When God Fights the Battles

 When God Fights the Battles - By Nathele Graham - twotug@embarqmail.com “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31). Can we understand God? To our puny human minds, God is beyond our imaginations. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and mythoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:9). We need to understand that and let God be God instead of trying to fit Him into our own understanding. He loved us before time began. He sent His Son to be the final sacrificefor our redemption. The door to salvation is open to anyone who will accept the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. We might say, “I’m a Christian,” but do you cave in to the enemy at the first sign of trouble? It’s easy to fear people and what theythink but harder to trust Jesus in all situations. We read many accounts of God’s love and power in Scripture but think that His protection was for then and not for us now. There are many, many battles described in Scripture, and I want to take a look at justa few. Let’s look at a couple of the battles which Joshua fought. He was a man who trusted God, and his faith was strong. That’s something to keep in mind as we fight our own battlesin life. If we have faith in God and trust Him, we can’t lose. Joshua was one who had no fear of entering the Promised Land because he knew that God would defeat the Nephilim giants found there. It was the fear of people with less faith that caused the Israelitesto wander for 40 years. During those wanderings, there were battles, but when Israel had faith in God, He brought victory. Joshua was a great military leader because he trusted God. Sometimes God seems to choose some very odd ways of fighting battles. When it was time for Israel to finally enter the land that God had promised to them, the first battlewas at Jericho. There had been many heathen and demonic tribes building strongholds in the land, but God had given the land to Israel. It still belongs to them. The first thing Israel had to do in order to be fit to fight was to get right with God. That’sthe first thing everyone should do. While they wandered, they had ignored the Law that had been given to Moses on Mt. Sinai, and they had to get back into a covenant relationship with God. We cannot expect God to defend us against enemy attack if we live lifeon our own terms, making our own rules. “At that time the LORD said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time” (Joshua 5:2). Circumcision was the first covenant that God made with Abraham. They also kept the Passover. Their hearts were once again tuned to God’s truth, and He would bless their battles.When they were ready to fight, they had to cross the flooded Jordan River, but God was with them. Just as when they crossed the Red Sea, God stopped the Jordan River so that His people could safely pass through. We often liken crossing the Jordan to enteringinto God’s peace. The truth is, the battle was just beginning. What was the battle plan? How were these people going to win against the formidable army in Jericho? “And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour. And ye shall compass the city, all ye men ofwar, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams’ horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets. And it shallcome to pass that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight beforehim” (Joshua 6:2-5). God had already seen that the battle was won, but that’s an interesting plan of action. God’s ways aren’t our ways, and even if we don’t understand why or how it’s alwaysto follow God’s plan. The Israelites followed the plan, the walls fell, and Jericho was conquered. The battle was won, but more battles were ahead. During one battle with the Amorites, God gave Joshua assurance that he would be victorious. “And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee” (Joshua 10:8). We need to pay attention to this and not fear our battles because our enemy has already been defeated. Jesus defeated him at the cross, so what do we have to fear? There isvictory in Jesus. Interesting that “Joshua” means “Jehovah is salvation,” and the name “Jesus” is the Greek/English form of Joshua. Jesus is salvation. In the battle against the Amorites, Joshua needed more time in order to win the battle. “Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou stillupon Gibeon; and thou Moon, in the valley of Ajalon” (Joshua 10:12). I love Joshua’s faith. He knew God would give him victory, so he had no doubt that God would give him the time he needed. “And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood stillin the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day. And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man; for the LORD fought for Israel” (Joshua 10:13-14). God will always protect His people. And one day, the nation of Israel will turn back to Him and ask God to fight. He will, and Christians will come with Him. Until then, Godwill continue to miraculously keep Israel from destruction. It must be noted that Joshua wasn’t praying for personal gain. His prayers were in line with God’s will. On the surface, these battles seem as if the war is between two groups of people. It is, but that’s just the physical manifestation of a spiritual battle. Satan and his minionshave always come against God by trying to destroy people who serve Him. All of the battles in Israel, including modern ones, have their roots in Satanic evil trying to destroy the nation of Israel. Let’s look at another battle. This one obviously between those who served demons and a man who served God. Israel had been divided into two nations. The Northern Kingdom rejectedGod and began worshipping false gods… demons. Eventually, King Ahab and his evil wife Jezebel ruled over that kingdom. They are very symbolic of evil. One prophet of God stood against them. That prophet was Elijah. Of course, he was vilified, and they wantedto kill him. During a meeting between