Fighting with Valor - on our knees

My reading this morning was in 2 Samuel about David's mighty men of valor. Eleazar's story caught my attention and surprised me all over again.

Eleazar was one of David's three closest, and bravest, warriors. He was a "mighty man". When David and his men fought the Philistines, Eleazar was determined to overcome them. He wrapped his hand around his sword, held on tight, and fought like the nation depended on him, because it did.

Eleazar fought so long and hard that his hand "clung" to the sword. His grip on the sword was so tight that the muscles in his hand spasmed and wouldn't release the sword. 

"and the Lord brought about a great victory that day." (2 Samuel 23:9-10)

The warriors went to battle, fought until they were exhausted, then fought some more. They didn't stop until the battle was won.

We, the body of Christ, need that kind of stamina. There is a spiritual battle that must be won and, judging by the state of our nation, we're not fighting the way we should. 

For the believer, the spiritual battle is fierce, but it is not fought with swords or knives or guns. It's fought on our knees. The enemy of our souls is strong and wily. If we expect to survive the battle unscathed, we must gird ourselves with truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, the shield of faith and, most important, the helmet of salvation. 

We have one offensive weapon, and we can use it with impunity, if we but will. The Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, is the weapon with which Jesus began His own battle on earth. It is powerful and can overcome any enemy offensive. That's why studying our Bible and knowing what it says is critical for the believer.

Knowing what someone says about the Scriptures is not sufficient. We must know it for ourselves so that it becomes a part of us. It is only then that we are adequately equipped to fight past exhaustion until the battle is won.

I could do more. I could pray more. Fast more. Be on my knees more. If I would. Perhaps you could, too. 

Our God, who judges nations and hearts, is well within His right to judge our nation. And He will. He has.

Time is short. We must do our part, and it begins in the position of humility. 

So, body of Christ, let's do it. Let's humble ourselves and pray. Immerse ourselves in God's word and repent of our sins. Seek His face.

When we do, He will do as He as promised. Forgive and heal.

"If my people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14 nasb

~~~~~~~

Want to read more? Here's another post on this topic: The 7:14 Prayers
Here's the link to yesterday's post: Epiphany on the Patio: Using the Past to Overcome
~~~~~~~
I'm blown away by the response to the Hosea study that starts May 1. There's still time if you want to be added. It's in depth and a lot of work, with online links to follow and a lot of background Scripture to review. You will work at your own pace and from the comfort of your own home. It's my prayer that, at the end, you'll be able to study Scripture in depth on your own. You can still join the group. Let me know if you want to be a part. (message, comment, email)
#Jesus #spiritualwarfare #714 #disciple