The Battle Is The Lord's

God's people will struggle to be faithful in life's battles.

Numbers 21:1-3 The Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negev, heard that the Israelite's were approaching on the road through Atharim. So he attacked the Israelite's and took some of them as prisoners. 2 Then the people of Israel made this vow to the LORD: "If you will hand these people over to us, we will completely destroy all their towns." 3 The LORD heard the Israelite's' request and gave them victory over the Canaanites. The Israelite's completely destroyed them and their towns, and the place has been called Hormah ever since.

The only place the nation of Israel has ever lived since they became a nation has been out in the wilderness. The time in the wilderness may seem like a waste but God didn't let their time in the wasteland go to waste.

God could have taken his people straight out of Egyptian slavery and put them in a safe place at the border of Canaan or he could have destroyed the Canaanites himself and put his people in the Promised Land without any battles and without any casualties. 

God has a timeline and a purpose for each chapter of his story. His timeline moves at a slow pace that is very frustrating and difficult to understand. Remember how slowly God's promise to Abraham progressed, Abraham was 75 years old already, he had to wait 25 more years for a son and he till had a small family when he died.

Over six hundred years later God's people have grown enough in size to be seen as a nation, they have learned about God and now they have established a military.

Accomplishments In The Wilderness
Receiving the Covenant and the Law at Sinai - How to live for God (Exodus 19–24) Construction of the Tabernacle - How to live with God (Exodus 25–40) Establishment of the Priesthood and Worship System - How to be made right with God. (Leviticus 1–10; Numbers 3–8) Military Organization and Training (Numbers 1–2, 10:11-28)

As they approach Canaan they were not looking for a battle but they didn't avoid it either, they defended themselves for the first time and God gave them their first win. (Numbers 21:1–3)

But God's people will go from great victory to great defeat, trusting God for victory in the battlefield didn't turn into trust in God's goodness in providing their food but instead of appreciating him they doubt his goodness again and bring God's judgment upon themselves. (Numbers 21:4-9)

God forgave his people and gave them more wins east of the Jordan River in the territory that would belong to Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh. This area isn't the wilderness but it isn't the Promised Land either, they are not home yet as they will realize that the plains of Moab is a place of battles.

Numbers 21:23-24 But King Sihon refused to let them cross his territory. Instead, he mobilized his entire army and attacked Israel in the wilderness, engaging them in battle at Jahaz. 24 But the Israelite's slaughtered them with their swords and occupied their land from the Arnon River to the Jabbok River. They went only as far as the Ammonite border because the boundary of the Amorites was fortified.

Numbers 21:33-34 Then they turned and marched up the road to Bashan, but King Og of Bashan and all his people attacked them at Edrei. 34 The LORD said to Moses, "Do not be afraid of him, for I have handed him over to you, along with all his people and his land. Do the same to him as you did to King Sihon of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon."

The Israelite's rack up three wins and they haven't even crossed the Jordan River, they were being attacked while they were trying to get access to the river to get to the other side.

Victory over Sihon, King of the Amorites (Numbers 21:21–31):

The Israelite's requested safe passage through the territory of Sihon, king of the Amorites, promising not to plunder or disturb his land. But Sihon attacked and Israel defeated Sihon and captured his territory.. 

It looks like the Amorites have finally experienced the Lord's judgment that he told us about in Genesis 15:16.

Victory over Og, King of Bashan (Numbers 21:32–35):

It doesn't take long for another battle to come, God's people faced Og, the king of Bashan and defeated him and his army. 

Israel already has a lot of territory outside of the Promised Land just because they were protecting themselves. With God’s favor, the Israelite's defeated Arad, Sihon, and Og, despite being outnumbered or outmatched.

The Lord Is With You

The last time God's people were this close to the Promised Land they lacked the faith to go to war to claim the Promised Land as their own but this time it seems that God is allowing them to experience victory through his strength so that they will trust him.

2 Chronicles 20:17 But you will not even need to fight. Take your positions; then stand still and watch the LORD's victory. He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out against them tomorrow, for the LORD is with you!"

Even after God's people have had many more victories and have taken possession of the land they will continue to struggle with the idea that the battle is God's and they can rely on him to ensure another victory. 

But the struggle isn't just for them, it is our struggle, even when it's much more simple. My faith wavers and I am not homeless in the wilderness, I have a kitchen full of food and water and I am not dealing with an approaching military threat. 

When God is for me who can be against me? Because of his presence I can have peace in this troubled world. I should be thankful and have confidence that the same God that brought me to this trouble will bring me through and take me to my Promised Land. (John 16:33, Romans 8:31)

Your Presence Is My Weapon

My worship opens up the heavens and crushes every stronghold.

