Today’s Bible Reading: DEUTERONOMY 16:18-21:9
Deuteronomy 20:1
When you go out to war against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and an army larger than your own, you shall not be afraid of them, for the LORD your God is with you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.
Every day we face battles. We war against our enemies. Encounters with fleshly frailties, besetting sins and spiritual forces besiege us. They surround us and strive against us. They are relentless in their resolve to destroy and depose us. We have been entangled with them in the past and they presently taunt us again. Previous skirmishes have squelched our strength. They continue to press against us. They are determined to defeat us. Our heart faints.
We look at them and lose heart. We see the greatness of their army assembled against us. We are terrified and tremble because of them. We fear the outcome. We lose hope. We cannot conceive how we could conquer them. We are disillusioned and defeated. Surrender seems the only option.
Yet there is another who has a helped us in the past. He proved Himself greater and mightier than any who had amassed against us. He prevailed against the most powerful of foes. He battled for us before and stands to battle with us again. He brought us out before and He will bring us out again. He saved us before and He will save us again. No one can stand against Him and succeed.
He is Lord Almighty who is strong in power and might. We are His treasured possession, His people. His assurance is that He is with us. His presence is promised. His power is sure. That’s enough. So, we need not tremble before the army that stands to defeat us but trust in the Almighty who says He will deliver us. Our fears can give way to faith. Our vision can be turned from what stands against us to who stands with us. We have courage. We have confidence. What has defeated us in the past can be defeated in the present. Our fleshly traits can be tamed. Our besetting sins can be beaten. Our strongest opponent can be overcome, not be our strength but by our surrender, by turning to and trusting the one who has turned away our mightiest oppressor. He has helped, He is our help, and He will help.
Our hope is in the heavenly one. There is no array of “horses or chariots” in our life that can overpower the All Powerful. There is no opposition that can overthrow Him. In the text you are admonished to repel the fear you face in your fight by considering two truths about “the LORD your God”. First, His presence with you will give you courage in your conflict. His word affirms the LORD your God “is with you”. He is not looking at the skirmish from a place of safety, but standing with you in your struggle. He is with you in the fight.
Second, His power is with you as it was in the past. You are challenged to consider previous clashes. The Israelites were told that their fear would be removed when they recalled what He had done for them before. When their faith was feeble and their foe formidable, they were told to remember the one who “brought you up” out of the land of Egypt. He battled for them then and He will battle for you now. His power was manifest for them then and it will be for you now. Those who battle against you are big, but your God is bigger. So, it is not how big your battle, but how big your God is in the battle. You trusted Him in the pasted, now trust Him in the present.
Today rejoice that God is bigger than anything that battles against you. Thank Him that He is with you in the battle and that He can help you win your battle. Ask Him to help you surrender to Him in your battle, so you won’t surrender to those things that you battle. Praise Him that He is bigger than what you battle.
Commentaires