Just a couple of thoughts from the church service today that I wanted to record before I forgot: Believe the truth – I may know the truth, but I don’t always believe it or live it. My challenge is to believe the truth even if it’s difficult, because if I believe the lie then I let the enemy win. This includes believing that YHWH loves me completely and passionately. Enforce the victory – YWHW has already won the battle. When I struggle with demonic influences and strongholds and curses, I’m not trying to win a victory. I am enforcing a victory that has already been won. Seek God first and above all – The Bible says that if I seek YHWH first, then all these other things will fall in line. While He does ask me to ask Him for things, my focus shouldn’t be on those things, it should be on Him.
“And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who sang to the Lord and those who praised in holy attire, as they went out before the army and said, ‘Give thanks to the Lord, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.’ And when they began singing and praising, the Lord set ambushes against the sons of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; so they were routed.” 2 Chronicles 20:21-22 Here is another example of how worship paves the way for victory! The worshipers went out before the army, they led the way. And it was when they began singing and praising that God began to work by setting ambushes for their enemy. I think we underestimate the importance of worship in spiritual battle. It isn’t all about shouting and grunting and wielding a sword (although that’s important, too). True worship, singing and praising God, sets things in motion that we can only imagine! So, today, maybe I (and we) need to sing and praise YHWH more, and in so doing, step out before the army, leading the way for God to work on our behalf. It’s not just a pretty song.
“Then the men of Judah raised a war cry, and when the men of Judah raised the war cry, then it was that God routed Jereboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.” 2 Chronicles 13:15 Then it was that God routed Jereboam and all Israel. It wasn’t until the men of Judah raised a war cry, a battle cry, that God routed their attackers. They had been ambushed, so they cried to the Lord, and they sounded the trumpets, but even though all of that was well and good, God didn’t intervene until they raised a war cry. I think the reason the war cry is so important is because it signifies our desire, passion, and holy anger to fight back. We are no longer content to sit idly by or to run around in confusion. The fight is on and we’re going on the offensive! I can cry for help, I can sound the trumpet of alarm to rally the troupes to prayer or in warning, but God is waiting for the warriors’ heart to be stirred. When I pick up my sword, raise my shield, and scream at the forces of evil, it is then that God routes my enemies. So the question today is obvious, have a raised my battle cry? If not, what’s holding me back?
There’s a showdown at high noon; It’s all over town. The enemy’s shaking; He’s gonna go down! 1 Chro 29:11 ”Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominion, O LORD, and You exalt Yourself as head over all. Psalm 20:5 We will sing for joy over your victory, And in the name of our God we will set up our banners. May the LORD fulfill all your petitions. Psalm 98:1 A Psalm. O sing to the LORD a new song, For He has done wonderful things, His right hand and His holy arm have gained the victory for Him. Proverbs 21:3 The horse is prepared for the day of battle, But victory belongs to the LORD. 1 Corinthians 15:57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Psalm 5:3 In the morning, O LORD, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch. This is a call to daily battle! The word for “order my prayer to You” actually means to set the battle. In the morning, I lift my voice in prayer, and in doing so I prepare to fight. The fight may be dealing with my schedule, or it may be with forces of darkness in the heavenly realms.
A couple of days ago John told me about a dream he had, and it seemed pretty clear to me that it wasn’t just a dream. In his dream our little boys were playing in a huge room and above them was a large door (in the ceiling?) with demons swarming around it. The demons were harassing the boys as they played. John wanted to protect them and stop the attacks, so he lifted up his hands, praying, and stood beneath where the demons were, drawing their attention to him. As he did this, the pressure got more and more intense, pressing back onto his hands, but the demons slowly began to retreat. Every time the pressure got really bad, he stepped away, and every time he stepped away, the demons gained back some ground. Then, when he stepped back under the swarm, with raised hands praying, they retreated again and the pressure from their attacks was not as great. Eventually I and my mom came to help him. (Note: John told me this dream a couple of days ago, and I’ve tried to write it as I remember it, but it may not be quite right. I’ll have to get him to read it.) That’s all he remembers, but it seemed pretty obvious to me that this is his life. Our family is being attacked (I don’t know if this is part of the medical issues the boys have had, or if it’s more that every time John starts trying to be consistent in his life that he gets sick or something throws him off). John, like Moses, raises his hands and prays (basically rekindles a consistent relationship with God), fighting back (being persistent in doing the things he needs to do), and the battle swings in his favor, the enemy retreats. But the pressure is still there. It doesn’t get easier right away because the enemy is furious, so the attacks in his life continue because now it’s focused on him and not on the children. But if he steps away, if he quits fighting and stops doing what he should because he’s tired, then the enemy regroups and starts attacking the children again. I think that the bit at the end is that it will take help to fight. Just like Moses’ arms were held up by Joshua and Aaron (not quite sure if those names are right), John needs help to hold his arms up until the battle is won.
Numbers 10:9 “And when you go to war in your land against the adversary who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, that you may be remembered before the Lord your God, and you shall be saved from your enemies…” So, some issues: first there’s a word in the Hebrew version of this verse that isn’t translated but since I don’t know Hebrew I don’t know if it’s of any importance or if it means something like “you”. It comes just before the part that says “you shall sound an alarm.” Next, the word for “sound an alarm” is split into two separate words (they’re actually the same word translated twice)… but I can’t tell if the words are repeated in the Hebrew text (if they are then it would be like an exclamation point indicating extra emphasis on these words) or if the person writing the dictionary post just though he/she would split them up. Anyway, these issues aside, it’s interesting to me that sounding an alarm is the word רוע ruwa . It means, in addition to a battle alarm: 3) to shout in triumph (over enemies) 4) to shout in applause 5) to shout (with religious impulse) And also to shout in shout in joy. It’s almost like the shout prior to battle is a shout of thanksgiving and praise of God’s greatness – all before knowing the final outcome. And, according to this verse, God will save them from their enemies. Applauding God, shouting for joy or in triumph, no matter what the circumstances, can have dramatic effects. Maybe the next time I am faced with a seemingly overwhelming problem I should remember to ruwa and then trust God to save me.