Video: Natalie Grant - My Weapon (Sacred Version)

Let every lie be silenced

And all depression cease

Let every dark assignment

Bow down at Jesus' feet

Let every curse be broken

Let every storm be tamed

And all that come against us

Be bound in Jesus' name

Your presence is my greatest weapon

Pushing back the darkness

Breaking every chain

My worship opens up the heavens

Crushing every stronghold

When I speak Your name

'Cause Your presence is my weapon

Your presence is my weapon

Your strength will not be shaken

Your love will not back down

Death has been defeated

What can stop me now?

I hold on to what You've spoken

You said that I am free

You've given me Your promise

And You are my victory

Your presence is my greatest weapon

Pushing back the darkness

Breaking every chain

My worship opens up the heavens

Crushing every stronghold

When I speak Your name

'Cause Your presence is my weapon

Your presence is my weapon

Your word and a melody

Are making a way for me

You defeat the enemy

This prison is shaking now

And these walls are coming down

Your presence makes me free

I am free

Your presence is my greatest weapon

Pushing back the darkness

Breaking every chain

My worship opens up the heavens

Crushing every stronghold

When I speak Your name

'Cause Your presence is my weapon

Your presence is my weapon

Your presence is my weapon

The Comfort Of The Eternal City

There is no greater comfort than knowing that Heaven is in your future.

Revelation 22:1-5 Then the angel showed me a river with the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 It flowed down the center of the main street. On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, with a fresh crop each month. The leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations.

3 No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and His servants will worship Him. 4 And they will see His face, and His name will be written on their foreheads. 5 And there will be no night there--no need for lamps or sun--for the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever and ever.

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The book of Revelation is such an encouragement for God's children, that may be a very surprising statement to you, very few people look at the book from that point of view but God's children really should. It is the greatest story ever told that should affect our lives for today and for eternity.

Instead we get too busy analyzing the culture that we live in and the characters that can be found in the news stories from around the world and we attempt to make our times be the end times. We study everything in the book and try to make a literal interpretation of it all that is based on current world events so that we can figure out God's timetable.

We fail to acknowledge that the writer was severely hindered in trying to describe things that are too great to communicate to humans so that they can comprehend and we forget that God didn't allow John to write down everything. (Revelation 10:4)

God didn’t give us the book of Revelation so that we could analyze our culture, so that we could pinpoint social and political analyses of current events. He wrote it so that we might catch the spirit of the coming of Jesus Christ and live in the light of it.

-John MacArthur

How can we think that we are so well informed that we can piece all of this together and figure out the details of Jesus return?

Satan likes us for us to look at the negative aspects of the book of Revelation, he will use anything to get us down, even the best news that God has ever revealed can be used against us.

Reasons to see this book as a source of comfort and encouragement:

✔ Revelation gives us an awesome view of Jesus that you don't get to see very often in scripture. Seeing the glorified Savior as he is today should give me great hope. ✔ Revelation shows me that God is on the throne and Jesus is at his side. The picture of God on the throne throughout the book of Revelation should be reassuring to us as we witness the chaos of this world around us everyday. (Revelation 4:2-10, 5:1-13, 6:16) ✔ I get to witness the final defeat of Satan, God's kingdom comes and the prayers of the saints throughout the ages has been answered. Jesus assures us three times in the last chapter of Revelation that he is coming back to take us to this glorious scene. (Revelation 22:7, 12, 20)

Satan loves for God's children to be deceived into worrying about future events and focusing on bad news. The bad news that you see in today's world will only get worse, don't fret about it, today's bad news is a part of God's timetable.

I need to celebrate the eternal city and my victory in Jesus! I need to be encouraged to live joyfully and let my light shine so that other people will see the incredible hope and comfort that the world cannot explain apart from Jesus.

RELATED ARTICLES

How Can I Find Comfort When An Unsaved Loved One Has Died? (gotquestions.org)
Billy Graham's Final Answer (billygraham.org)

Our Conqueror Will Rule

Satan defeated, unbelievers judged, God's kingdom come.

Revelation 20:10-15 Then the devil, who had deceived them, was thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur, joining the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

11 And I saw a great white throne and the One sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from His presence, but they found no place to hide. 12 I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God's throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds.

14 Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. 15 And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.

Revelation 21:1-3 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, "Look, God's home is now among His people! He will live with them, and they will be His people. God Himself will be with them.

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In the daily grind and weariness of life it may seem that our prayers are never going to be answered, it seems that "thy kingdom come" is never going to happen. Because of the delay there are many people that have given up on his second coming. They fail to realize that the Bible proves over and over again that God's timetable moves very slowly and it isn't a sign that his promises will not come true.

We don't like delay anymore than God's children in the Bible. Noah thought the first ever boat would never be completed, Abraham thought that he would never have an heir, God's children thought that they would never stop being ruled by various world leaders.

It is easy to think that God is late and his second coming will never happen. Jesus will return and stop the plans of Satan, the people of Satan's kingdom will be judged and the children of God's kingdom will finally be satisfied forever.

For every time the first coming of Christ is mentioned, the Second Coming is mentioned eight times. And the Lord Himself refers to His coming twenty-one times and over 50 times we are exhorted to be ready for that great event. 

-John MacArthur

This event is so important that scripture makes it clear that we can trust God to come through on the Bible's promises about the second coming. The first coming miraculously fulfilled hundreds of prophecies so we can have confidence that the second coming which is predicted much more often than the first is sure to take place.

Jesus will begin his rule by defeating all of the opposition to his kingdom. 

World leaders will fight “against the Lord and against His anointed” but they will all be defeated. Their weapons prove to be worthless against the sword of the Lord. God created by speaking and it instantly happened and by the sword of his mouth his enemies will be defeated. (Psalm 2:1-3, Hebrews 4:12)

The beast, the false prophet and Satan are all doomed, first the beast and false prophet are cast into hell, then after the thousand year millennial reign Satan will follow them to the same fate. (Revelation 20:10)

The next defeat will happen to all those whose names are not recorded in the Book of Life. The sad reality of everyone that loved their life on earth too much to be concerned about what would happen in the next life. At the great white throne, there will be a Judge but no jury, a prosecution but no defense, a sentence but no appeal. God's answer will be final! (John 12:25, Revelation 20:15)

The prayers of God's children throughout the ages will finally be answered. The longing for "they kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven" will be fulfilled! All of the earthly kingdoms, no matter how good some of them are, will all be gone.

Jesus has told us how to avoid defeat as a citizen of his kingdom.

You don't have to go down in defeat. if you make the wise choice and you are ready for the king that is coming then you will be a citizen of the new kingdom with the only perfect king. There will not be any illegal immigration into God's kingdom.

The Bible is the story of God restoring the kingdom that was lost back when God walked with man in the Garden of Eden. The story continued as God abides with Israel in the tabernacle and later in the temple. Jesus came to earth and “tabernacled” among us and now lives within us. At the end of time the kingdom will be fully restored and God's children will take their place in this better country that they have been longing to see. (John 1:14 / Hebrews 11:16 /1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

When we enter the kingdom we will enjoy God's presence even more fully than Adam and Eve did in the garden. We will finally be home enjoying the presence of our father.

Are you a friend of the conqueror? You can find peace with God.

RELATED ARTICLES

Our Conqueror Will Return (diggingtheword.blogspot.com)

Victory In Jesus

Victory is on the way so don't get discouraged.

Revelation 14:1-3 Then I saw the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him were 144,000 who had His name and His Father's name written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of mighty ocean waves or the rolling of loud thunder. It was like the sound of many harpists playing together. 3 This great choir sang a wonderful new song in front of the throne of God and before the four living beings and the twenty-four elders. No one could learn this song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.

Revelation 15:3-4 And they were singing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb: "Great and marvelous are Your works, O Lord God, the Almighty. Just and true are Your ways, O King of the nations. 4 Who will not fear You, Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before You, for Your righteous deeds have been revealed."

Revelation 19:1 After this, I heard what sounded like a vast crowd in heaven shouting, “Praise the LORD! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God.

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A lot of people stay away from the book of Revelation because of all of the scary stuff that happens but that certainly wasn't the intention when this book was delivered to the early church. The saints that were being persecuted found these words to be encouraging as they were struggling to do church the right way.

It should be encouraging to know that the reader of this book is promised to be blessed and it should be even more uplifting to see God, Jesus and Heaven in vivid detail that is not seen very often in the rest of the Bible.

If you need to be encouraged today then check out the voices of victory that Revelation tells us about as the final triumph over evil is drawing near in the last half of the tribulation.

The first voice we hear is the combined voices of the 144,000 that lived through the tribulation. Their instruments and voices make up a huge choir that sings a wonderful new song to Jesus from Jerusalem. They don't stay on the earth much longer, their final destination is Heaven and in a little while we will see this same choir in Heaven singing the song of Moses (Exodus 15:1-27) and the song of the Lamb. (Revelation 15:1-4)

The next voices that John heard was of three angels. (Revelation 14:6-20) The first angel goes on the last mission trip that the world will experience as he goes across the sky proclaiming the gospel to everyone. The angels have never been used to share the gospel before but now there are not any believers left to share the gospel.