Ahab and Elijah, Ahab asked if Elijah was the one that troubled Israel (the Northern Kingdom). I really admire Elijah’s answer: “And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father’s house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim” (1 Kings18:18). That’s the problem in nations today. National leaders have rejected God and worship demons instead. Laws protect a lifestyle that thrived in Sodom, and demon worship thatinvolves human sacrifice. God will not overlook this behavior for long. In Elijah’s time, there was a showdown between Elijah and the prophets of Baal. “And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? If the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answeredhim not a word” (1 Kings 18:21). That seems much like Christians today. We like dabbling in the evil of Baal, living a life of sin during the week but very piously sitting in our pew on Sunday. How long willwe live this way? We need a man like Elijah who calls out the purpose-driven, New Age, seeker-friendly, politically correct worship of Baal within our congregations. The showdown began on Mt. Carmel. Elijah was one man standing firm upon God’s truth, while there were 450 prophets on Baal’s side, and the people watching favored the prophetsof Baal. Very sad. The challenge was to offer a sacrifice. “Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dressthe other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, it is well spoken” (1 Kings18:23-24). And so the challenge began. The false prophets tried and tried to get their demon god to light a fire. Elijah mocked them, asking if their god was asleep and needed to wakeup. Finally, Elijah took his turn at sacrifice. He took 12 stones, representing the 12 tribes of Israel, and built an altar. He made a trench around it. He placed the wood on the altar, cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood. Then, three timeshe called for four barrels of water to be poured on the burnt sacrifice. Then Elijah prayed. “And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it beknown this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again” (1 Kings18:36-37). Elijah glorified God, not himself. That’s when the fire from God fell and consumed the offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and evaporated all the water. The peoplewere amazed and worshipped God. The false prophets were captured and executed. Even King Ahab was brought to his knees. Christians, let us stop fearfully accepting the evil that is being thrust upon us. Let us stand up for God and glorify Him. Let’s look at one more Old Testament account of a battle against evil. Elisha was the successor of Elijah. He continued to speak against the evil in the Northern Kingdom ofIsrael, and the leaders were angry with him. Elisha had managed to turn the King of Syria against him. The king learned Elisha was in the city of Dothan. “Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about” (2 Kings 6:14). All of that to capture one man. Political tactics haven’t changed much. As I watch the evil that is being hurled against Donald Trump, I see the same evil happening in America. In the morning, Elisha’s servant got up early. When he went outside, he saw the army and was afraid. Elisha’s words are ones we all need to take to heart. “And he answered,Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them” (2 Kings 6:16). Then Elisha asked God to open the eyes of his servant so that he could see God’s protection “And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see.And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha” (2 Kings 6:17). Elisha was protected because of his absolute faith in God. We are all in a Spiritual battle, and our faith in God protects us. Jesus knew this spiritual battle well. Every time the Pharisees tried to come against Him, they spewed the words of spiritual warfare. They had no faith and only wanted Himout of the way. When He allowed Himself to be crucified, Satan lost the war. By faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, our sins are forgiven. “And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: in whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off thebody of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcisionof your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; and having spoiled principalitiesand powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it” (Colossians 2:10-15). That means that sin is forgiven by faith in Christ, and Satan has no more rights to you. The principalities and powers He spoiled at the Cross are the demonic powers thathave always been the spiritual enemy. Paul also tells us, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritualwickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12). We battle the same enemy that Joshua, Elijah, and Elisha all fought. We need to put on the full armor of God. He will protect us in our battles. We are in the same spiritual battles as Joshua, Elijah, Elisha, and many others from creation. Why, then, do we fear the enemy and seem to fail in our battles? Plain and simple,we lack faith, and we listen to the false prophets of today. The Gospel is watered down to the point that it’s a different Gospel than found in Scripture. We allow fear to stop us from fighting, and the enemy’s temptations seem good. The end times are here, and Paul gives a very good description of today’s world. “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedientto parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denyingthe power thereof: from such turn away” (2 Timothy 3:2-5). Brothers and sisters, first, we must get right in our walk with God, and then we must pray, put on God’s armor and fight. The battle rages; Christians must do our part to fight against the powers and principalities that come against us and against God. We must fight with uncompromising faithin Jesus. When God fights the battle, He will not fail. God bless you all, Nathele Graham