I love the passage in Deuteronomy 20:
1When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours, do not be afraid of them, because the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with you. 2 When you are about to go into battle, the priest shall come forward and address the army. 3 He shall say: “Hear, Israel: Today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not panic or be terrified by them. 4 For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.”
HALLELUJAH! Victory! How did the Israeli army fight - knowing that victory is assured? They absolutely fought with more hope and confidence! However, we see from further accounts that Israel did crush a lot of enemies, but they also disobeyed God by either not completely destroying the enemy or taking spoils for themselves. Why would they only partially obey God?? Well, to them it probably didn't make sense to completely wipe out a people or not take spoils. It's so easy for us to focus on specific battles and gloss over the "less obvious" fights. Battles are also fought against doubt, pride, and materialism. We need to make sure that obedience to God is complete obedience and not partial obedience whenever it's more favorable for us to do so.
Paul warns about taking advantage of the Grace of God in Hebrews 10:
26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. 28 Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.”31 It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
As we're preparing for the battlefields of OTR, Clarkston, and China it's easy for us to only focus on the spiritual battles that we'll face on the mission field. Yes, the Lord will fight for us there and He will bring freedom there, but let us not forget about the battlefields that we face here at home and especially within our own hearts. God wants complete obedience, not just for the trip, but for every aspect of our lives. Let's bring Glory to God always!
1When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours, do not be afraid of them, because the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with you. 2 When you are about to go into battle, the priest shall come forward and address the army. 3 He shall say: “Hear, Israel: Today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not panic or be terrified by them. 4 For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.”
HALLELUJAH! Victory! How did the Israeli army fight - knowing that victory is assured? They absolutely fought with more hope and confidence! However, we see from further accounts that Israel did crush a lot of enemies, but they also disobeyed God by either not completely destroying the enemy or taking spoils for themselves. Why would they only partially obey God?? Well, to them it probably didn't make sense to completely wipe out a people or not take spoils. It's so easy for us to focus on specific battles and gloss over the "less obvious" fights. Battles are also fought against doubt, pride, and materialism. We need to make sure that obedience to God is complete obedience and not partial obedience whenever it's more favorable for us to do so.
Paul warns about taking advantage of the Grace of God in Hebrews 10:
26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. 28 Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.”31 It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
As we're preparing for the battlefields of OTR, Clarkston, and China it's easy for us to only focus on the spiritual battles that we'll face on the mission field. Yes, the Lord will fight for us there and He will bring freedom there, but let us not forget about the battlefields that we face here at home and especially within our own hearts. God wants complete obedience, not just for the trip, but for every aspect of our lives. Let's bring Glory to God always!
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