The next two angels announce that judgement is here and the world system is going down. If you are a child of God then you should find comfort in knowing that the burden of living in this sin filled world will not last forever. (Revelation 14:14-16)

The Son of Man comes with his harvesting tool as two angels announce that the harvest is ready to be gathered and put into the winepress. The judge is the King of kings and the Lord of lords; his tool for judgment is the Word of God. (Revelation 14:14-20, 19:11-16)

Revelation 16:17 Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air. And a mighty shout came from the throne in the Temple, saying, "It is finished!"

"It is finished!" The same words that Jesus spoke from the cross to announce victory over death for God's children are the same words that God spoke to announce victory over Satan and the end to his rule over this world. In both instances the victory was so sure that it was announced even though it hadn't happened yet. (John 19:30)

Praise The Lord
Five reasons for their praise emerge: 1) God’s deliverance of His people from their enemies (Revelation 19:1); 2) God’s meting out of justice (Revelation 19:2); 3) God’s permanent crushing of man’s rebellion (Revelation 19:3); 4) God’s sovereignty (Revelation 19:6); 5) God’s communion with His people (Revelation 19:7). -MacArthur Study Bible

As the end draws near and the final victory is in sight there is an explosion of praise and celebration. (Revelation 19:1-10)  All of the trials and the suffering that God's children have experienced and all of the effects of sin on this world are about to be gone forever. Living without sin sounds awesome but since we have never experienced it we really cannot comprehend or fully appreciate it.

The Bible makes it clear who will be victorious at the end of time. God's children will overcome this evil world but we don't get to take credit for it. As a child of God we need to live joyfully and give the credit where it is due knowing that our victory has been guaranteed by someone far greater than ourselves! (John 16:33)

Jesus Children Are Overcomers

Trouble is going to happen but it isn't the end of my story.

John 16:29-33 Then His disciples said, “At last You are speaking plainly and not figuratively. 30 Now we understand that You know everything, and there’s no need to question You. From this we believe that You came from God.”

31 Jesus asked, “Do you finally believe? 32 But the time is coming–indeed it’s here now–when you will be scattered, each one going his own way, leaving Me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with Me.

33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in Me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

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The fact that you have the technology to see this blog post says that you probably have a very comfortable life. The odds are that you probably live in a culture that offers you a comfortable lifestyle and instant everything.

But none of the toys and conveniences that are so abundant can guarantee you an easy life. There is heartache and misery all around, some of you have had a miserable existence, people that you loved and trusted have let you down, friendless, beat up and unloved, you find yourself all alone and hopeless.

That is the kind of people that Jesus had around him during his stay on earth, His people were beat-up and tired, they had been raided and pushed around by foreign governments, they were being used by their own religious leaders, His people were desperate and He was sad for them. (Matthew 9:36, 11:28-29, 15:32, Luke 7:13, 19:41, John 11:35)

Jesus Was A Man Of Sorrows
Isaiah 53:3 He was despised and rejected--a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care.

Imagine coming to live here after being in Heaven for all of eternity past, imagine starting life over as a child, a child that is fully God but also fully man. Suddenly you feel pain, hunger and you require sleep just like everybody else yet, you are also God.

When Christ came into the world the first sound He heard was woe-the wail of those mothers in Bethlehem; and from the manger to the Cross, He was surrounded with sorrow.

-Dwight L. Moody 

Imagine leaving the perfection of the best place ever to come to a broken world so that you can go head to head with your worst enemy. What would it be like to know that you were here to die for people that don’t like you and for friends that would turn their back and run? (John 13:37-38)

Jesus gave up a lot to come and be “God with us” but he didn’t show any sorrow about what he lost by leaving Heaven. The main source of his sorrow was for the condition of mankind and the fact that His people rejected the only hope that could ever help.

Jesus Disciples Overcome
1 John 5: 4-5 For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.

Followers of Jesus have the big picture, their immediate circumstances are not the end of the story, the trials and sorrows that they have today isn’t how it is always going to be. Jesus told the disciples that you will have these troubles but don’t let it get you down because He has overcome the world.

God is still governing this world, don’t let the daily battle get you down and cause you too much grief, there aren’t any term limits on God’s reign. He is in charge of the circumstances around us and He always will be. What we see as chaos isn’t a surprise or a source of concern to him.

This is not my home, and I will never feel perfectly at peace and perfectly comfortable here but I must continue to the the good works that He has planned or me to do until the day I die and overcome this world just as Jesus did.