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Going Into Battle
by Mark Nickles One thing which is true of all followers of Christ, eventually you will have your time on the spiritual battlefield. 2 Chronicles 32 covers the actions that King Hezekiah took in order to defend Jerusalem from the Assyrian army, and gives great examples of what we should do in order to win our own spiritual battles. Secure Godly support. In verse 3, Hezekiah first consulted with those he trusted. If you don't have Christian friends who are growing, advancing, deepening their walk with Christ, PRAY for some. Proverbs 15:22 tells us, "Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed." Stop the flow of sin. Then, in verse 4, Hezekiah stopped the flow of water which would have given strength to the enemy. There are things which we sometimes allow into our lives which give strength to OUR enemy, the devil. One of the most important strategic moves in spiritual battle is to make sure that the flow of un-Godly, unrighteous, sinful "stuff" in our lives is stopped. It can come in many different forms, including television shows, movies, music, books or websites which contain material which is counter to what God's word would have us consume. Repair and fortify. In verse 5, Hezekiah began making repairs to the wall around the city. The very nature of this undertaking required first examining the entire lower wall, to find the problem areas. Similarly, it is necessary that Christians examine their own lives often, to make sure there are no areas which make us easy prey for the enemy. Galatians 6:4-5 tells us, "Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load." Weapons for battle. Verse 5 also mentions the weapons King Hezekiah made for his people. You and I are blessed to possess our own "armory", prepared for us by our King. Read and study Ephesians 6:10-18 to learn more about the spiritual armor. If God's people go into battle without these resources, we are defeated before we even begin. The battle belongs to the Lord! Finally, verses 6 through 8 recount Hezekiah's encouragement of the people for battle, as he reminded them that their enemies were simply fighting in the flesh, but the Israelites had the full power of God with them. He did not simply issue orders and edicts, and tell the people "We're going to war! Get to your staions!" This king actually took the opportunity in what was a very tense time, to encourage the people, reminding them not of who THEY were, but of who their GOD was. There are many different verses of encouragement in God's word which remind us that God doesn't just go into battle with us, but before us, preparing the way for victory. My wife recently reminded me of one, when she returned from a ministers' wives retreat months ago. It was part of the short speech David gave to Goliath before he killed him in 1 Samuel 17. He said in verse 47, "the battle belongs to the LORD." Or, "the battle is the LORD'S" depending on your translation. God's people will certainly find themselves involved in spiritual battles throughout their lives. However, as the people of God, not only do we need not fear defeat, but we can be assured of victory when we honor our Lord, and use the resources He has given us. Mark Nickles is a husband, father of three, and a pastor in Northeastern Oklahoma. Copyright, Mark A. Nickles. Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |