Deuteronomy 20:3-4
“Hear, O Israel: Today you are on the verge of battle with your enemies. Do not let your heart faint, do not be afraid, and do not tremble or be terrified because of them; for the Lord your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.”
We are not fighting the same battles that Israel fought. Paul reminds us, we do not fight against flesh and blood, but we are engaged in spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:12). We are not fighting for king and country, but for Christ and the furtherance of His kingdom. That being said, the principle found in Deuteronomy is timeless, and will apply to each of us as we seek to be involved in winning others to Christ.
When we stand on the verge of battle with an opportunity to share Christ with a family member, co-worker, or friend, it is common for our hearts to begin to beat frantically within our chest. At the same time, our minds begin to run wild with all the possible negative responses we may encounter. Mixed with this, is a sudden flood of all the possible questions that may arise, for which we do not have an answer. Allow me to remind you, the Lord is going with you, and He will fight for you. Never once, do we read of God sending His people into battle, physical or spiritual, and then leaving them to their own resources. Time and time again, God fights on behalf of His people.
When you step out in faith to invite others to church, or you attempt to share the gospel with them, and convince them of their need for Christ, you do not do it alone. The Spirit of God has been working in those individuals for a lifetime, preparing them for the very things that you will share with them. The same Spirit of God also empowers the words you say, so they will penetrate the hardness of heart, and impact their lives.
Instead of focusing on how weak you are, remember how strong God is, and in the day of battle you will not faint.
Mark 13:10-11
“And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations. But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.”
Pastor Jim
The Bible is filled with fascinating stories and amazing promises. I think it is safe to say, the most amazing events ever recorded are written in the pages of our Bibles. Of all these stories, this one records perhaps the most striking statement of them all,
On the day Isaac was weaned, Abraham and Sarah celebrated by throwing a party. Because they had waited so long for a son, and since Abraham’s camp was large, this would have been quite a celebration. Tragically, this joyous occasion is cut short when the teenage son of Hagar began to mock his half brother Isaac. While it is not shocking to any parent that one child could tease another, we might all be taken back a bit by the strong reaction from Sarah. When she hears his scoffing, she calls on Abraham to “Cast out the son of the bond woman…” In response, Abe will give Hagar and Ishmael a canteen of water and a loaf of bread and send them packing. On the surface this seem like a colossal over-reaction. What was it about Ishmael’s actions that warranted such a harsh reaction?
Abram’s encounter with Melchizedek is one of the most interesting and encouraging stories in Scripture. The scene is set for their meeting in the previous chapter, where we find Lot departing from Abram, and moving to the plains outside the city of Sodom. What seemed to be a brilliant business decision, turned out to be a costly moral one, as Lot is soon caught up in the ways of Sodom. When fighting breaks out between nations, Lot finds himself taken captive as a POW, and led to Elam where he will become a slave. The news of Sodom’s defeat, and Lot’s capture, reaches the ears of Abram, who gathers his 318 servants and heads out in hot pursuit. Abram is attempting to do with 318 farmers, what five armies could not do; defeat the forces of Chedorlaomer.
Jim Gallagher 