on the one true God.  Silly thing is - he doesn't know when he should turn tail and run.  The next thing we realize in our passage is the turning of the tide - Israel begins to pursue the Philistines instead of them pursuing Israel!

What our enemy fails to recognize is the potential and power of a people who have God central in their lives.  It might enrage him a little to see us make a move toward "cleaning house" and getting our lives "centered" again, so be on the lookout for the attack.  Israel may not have seen it coming - but God did! When the Philistines see the change in Israel, they get enraged and go on the offensive.  They are ready to come down hard on Israel - but... - God is prepared to come down harder on the Philistines!  Guess what invoked fear into the Philistines?  It wasn't mighty weaponry wielded by the Israelites, or massive forces beyond number.  It was thunder!  Thunder-claps from heaven sent them running!

Here's something I want us to see - when God sets the enemy in motion running AWAY from us, it is time to give chase!  We may want to just stand there and relish the moment of relief having the enemy finally out of our face for a while, but God's plan is quite different - he expects us to give chase!  To pursue so as to overcome and "take no prisoners"!  This is exactly the opposite of what most of us do - we choose rather to accept the thunder-claps of God as our "intervention" and our "deliverance", but we fail to make an end to the enemy's attack by pursuing him when he is on the run.  Silly us!  What better time to overcome him than when he is confused by the power of our God?

Now, before we close today, I want to give us a little challenge here.  As Israel pursued the Philistines, striking them down in massive numbers, Samuel does something interesting.  He took one single rock and set it up.  Not a pile of rocks, not a pillar of massive proportion, but one single rock.  One rock - maybe it speaks of what Israel was called to remember - there is but one rock upon which we stand - Christ and Christ alone!  Maybe it was a symbol of what Israel had done - getting grounded in God again.  I am not quite sure what symbolism it has for you, but these two thoughts come to mind for me this morning.  I don't know what your "Ebenezer" stone will be, but I do know this:  God's not content to have us stand on anything other than his grace.  It is the firmest foundation upon which we can face our enemy.  Just sayin!

In the thick of things?

There are certainly times in life when we just feel like we are "in the thick of things" - you know what I mean - so totally "involved" in something that you almost feel "consumed" by whatever it is.  For a soldier, the greatest opportunity for being wounded, or even killed, is when he/she is in the "thick of the battle".  It is the "busiest" or most "active" part of the battle where the soldier has the greatest risk.  The same is true for each of us in life.  The busiest, or most active part of our circumstances places us at the greatest risk.

When I walk into the thick of trouble, keep me alive in the angry turmoil.  With one hand strike my foes, with your other hand save me.  Finish what you started in me, God.  Your love is eternal—don’t quit on me now.  (Psalm 138:7-8 MSG)

Our psalmist is pleading with God, knowing that he will "walk into" the thick of trouble and the angry turmoil.  In essence, he is saying he is aware of the risks, but he knows he must go into those "places" of turmoil - simply because it is where the battle is won or lost!  The truth is, the battle is either won or lost in each life, not because we stay out of the battle, but because we are right in the middle of it!  Our preparation for battle is significant, but not as important as the LEADERSHIP we submit to in the battle.  For our psalmist, he places his trust in the leadership of the Lord of Lords and King of Kings.  His hope clearly is in the one who he knows will win the battle, not in his own abilities.

In looking closer at our passage, David doesn't say "IF" he goes into battle - he says "WHEN".  In understanding this we get a little insight.  The battle is not optional - it as assured.  It is a foregone conclusion - we don't need to spend a lot of time analyzing this one.  As assured as David was of the battles ahead, we can be just as assured - they will come.  WHEN they do, we need to have the "forgone conclusion" of how we will walk INTO the battle - under the care of the Lord of Lords and King of Kings.  One mighty hands holds back the enemy - the other surrounds the warrior child with its mighty protection and comfort.

As important as recognizing the battle as "inevitable", we also need to see it has a purpose.  David says it well - "Finish what you started in me, God."  The battle most definitely is a place of "faith-building", is it not?  Isn't the intent of God's activity in our lives to ensure the "growth" of our faith?  Therefore, we can conclude, the battle must be a "building ground" for our faith.  David's stance is one of trusting God to take him THROUGH the battle with the end result being God finishing what he had begun in his life in the "quiet times".  We learn a lot in our quiet times with God, but they are put to the test on the battlefield!  Faith is simply belief until it is tested.  On the battlefields of our testing, our every belief has a chance to be challenged - put to the test - to either give us total assurance of the "correctness" of our belief, or the need to "adjust" our belief because it was a little incorrect in the first place.  

