Warriors Arise: July 15, 2022
1 Samuel 17:40 (NKJV) Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine.
"Keep your friends close and your enemies closer." Sun Tzu
There comes a time when you identify the enemy and that is not the time to run but to face your enemy. You need to draw near so you can absorb the fullness of his stench to recognize his presence a mile away. There is a movie I like to watch call Hoosiers. The basketball coach tells his player, "Your man is killing us! Don't let him get past you. Don't let him get a shot up. I want you to stick to him so close you know the kind of gum he chews!" Later in the game, the player tells the coach, "It's Dentyne." The coach looks at him blankly until he connects what he told the player earlier with what his player told him now.
We cannot be afraid to draw near to our enemy. There are times we have to know our enemy well and start to identify him sooner. We want to see the dust rolling in a distance before he is knocking at our door. There is a time when we have to leave the eye of storm, the brook where we are being replenished and strengthened by the Lord and turn with the fullness of the Lord within us to draw near to the enemy.
Too many times we bypass the brook, the secret place. We don't drink the Living Water and run out to battle the enemy. That is NOT what I am suggesting. If it is in your power, meet with God before drawing near to the enemy. There are times when the enemy shows up and we are blind sided. Then you had better call out to God quickly, without hesitation, and see His redemption draw nigh. We want God to draw near to us, especially if we are unprepared for the enemy.
James 4:8-10 (NKJV) Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.
The reason I included verse 10 is because when we recognize the enemy is before us and have not been spending time with God, we are not prepared for the attack of the enemy; therefore, we will have to humble ourselves. We will have to seek forgiveness from God for not allowing him to train us. Keep in mind reading your Bible every day is good habit, but it must become more than a habit. It has to become time of transformation.
Romans 12:1-2 (NKJV) I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
We have to read our Bible with the intention of God's Word causing change within us. We have to see it as a time of meeting with God to be molded by God. When we read the Bible, we should be changed. Our faith should have grown, our courage should be strengthened, and our joy should be bubbling up, even overflowing. When we spend time with God and in His Word, there should be a difference in us each day. We should come away lighter in heart and clearer in thought. Our faith should be growing. When our faith grows, we are made stronger.
David turns from His secret place, the eye of the storm and draws near to the enemy. He positions himself; body, soul and spirit, to the battle before him. This was not a battle he was to flee from. This was a battle in which he was to be the victor. It was to remove the enemy who was stealing from the promise God had given his people. God had given them the Promised Land and they were not to surrender any ground to the enemy. He had to see the enemy in order to battle the enemy. We cannot go into hiding when the enemy comes. We cannot allow ourselves to be paralyzed with fear. We must draw near to the enemy, get him in our sights, and defend what God has given us. God will be with us. David, did not need to know what kind of gum Goliath chewed but he did know how to defend the land God had given them. He couldn't allow the enemy to win or even throw his javelin.
David turned from his secret place and entered the battle God had prepared him for. He drew near to Goliath, watched his movements and knew exactly where the stone would go.
We must stop running from the enemy when we are to get in close enough to send the fatal blow. We can't hit what we cannot see. David had a short amount of time to study Goliath before the battle began and literally, the first stone was throne. In a short period of time, as he drew near to Goliath, he had to evaluate what he would do. Then he was waiting for Goliath to be in the exact position he needed for when to send the stone flying.
You and I need to be prepared. How many times do you see the Philistines are constantly trying to start a war with the Israelites? Over and over again. The same happens for you and me the enemy returns again and again. He wears us down and we start to give ground, because we grow weary in defending what God has given us. We must be prepared every time. We must recognize the enemy is trying to take from us. We must gear up and get fresh strategy from the Lord then draw near to the enemy once again and steady ourselves to land the fatal blow.
Father, this is so compelling. I enjoy our time together. I love staying in the secret place. I want to remain in the eye of the storm and somehow have the storm dissipate so I don't have to go to battle. I confess that I get weary defending what You have said is mine over and over again. I have compromised and still the enemy wants more. But no more, not only will I take back what I haveyeilded ot the enemy so I have peace but I will drear near to the enemy. I will see the tactics he uses to ware me down and I will not allow those to work again. I will draw near to the enemy and see his threats as fuel for me to rise up and fight not to roll over and be paralyzed. I will not be afraid of then battle. I will draw near so I have a clear shot and release the stone for the fatal blow. I will not be afraid for You are will me. You lead me in to triumph and I will follow You in Jesus' name amen.
A Warrior in the Lord’s Army,
Veridee Joy Hand
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