Heed the voice of man

At that time Joshua spoke to The Lord in the day when The Lord gave the Amorites over to the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel,
“Sun, stand still at Gibeon,
And moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.”
And the sun stood still, and the moon stopped,
until the nation took vengeance on their enemies.
Is this not written in the Book of Jashar? The sun stopped in the midst of heaven and did not hurry to set for about a whole day. There has been no day like it before or since, when The Lord heeded the voice of man, for The Lord fought for Israel.
– Joshua 10:12-14

The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
– James 5:16

On the behalf of one man’s prayer, God moves heaven and earth (or rather stopped heaven and earth) for the sake of a holy people, and a land set apart for the purposes of God. It’s not like God just decided to randomly cause this event to happen…it was asked for. And in this asking, this was not a frivolous ask…This ask was centered on furthering the purpose of God’s will for His people and for their inheritance.

On weeks such as these, an inheritance seems far from reality. But my God goes the distance to fight for these invisible promises. Might that I too fight, warring in prayer for unseen things…events yet to unfold. Like Joshua I will not bend in hopelessness…I shall not fear, nor be dismayed.

Lord of many hosts, my God, and loving Father;
Cause me to take great hope in your love, in your purposes for me…the great yet unclear plans that you have. Help me to believe in your goodness, even when good seems far from me. Lead me into battle, to war for those unborn. For you are my God, the great eternal warrior. My hope is in you.
Amen

Outwitting shadows

Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs. – Corinthians 2:10-11

Forgiveness outwits our enemy. For one who is characterized by division, forgiveness actively opposes the nature of the adversary through unified hearts. One of the most effective tools within the ministry of darkness is to turn a brother against his brother…to convince a man that another man is his greatest and most immediate adversary. Unity and forgiveness through love strips away the ruse of dark motives and brings light to the twisted shadows of division. It is through love that a family can stay a family rather than an engagement of civil war.

The Man of War: Feast and Battle

Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. – John 4:34

The nourishment of work; one becomes satisfied in the completion of Gods will.

My satisfaction is found when I complete the work that the Father has set before me. A warrior can receive the greatest comfort and spoils only after fighting the war. Training is over, though lessons will continue to be learned…but now arises the season of the warrior. The man raised into the image of the God of war, shaped to fight, created to battle by the heavenly orders given him. This is my food; my battles are what fuel the need to strive, to fight, to exist, and to find that which is worth fighting for.

Lord give me your Holy orders. Show me what I’m fighting for. Strengthen me as a warrior, created in your image “Dread Champion”. Amen

Fear and Faith: the man of war

Scripture)
And when you draw near to the battle, the priest shall come forward and speak to the people and shall say to them, ‘Hear, O Israel, today you are drawing near for battle against your enemies: let not your heart faint. Do not fear or panic or be in dread of them, for The Lord your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.
-Deuteronomy 20:2-4

And the officers shall speak further to the people, and say, ‘Is there any man who is fearful and faint hearted? Let him go back to his house, lest he make the heart of his fellows melt like his own.’
-Deuteronomy 20:8

Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
-Galatians 3:7-9

Observation)
Fear and faith, quite in opposition, call to the man of war ‘who’s side do you fight for?’ For just as faith in the words of God count a man righteous, so then unrighteousness is found in the man who lives in fear. Righteousness blesses the nations…all nations. As Christ is lived out in his people, we raise the dead. No longer do we fight a war of death, rather we fight for life and the fullness of the Spirit in all peoples, nations, tribes and tongues.

Application)
Right now I must be honest, this trip to Costa Rica scares me…mission work kinda always has. The words that come to me now are “You are to go where I send you, I am sending you to Costa Rica.” Shall I then remain in fear of what I must do? My fear must remain in the Lord, may his wisdom go forth with me. What am I so fearful of? “Walk out in faith” are the words spoken in my spirit. The spirit of adventure; that all powerful presence is with me…I must build in it and see the working hand of God once again.

