Let Me Speak of War Pt. 3

Let me speak of war. I’ve covered the necessity of identifying the enemy in Part 1. I’ve discussed the strategic preparation of going to battle in Part 2. In this post, I’ll talk about the tactics and resources involved not only in meeting the enemy but overcoming the advances of the enemy. But before I do, I’d like to make something perfectly clear. I’m talking about warfare in the spiritual realm. However, it is my personal belief that battles fought in the spiritual realm have decided effects upon the physical realm. Don’t believe me? Let’s just consider something that I’ve witnessed on more than one occasion.

Let’s say a young couple gets married and begin their lives together. They move into a home, buy vehicles, begin careers, start a family and both are working to meet the bills. They move into a bigger home, get nicer vehicles and spend more time working to pay the debt. Not only do they have less time for their children but have little or no time for each other. Then, one day, the enemy places a seed of thought in a child’s mind, “Mom and dad don’t really love me. They’re always too busy for me. I’m going to do what I want to do.” Hmmmm……that sound familiar to anyone?

A little further on in time the enemy puts a thought into the mind of the husband, “My wife has no time for me. She’s always too tired to have any quality time together. She must be having an affair.” Likewise, in the mind of the wife, “My husband is always working late and never compliments me anymore. I’ll just numb my loneliness with a drink tonight.” Does that sound like a familiar scenario to anyone you’ve known? It does to me.

At first it would seem that circumstance and situation have stacked the cards against this couple and their family. Not so. That’s another lie that the enemy packages neatly and gives away. There is no battle plan. The deceptive device the enemy uses is merely to place a seed of doubt in a loved one, someone who was trusted. There is no consideration of who the REAL enemy is. There is no strategy and no knowledge of tactics or resources with which to fight for what matters. All too often, families crumble and are crushed by the enemy’s onslaught, never knowing what hit them.

So, spiritual warfare has very real manifestation in the physical realm. Identify the enemy! Get your strategy in order and get prepared. Now, let’s talk about tactics and resources. It really is very simple.

The first order of business is to understand that God is sovereign over everything. Isaiah 45:5-7

I am the LORD, and there is not other; Besides Me there is no God. I will gird you, though you have not known Me;
That men may know from the rising to the setting of the sun that there is no one besides Me, I am the LORD, and there is no other.
The one forming light and creating darkness, Causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the LORD who does all these. (NASB ’97)

Now that sounds to me as if God pretty much has most anything that’s going on in hand or, at least, He has His hand in it. No, He doesn’t have a hand in it. It’s all in HIS hand!

Next order of business is that God can orchestrate resources in battle better than we can. In Judges Chapter 7, God gave Gideon marching orders and Gideon obeyed with 300 men and the battle was given to Gideon. In Judges Chapter 8, as Gideon pursued vast armies with 300 men the count of fallen swordsmen was 120,000 with 15,000 more soon to be conquered! Now that’s how I want MY battles orchestrated! By the way, that’s just ONE of many battles God orchestrated. The important thing here to remember is that Gideon obeyed God. He did what he was instructed to do, the way he was instructed to do it, and he did it when he was instructed to do it. Important detail there.

Next, let us turn back to Ephesians Chapter 6:18:

18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints. (NASB ’97 Highlights are my own)

This is TACTICAL. This is OFFENSIVE! When we pray and offer petition PRAY AT ALL TIMES IN THE SPIRIT. Keep it in view to be on the ALERT to what is going on around you and around others that you love. Never cease in persevering to pray and petition for ALL THE SAINTS!. Why would you not want God to deliver them as well as yourself? Galations 6:10 “So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.” (NASB ’97)

You have got to have some skin in the game. You don’t have to invest any blood but sweat equity and tears are very often required.

Another thing I’d like to bring to your attention. I see people go to church and they call themselves worshipping God. Yet, they sit there and look like they have been sucking on a thirty year old dill pickle. There is no joy or celebration on their faces! Where did we get the idea that worship and praise was supposed to be such a somber experience? My goodness, King David DANCED before the Ark! The ancient kings would practically yearn for war because they understood that when there was war, the worship, praise, and thanksgiving would rise and it was pleasing unto God.

Don’t you see? We are at WAR! Our prayer should be constantly on the rise, individually and corporately. Our worship, our praise, our thanksgiving should escalate! In America, when people detect storm clouds brewing they RUN FROM the church in shame! They fear what “Sister Busybody” and “Reverend Thoushaltnot” might think. You know what? They’re right! They will probably be judged instead of loved! Dear God in heaven, let us rejoice when a couple is struggling and comes to church for God to fix their brokenness! That kid, you know the one, with the nose ring and tattoos? I’ll shout hallelujah all over him when he comes to be delivered from his addictions! In third world countries, when problems arise, they RUN TO the church! America has got it backwards! It is a grave tactical error.

The truth of the matter is that tactics are rooted in prayer and worship. That’s not all there is to tactical offense or tactical defense. All of that information would fill volumes that I do not have liberty, or the ability, to express in one article. But it’s a good starting point.

Resources? Resources are easy. God owns all the resources that are needed to fight any battle. However, it takes faith on your part to activate those resources. But that’s a whole ‘nother story.

You now possess enough information to begin seeing a turn on the battlefront. Identify the enemy. Prepare yourself strategically. Employ simple tactics. Trust in God’s resources.

I’ll revisit this topic from time to time. Until then,

God Bless.

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