So, Yeah…There’s a Battle Going On

Yes, you read that right! If you didn’t know, there’s a war going on around us. Sure, it LOOKS peaceful outside. I mean, right now we aren’t dodging bullets or hiding for our lives, but there IS a battle raging on. This war carries on all around us, daily. It isn’t a war we can see, but be assured, the enemy is there. The older I get, the more aware I become of these things. I see just how easy it is for me to get distracted and just how easy it is to let the enemy in. You see, the enemy hasn’t been forceful; in fact, the enemy has been quite the opposite. The enemy has a subtle way about himself, but being aware of this is enough to get my blood boiling. I’ve seen much loss in my life, much pain, much sorrow simply because I wasn’t paying attention, I wasn’t prepared. No more. As Michael Buffer puts it “ladies and gentlemen….let’s get ready to rumble!!!”

I’ve been reading through the book of 1 Samuel and let me tell you, if you didn’t realize there was a war going on, you need to read 1 Samuel. Sure, this is a historical account from the Old Testament, but every single day I’ve found something incredibly applicable in reading through Samuel. This was a time where the enemy was on all sides of Israel. War seems to be a central theme to this book, or at least one of the central themes. The Israelites fiercely battled the Philistines on many occasions. Back then, the custom for the Israelites was to take the Ark with them into battle. The Ark was the very presence of God. Throughout the Old Testament it seemed that anytime the Israelites would bring the Ark into battle, they would be victorious. With God for us, who can be against us? God will always be victorious. That was lesson number one for me in reading through 1 Samuel.

The second lesson of war I learned was something dealing a little more with how subtle the enemy truly is. In 1 Samuel 21, David is fleeing for his life from Saul who wants to kill him. He flees to Gath, looking for some kind of refuge. Gath was a Philistine city and the Philistines were no ally to the Israelites.

1 Samuel 21: 10-15
“That day David fled from Saul and went to Achish king of Gath. But the servants of Achish said to him, ‘Isn't this David, the king of the land? Isn't he the one they sing about in their dances:
'Saul has slain his thousands,
and David his tens of thousands’?’
David took these words to heart and was very much afraid of Achish king of Gath. So he pretended to be insane in their presence; and while he was in their hands he acted like a madman, making marks on the doors of the gate and letting saliva run down his beard. Achish said to his servants, ‘Look at the man! He is insane! Why bring him to me? Am I so short of madmen that you have to bring this fellow here to carry on like this in front of me? Must this man come into my house’?”

David was looking for safety. He was running for his life, and his run led him right into the presence of his enemy. Now the enemy was all to welcoming to David. Their mindset was any enemy of my enemy is my friend. That is indeed the mindset of the enemy of our souls. The enemy wants our attention and wants our focus. The enemy desires us to be an enemy to God. David realized that his enemies were all too welcoming to him and, although they welcomed him in, they intended to do him harm. This is why he acted like a madman so that he could escape. So it should be with us. We should be very aware that the enemy wants our attention, but at the same time the enemy is here only to steal, kill and destroy.

I’ve seen this so much in my life and the lives of others. When times get tough, and sometimes when times are great, it is so easy to feel like we are running for our lives. We look for safety. The only true safety we will ever find is in the presence of the Lord. No matter what the enemy says, he is our enemy for a reason. The enemy does not desire to see us prosper. How then do we combat against such an enemy, how then do we prepare for war? I’m glad you asked…

Ephesians 6:10-18
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.”

Be prepared. That’s what this Eagle Scout says to you…be prepared because “the safest road to hell is the gradual one - the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.” God will fight the battle for you and He’s even equipped us with protection. He’s equipped us with both defensive and offensive weapons. He wants us to be aware that there is indeed a battle going on around us. Don’t be discouraged, but rather be encouraged that God is on our side. He desires our hearts. Let Jesus Christ be your shepherd and walk with the Lord. Life won’t be easy, but it will be rewarding and you will be victorious in the end because…well, I have a spoiler for you. I know how it all ends…and Jesus is VICTORIOUS over the evil one, over our enemy. Know this, you aren’t alone. God is with you and He loves you. He wants to see you prosper and grow, He wants to see you be victorious.