Posts Tagged ‘Battle’

Commander of the Army of the LORD

Posted: February 12, 2024 in Inspirational
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I hope this one gets you excited!… Have you ever read these 3 verses before In Joshua?

Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”

“Neither,” he replied, “but as Commander of the Army of the LORD I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?”

The commander of the LORD’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.   Joshua 5:13-15

Unlike my usual approach, I believe it’s important to begin this blog by acknowledging that some of you may be unfamiliar with these verses. So let me set the stage;

Israel is about to go to war with one of the most disturbing, detestable, and disgusting groups of people that ever lived on this earth. The residents of Jericho’s sin had reached what God called “its full measure” which meant that after giving them ample time to repent, He was done with them. Their punishment…would be death by Israelite. 

So picture in your mind, thousands of men screaming and banging their weapons together, raising their fists and shouting as loud as they could. Both sides faced each other only in this instance, the warriors of Jericho stood very comfortably on the inside of the largest and impenetrable fortress of its time. Archaeologists confirm the walls of Jericho stood 30 feet high and get this, 20 feet thick.

How, on God’s green earth could an Israelite force, or for that matter, any force, assail an army behind walls that could not be breached? Enter God and His plan which was very different than what you and I would have done…but it worked. 

But the reason I write this post today is to call your attention to someone who came to this fight before it started. Did you pick that up in verse 14? I call your attention to the “Commander of the Armies of the Lord” Have you heard of this guy before? Did you know there was a Commander for the Armies of God? Can you imagine what this warrior from Heaven looked like? Guys, that is another blog altogether. But, here is my question to you, why was this Commander, with his seniority in Heaven, present at this battle?

Please hear my words guys because there is no conjecture here. This Commander was at this battle for one reason… besides the physical war happening between Israel and the men of Jericho, God’s armies were doing battle with the forces of Satan. All of this chaos was happening at the same time and the reason I mention this today is simply to point out that God did not desert his people. He sent His forces to war right alongside the Israelites to ensure victory during a battle unlike any other.

But I must bring this story back down to you and me, Let me remind you that God is doing the very same thing now in all of our lives. PLEASE remember that Spiritual forces are fighting for you and at the very same time, different evil forces are fighting against you. Yes…this is true. There is a battle going on for your individual soul. I have written about this many times in past blogs but when I get to illustrate God’s action by showing you who is sent to defend you, I just think that is incredibly encouraging and I hope you find that to be true as well.

Remember, you are NOT alone in your battle. God will send the Commander of the Armies of the Lord along with the legions of Angels to keep you safe. They are still on duty…

Until next time Guys-

The Rules of Engagement

Posted: March 15, 2023 in Something to think about
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Throughout the history of the world, nations have fought against nations with the intent to control the other. The goal is always victory and to the “victorious, go the spoils”. But the reality of war is incredibly painful. So much in fact, that nations have met between themselves to establish the ground rules of war or the Rules of Engagement. The most famous of these is the Geneva Convention, where countries gathered together for one purpose, to Protect the Vulnerable in War. This convention established battlefield articles that countries were to follow when one overtook the other and more.

Why am I talking about Rules of Engagement for war today in this post? I learned something recently that struck me and I believe is imperative to share with you about how we, you and me, engage with our number one enemy in this life, Satan. What you learn may surprise you.

If you were unaware, you are in a war but not like a war that you see in the movies.

Paul said it this way in Ephesians 6:12:

  • For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Even though this war is located in the heavenly realm, don’t be misled…it impacts all of us.

Next, it is critical for you to be familiar with your enemy. Learn who he is and what is his plan for not only you but strategically for this Earth. Peter does a very good job explaining that for us:

  • Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.  1 Peter 5:8

Satan’s plan is to devour anyone and everyone if he can….or if you let him. Because this is a different kind of war, it has a different set of Rules of Engagement. You must know these tools and the armor that God gives you to RESIST, otherwise, you won’t win.

But please notice what I said in the previous sentence. I mentioned, resisting…not battling, fighting, or pursuing. We are NOT called to do battle with Satan or his minions. We will lose. Why? Because Satan is one of the most powerful created beings ever. He was created by God and he is currently the Prince of this earth. How do I know that? because Satan himself said so when speaking to Jesus in Luke.

  • “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. Luke 4:6

God delivered earth to Satan so that he would do the bidding of God…but that is another blog post.

So if we are not called to fight Satan then what do we do?

You are called to stand and resist. See these scriptures given to explain.

  • Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. Eph 6:11
  • Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7
  • Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 1 Peter 5:9

With the full armor of God in place, if you resist, then James says, HE WILL FLEE FROM YOU. That is exactly what we want to happen and exactly what our role is. Stand firm and resist…the rest of the battle belongs to God and His warrior angels.

And that is the best part…God does the heavy lifting so we don’t have to…

So today, put on your armor and resist-

Until next time guys