Prayer)
Lord give me courage, let not fear be a root that causes my walk to stumble…or others for that matter. “The righteous walk by faith”, help me to build in you. Bless me and make me a blessing.
Amen

Where power lies

Scripture)
For not by their own sword did they win the land, nor did their own arm save them, but your right hand and your arm, and the light of your face, for you delighted in them.
-Psalms 44:3

Observation)
God fights for those he delights in, we are not the ones to instigate war against others but it is by His direction that we take action and fight against seeming impossibilities. It is those battles where the odds are slim that we take confidence in the one who holds the outcome; because we know that our efforts will not suffice.

Application)
This by all means is not an excuse to give up. It is an extension of understanding where power truly lies; not in my hands, not in the strength of my present enemy, not even in the many allies I have, but true power lies in my God.

Prayer)
Lord I pray that You continue to give me instruction and understanding in the places you set my feet. Give me wisdom regarding how my words are or aren’t to be used. Would You continue to guide me. Amen

When you go out to war

Scripture)
When you go out to war against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and an army larger than your own, you shall not be afraid of them, for the Lord your God is with you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.
-Deuteronomy 20:1

Observation)
The people of Israel are called to a standing ground of “No Fear” in battle. This is the calling that the Lord gives them not in the whim of battle but far in advance. War is not an “IF” statement, it is a “WHEN” statement. Not only are they to have no fear but they are also fueled by a power found by this knowledge of God: “I will be with you”. This gives the people of Israel an understanding of what He has already accomplished.

Application)
When troubles come I am to be a person of resolve; not fearing what is to come or the enemy at hand. Instead my focus will be on God (the one fighting alongside me) and the line of accomplishments He has already done. I must learn to take more inventory, not of my own “armies” size or my own resources at hand, but I must take into account the history between me and the Creator.

Prayer)
Lord, open my eyes to all the wonderful things You have done. Give me focus and resolve in times of war; further more moments where I can extend peace to the people I do not see eye to eye with. I ask for Your strength today. Amen

God as a Shield: Close Combat

Scripture)
My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart.
-Psalms 7:10

Observation)
The God of righteousness as a shield; one of the many ways that the Lord is portrayed. This defense holds against the wicked things that attempt to take us down.

Application)
A shield needs to be picked up and held in times of war, not easily dropped to the ground. It is held close to the body and is used in most forms of close combat. When the wickedness in this war comes up against me, God is to be my first defense, close and ready for anything.

Prayer)
Lord, be my shield, come close to me, not only when situations seem horrible but let my heart have you always close and ready. May I continue to strive to uphold Your righteousness. Amen

Defense in the thick of War

Scripture)
He is my loving ally and my fortress, my tower of safety, my deliverer. He stands before me as a shield, and I take refuge in Him. He subdues the nations under me. O my people.
-Psalms 144:2

Observation)
God as a loving ally; a person who you know you can rely on in a time of battle.
God as a fortress; a place with thick walls and good defenses, a place to run to for a time of flight.
God as a tower of safety; a place where you can see what is coming and plan what your next move is.
God as a deliverer; as in Egypt a person, a driving force that moves past chains of slavery and obstacles.
God as a shield; a defense that is in the moment, deflecting attacks that are on the field of battle.

Application)
It is time for me to take refuge in my God. I cannot win this war alone, I’m going to need backup, defenses, a place to strategize life with a clear head, a place to run to. I can find all these things in my maker, my King. And in the meanwhile leading the people God has given me.

Prayer)
Lord, let me find peace in You, my protector. Help me to see life as it is coming, give me wisdom to plan the things that need action. Help me to find strength to run to You at all times. Amen

Vindication and a time of War

Scripture)
The Lord has vindicated us. Come let us announce in Jerusalem everything the Lord our God has done.
-Jeremiah 51:10

Observation)
Jeremiah is giving a warning to Babylon and the peoples around that the city will fall. He is proclaiming that the time of judgment has fallen on that city because of their acts on Israel. It is the time to take up arms against the things that hold a nation captive.

Application)
Now is the time for me to “Sharpen my arrows, and lift up my shield!” It is a time to confront the things that wish to bind me. I am no longer a captive to a city of darkness. So, I must take up arms, the time of training is soon to be over…It will soon be a time of war.

Prayer)
Lord strengthen me, give my feet the will to run. Give me energy for the battles ahead. I ask for Your orders that I may put them to play. Amen