1 Chronicles 5:20
“And they were helped against them, and the Hagrites were delivered into their hand, and all who were with them, for they cried out to God in the battle. He heeded their prayer, because they put their trust in Him.”
This passage reminds us that, in ministry, it is not our natural ability, but the enabling of God that is required for service in the kingdom. In the verses leading up to this, we find the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Mannasseh combined to form an army of nearly forty-five thousand men, but it was not their size that gave them success. These men are described as valiant and capable, but it was not their bravery, ingenuity, creativity or vision that led to their victory. Instead, we find they were victorious because they cried out to God in battle,and they trusted in Him.
I think it was their trust in the Lord that allowed them to enter the battle in the first place. Many times in scripture, history, and in the church today, we find believers hiding, or even running from the battle. How refreshing it is when we see, hear, or read of someone who is willing to step out in faith and go where the Lord is calling them. I recently spoke with a man who led a team of musicians into a war torn part of the Middle East. They were not soldiers, they had little military training, but they went out armed with nothing more than the Spirit, and the Word of God. Not only did they have an impact upon those they sought to reach, but their story has been inspiring other missionaries to take steps of faith into the call of God.
I think it is also worth noting, that they cried out to God in the battle. Sometimes, spiritual warfare can come upon us unexpectedly. We might suddenly be faced with fear, anger, agitation or some great level of temptation. We learn from this passage that victory can be attained when we will cry out in the middle of the battle. Remember Samson? It was while being mocked by the Philistines and with blinded eyes he cried out to God and had a great victory. Even when the arrows are flying, it is not too late to cry out to God.
Pastor Jim
Assyria was on a campaign to conquer the world. Their armies were sent out to defeat any nation that showed the least resistance. Judah had watched as their neighbors Israel and Syria were defeated, and the people taken away as slaves. Now, with the Assyrian army at their doorstep, it seemed as though Judah would be the next to fall. Delegates, representing the king of Assyria, came to Jerusalem and openly threatened the people, in order to destroy what little confidence they might have had in the Lord. These delegates reminded the people that no other nation had been able to resist the Assyrian conquest, and Judah would be no different. It was here, they made their biggest mistake. They thought Israel’s God was no different than the manmade gods of other nations.
Memory is a funny thing. There are certain things that no matter how hard I try, I cannot seem to remember, and other things I can never forget. Names are particularly hard for me. It is not that I don’t care, or don’t want to remember; I just have a mental block. I have tried all the tricks: concentrating when the person introduces themselves, repeating the name back to them, using it in the conversation, and even relating their name to something else. Still, if some time has passed, and I encounter them again, the file that holds their name has been corrupted, and my memory refuses to access it.
Have you ever noticed, when movie stars are walking the red carpet, for one of their many awards presentations, they are not asked what they are wearing, but who they are wearing? One of the marks of success is getting a particular designer to make you a one-of-a-kind outfit.
Even a casual reading of the Old Testament will lead to the conclusion that Israel did not win their battles on their own. When armies are overthrown by the rushing waters of the Red Sea, walls toppled with rams horns, and a shepherd defeats a warrior with a sling and stone, it is clear that the hand of God is behind the victories. There are times when Israel went to battle in their strength, but those are the times of failure, not of triumph. It is hard to forget the Battle of Ai. Joshua sent the troops into battle without first seeking guidance from the Lord, only to see his army retreat and many soldiers lose their lives (Joshua 7:2-6). Clearly, the strength behind the success of the nation of Israel was the leading and empowering hand of God.
he thing that makes following Christ so difficult is the enemies we face. The primary enemy of the Christian is the devil and his minions. Scripture describes the devil as a schemer who seeks to derail us from following and serving Christ. He will use the weakness of our humanity as a tool to get us to stumble into sin. When at times, it may seem as though the temptations and the obstacles are too great to overcome, we can be greatly encouraged by this promise. 
Whenever an artist attempts to illustrate Samson, he looks like a cross between an NFL linebacker and a competitive body builder. He is painted as bigger, stronger and more muscular than all those in in Israel or Philistia. You might find it interesting that no physical description of Samson is ever recorded in Scripture. What is evident is the fact that his strength and subsequent victories, were all directly connected to the Spirit of the Lord being upon him. It was not Samson’s ability that gave him strength, but the power of the Spirit. In this text, we find the Spirt of God enabling him to break the bonds that held him as a captive. Ropes that would hold the average man at bay were torn, as if they were wet tissue paper. 
God is selecting a team for a specific task. They will be led into hand-to-hand combat against a Midianite army too vast to number. As the people gather for the selection process, the first cut is made. Twenty-two thousand men are sent packing for one simple reason – fear! Gideon may have asked for a show of hands, or for those who were afraid, to take a step backwards. Whatever the case, his army was immediately reduced by 70% and the reason for their departure was fear. They were afraid to be a part of the work of God.
This chapter recounts the kingdoms that Joshua and the children of Israel overthrew. In a few cases, there are some minor details recorded, but in most, a simple list of victories is given. All in all, thirty-one kings were conquered by Joshua and the armies of Israel. Each one of these victories represents a great obstacle for Joshua, as well as a giant leap of faith, and his finding God to be forever faithful. 
Jericho is one of the greatest military victories of all time. A group of relatively untempered wanderers, enters into a new land, defeats the most secure city in the area with loud shouts and ram’s horns. Never, in the history of warfare, have their tactics been repeated. No training camps have ever been set up, teaching soldiers how to play musical instruments, and expose themselves to their enemies day after day. That being said, there are spiritual principles that led to Israel’s success. These same principles will lead us to success in our walk with the Lord, and service for His Kingdom. Back in chapter five, three things guaranteed their victory.
Jim Gallagher 