Day 289: Spiritual Warfare - Turning Back In The Day Of Battle
Read: Psalm 78:9 - 20, 2 Kings 6:15 - 18
I can hear the words being spoken by the Commander of the Army of the
children of Ephraim "have you not heard, have you not known that there
is a battle going on and you are facing the wrong way?" As I sit here
and try to ponder these words, I try to reflect on the facial expression,
emotional energy of this Commander as he might have said these words. It
was a time of great conflict. Israel is a nation intimately familiar
with the struggle of war. War is a time when all the brave men stood in
line of battle and faced their enemies with staunch determination,
national fervor. Yet, Ephraim faces the wrong way, failing their fellow
brother's in arms, giving their own backs to the enemy.
This is indeed one of the saddest stories one can read in the Bible. What an incredible tragedy it is when people deliberately fail in their responsibilities on the field
of battle. Jesus has warned us about those who look back and do not
fulfill the will of God: “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and
looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” In other more
contemporary terms: "If we are so much more intent looking backward then we
cannot look forward toward the great possibilities yet to be wrought in
our lives by plowing ahead with God." How can we strive with God as Jacob did if
we turn our faces away from the battle that is before us? Ephraim had a truly
special heritage. Today we have a truly special heritage too through the blood of Jesus Christ.
Can you see
where this is going yet? Something was terribly wrong with their walk.
"They did not keep the covenant of God, they refused to walk in God's
law. We have the blood of the new Covenant through the life, death,
resurrection of Jesus Christ, are we doing such a good job keeping our
own faces firmly planted in the eyes of the enemy? Sadly, unfaithfulness is all
too common in people. People will not face forward, they will not strive face to face, eye to eye with God. Something about keeping, being held accountable to or being fearful of making a staunch commitment to a certain course of action. That's where failure always starts. This is where God's truth ought to fully engage us.
What truth might put some "starch in our spines", striving with God in
the face of an enemy that is many times our strength, with weapons far
greater than our own? “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more
than those who are with them.” This attendant of the man of God turned
away in fear from the truth of God. Elisha sat so quietly and did what
we all should do when confronted by the possibility of risking our lives for the sake of Jesus Christ. Pray for the steady courage to face forward, witness to the miracle of 'the mountain that was full of horses and chariots of fire all around' that is so fully surrounding our greatest of enemies. Set your Face ever forward toward the hills from where our help comes from! Strive with God and prevail!
Let Us Pray: Adonai Tzva'ot, Lord of Heavens Armies, Lord of the
Heavenly Hosts, Today I deliberately choose to face forward, to submit
myself fully to God as He has made Himself known to me through the Holy
Scriptures. I recognize by faith that the Triune God is worthy of all
honor, praise, and worship as the Creator, Sustainer, and End of all
things. I confess that God, as my Creator, made me for Himself. In this
day I therefore choose to live for Him. I recognize by faith that God
has proven His love to me in sending His Son to die in my place, in whom
every provision has already been made for my past, present, and future
needs through Jesus Christ's representative work, and that I have been quickened,
raised, seated with Jesus Christ in the heavenlies, and anointed with
the Holy Spirit. As the tiny sparrow finds herself a home and the tiny
swallow her nest, where she lays her eggs, cares for and hatches her
young by your altars, so there too shall be my resting place, my refuge, my place of solemn healing. Amen, Hallelujah!
http://www.youtube.com/
I can hear the words being spoken by the Commander of the Army of the children of Ephraim "have you not heard, have you not known that there is a battle going on and you are facing the wrong way?" As I sit here and try to ponder these words, I try to reflect on the facial expression, emotional energy of this Commander as he might have said these words. It was a time of great conflict. Israel is a nation intimately familiar with the struggle of war. War is a time when all the brave men stood in line of battle and faced their enemies with staunch determination, national fervor. Yet, Ephraim faces the wrong way, failing their fellow brother's in arms, giving their own backs to the enemy.
This is indeed one of the saddest stories one can read in the Bible. What an incredible tragedy it is when people deliberately fail in their responsibilities on the field of battle. Jesus has warned us about those who look back and do not fulfill the will of God: “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” In other more contemporary terms: "If we are so much more intent looking backward then we cannot look forward toward the great possibilities yet to be wrought in our lives by plowing ahead with God." How can we strive with God as Jacob did if we turn our faces away from the battle that is before us? Ephraim had a truly special heritage. Today we have a truly special heritage too through the blood of Jesus Christ.
Can you see where this is going yet? Something was terribly wrong with their walk. "They did not keep the covenant of God, they refused to walk in God's law. We have the blood of the new Covenant through the life, death, resurrection of Jesus Christ, are we doing such a good job keeping our own faces firmly planted in the eyes of the enemy? Sadly, unfaithfulness is all too common in people. People will not face forward, they will not strive face to face, eye to eye with God. Something about keeping, being held accountable to or being fearful of making a staunch commitment to a certain course of action. That's where failure always starts. This is where God's truth ought to fully engage us.
What truth might put some "starch in our spines", striving with God in the face of an enemy that is many times our strength, with weapons far greater than our own? “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” This attendant of the man of God turned away in fear from the truth of God. Elisha sat so quietly and did what we all should do when confronted by the possibility of risking our lives for the sake of Jesus Christ. Pray for the steady courage to face forward, witness to the miracle of 'the mountain that was full of horses and chariots of fire all around' that is so fully surrounding our greatest of enemies. Set your Face ever forward toward the hills from where our help comes from! Strive with God and prevail!
Let Us Pray: Adonai Tzva'ot, Lord of Heavens Armies, Lord of the Heavenly Hosts, Today I deliberately choose to face forward, to submit myself fully to God as He has made Himself known to me through the Holy Scriptures. I recognize by faith that the Triune God is worthy of all honor, praise, and worship as the Creator, Sustainer, and End of all things. I confess that God, as my Creator, made me for Himself. In this day I therefore choose to live for Him. I recognize by faith that God has proven His love to me in sending His Son to die in my place, in whom every provision has already been made for my past, present, and future needs through Jesus Christ's representative work, and that I have been quickened, raised, seated with Jesus Christ in the heavenlies, and anointed with the Holy Spirit. As the tiny sparrow finds herself a home and the tiny swallow her nest, where she lays her eggs, cares for and hatches her young by your altars, so there too shall be my resting place, my refuge, my place of solemn healing. Amen, Hallelujah!
http://www.youtube.com/
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