David's ultimate goal is to remind us of God's keeping power, but it is IN the battle the protection is most appreciated.  We "know" God is there in the quiet times, but when in the thick of battle, there is a unique transition which occurs.  We don't "sit" and "wait" upon God - we run for shelter into his care and protection.  We align with his direction - something which gives us the "position" of protection in the battle.  We call upon him like never before - simply because we trust his direction to keep us safe and secure.  It is when our "peace" is disturbed that we recognize the authority of the one who can restore peace!

Good news is also part of this passage.  First, God goes with!  He leads the way into battle - he doesn't bring up the rear.  If we keep our eyes on him, we will be kept in the battle.  Second, God is aware of the enemy at all times.  We may think we know his tactics, but only a "proven" warrior is capable of anticipating the next move of the enemy.  Since none of us is "fully proven" in the battle, we need to align with his leadership in the midst of the battle - he is the only "proven" battle-winner!  Last, God will not abandon us in the battle.  He is not a quitter - he is an eternal victor - as such, he brings us through!  Just sayin!

Aligned forces beware!

There are times in each of our lives when we just feel like we have been "marching all night".  We seem to be constantly moving, but accomplishing very little - exhausted by the many battles of our day.  These are times when our enemy wants to mount his most significant attacks.  Why is this?  Simple!  He views us as "weak" when we are "marching long"!  He views our physical exertion and weakness as spiritual weakness, too!  Silly devil!  


Joshua marched all night from Gilgal and took them by total surprise. God threw them into total confusion before Israel, a major victory at Gibeon. Israel chased them along the ridge to Beth Horon and fought them all the way down to Azekah and Makkedah. As they ran from the People of Israel, down from the Beth Horon ridge and all the way to Azekah, God pitched huge stones on them out of the sky and many died. More died from the hailstones than the People of Israel killed with the sword.  (Joshua 10:9-11 The Message)


Israel has taken Ai and Jericho - news of the victories won has reached the other kings in the surrounding regions.  Adoni-Zedek is the king of Jerusalem at the time.  He gets a little worried by the things he hears about Joshua's army.  In order to "plan ahead", he aligns himself with four other kings in the region to attempt to form an alliance which will hold off the forces of Israel.  In fact, his plan is to mount such a forceful attack against Israel so as to keep them from invading any of the territory ruled by these five kings.  Silly kings!  Who can stand against the "march" of the army of the Lord?


Joshua receives a message from Gilgal - a plea for help.  They see the five allied kings as a threat to their territory - pleading with Joshua for his help to intervene against them.  Here's what Joshua hears from the Lord:  So Joshua set out from Gilgal, his whole army with him—all those tough soldiers! God told him, "Don't give them a second thought. I've put them under your thumb—not one of them will stand up to you." (vs. 8)  A huge allied army laid before him and his men - yet nothing stood in their way!


Wouldn't it be wonderful if we always faced battles with this same kind of assurance?  Hearing clearly from God that nothing and no one will stand in our way or be able to stand up to us!  Actually, we do!  Yet, we somehow talk ourselves out of believing how strong God's defense is when we see the massive attack our enemy mounts against us!  Why?  Simply because we are tired from the battle and worn down by the stress of the day!


Look at what happens with Joshua.  He takes the troops - marches all night.  Now, if you have ever had to march with "full armor", you know how this is tiring.  Not to mention, the troops did not get a lot of time to "rest up" before their next battle!  They march in, taking the enemy by surprise!  The "fortified forces" of the allied armies were nothing in comparison to the strength of the army of God.  What gave the army of God this strength?  I think it may have been a few things:


- A faithful leader.  The best armies are nothing until they align with the purposes of their leader.  We "win" battles when we are aligned with the right leader!  Five kings aligned their forces with the "wrong" leader!  One force was "fortified" by their alignment with God!  We are fortified for the battle when we are aligned with the faithfulness of God.


- An obedient army.  The best leadership is nothing if there are not obedient forces who align themselves with the leadership!  God's greatest opportunities come in our allegiance.  When we determine to be obedient, even when it is not convenient or the easiest choice to make, we are aligning with his goals for our lives.  As we align, we are made strong.  No force can withstand the force of obedience!


- An unlimited amount of resources.  The skies actually opened on behalf of Israel.  Look at our passage again - more were killed by the hailstones than by the sword!  Now, think of the amazing thing which could be missed here - none of Israel's army were hit by those falling stones!   Only the enemy!  We sometimes get "bogged down" in the battle - tired and stressed out - but if we were to look up, we might just see "unlimited resources" at our disposal!  What we cannot accomplish in our own ability - God undertakes in his supernatural ability!


March on, my friends!  The battle might look overwhelming - forces seemingly aligning against you - BUT God's leadership, coupled with your obedience, will bring unlimited resources to your disposal!  Let the skies open up on your behalf!  The enemy will have no choice but to flee!