I wrote this in 2012, many months after my son went Home to Glory.  I just reread it so thought I would share it again.

THE BATTLE BELONGS TO GOD

 “Then all the people shall know that the Lord does not save with a sword and spear for the battle is the Lord’s and He will give you into our hands!” 1Sam. 17:4

Joshua

            Fear roared through the land of Canaan like a mighty title wave.  Two major cities had been utterly destroyed, all the people and their kings completely wiped out.  Another royal city, Gibeon had turned coat tails and signed a peace treaty with the invaders.  These no-bodies who had come out of no-where who claimed to be the people of a non-existent God, the One and Only God, were creeping over the land like a mighty swarm of grasshoppers intensely bent on gobbling up all who inhabited Canaan.  The kings of the land would not stand for this outrage, they would band together, thousands and millions of them coming together to wipe out first the turncoats of Gibeon, then this-this militant band of migrants who had invaded their land.

Joshua, the leader of the Israelites, God’s chosen people, did not hesitate to march to Gibeon’s aid, but not before he heard the council of the Lord’s voice.

“Do not fear them for I have delivered them into your hand, not a man will stand against you.”

Hard to believe when most of the armies of the land were gathering, but Joshua, having learned a previous lesson about not listening to his Commander in Chief, did not pause, or stop.  He marched the great army of God’s elect all night long.

Suddenly, when the men’s feet were dragging and their eyes drooping from no sleep, they came upon the enemy.  Thousands upon thousands of men, stretching as far as the eye could see in all directions around them, like sands on the sea shore, bristling with spears like a giant porcupine.

Can you imagine?  Joshua’s heart must have stopped beating for an instant when he saw the multitude of fighting men gathered around the city. He had a great army and they were brave and fearsome, but they were also like one grain of sand on that proverbial sea shore.

However, Joshua did not stop and he did not run, for he knew he had more than just these men behind him.  His Commander in Chief had told him to march against this army and Joshua knew the Almighty’s powerful army was flanking them and would somehow deliver His people.

“So, the Lord routed them before Israel and killed them with a great slaughter.”

Can you see it?  Early morning skies are laden with dark clouds.  Thunder rumbles over head as the army of Israel is spotted.  There is a great shout, an enraged battle cry that completely drowns out the thunder as the massive congregation of armies charges towards the invaders.  Victory is a sure thing given the many numbers of soldiers.  It would not take long to wipe these impertinent invaders off the face of the earth.

Suddenly, hail falls from the sky, pinging off the armor of the soldiers, stinging their faces.  The hail becomes larger, clanging off the helmets, bruising shoulders and arms even through the armor.  Then giant hail stones fall from the heavens hitting the heads of men, knocking them down, smashing them into the earth, killing many.  More men die from the hail stones than from the swords of the children of Israel.

God fought for Israel that long day when the sun stood still and He won.

Many fierce and mighty enemies are out there that we face every day.  Seemingly huge armies coming against us, odds totally not in our favor as we face completely impossible circumstances.  Disease, sickness, injuries, great losses, depression, despair, fear, anxiety, worry, stress, distresses, sin, addictions and certainly not the least Satan and his legions march to overcome us.

God says, “March, fight, go out against these enemies and I will be with you.  Do not fear them, I will deliver them into your hands.  I will break down doors of iron before you.  I will make a way where there seems to be no way.  I will conquer your enemy.  I am the Deliverer.”

He is with us in battle He commands the mighty armies of Heaven, He is our Commander in Chief, He fights with us and for us.  He will win. (from Joshua 10:1-14

Jehoshaphat

            Zoom ahead to another time, another battle, another man of God.  The Moabites, the Ammonites, and many other Ites joined together to battle Jerusalem and the nation of Judah.  King Jehoshaphat heard that this massive army, a “great multitude” was marching against him and he cried out, “OH MY GOD! What do we do?”

Oh, he was greatly afraid, no doubt, but he set himself to seek the Lord.  First and foremost, before anything else, Jehoshaphat sought the Lord.  He declared a fast through out the land.  He called a gathering to pray for help from the Lord.  From all over, out of all the cities and countryside Judeans, came to pray and seek the Lord.

In front of the assembly, in the house of the Lord, Jehoshaphat stood in the new court and poured his heart out to God.

“Oh God of our fathers,” he cried, “we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us.  There is no way we can successfully fight such a great number.  We don’t know what to do!  But, our eyes are on You, our God. We trust you.”

“Now all Judah, their little ones, their wives and their children stood before the Lord.”  The Spirit of God fell on a man in their midst and out of the hush of earnest prayer, he spoke, “this is what the Lord says ,Do not be afraid or dismayed because of this great multitude for the battle is not yours, but God’s!” Heads came up and all eyes were on this young man as collectively they held their breath.  “You will not need to fight this battle.  Only go out, position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.  Do not fear or be dismayed tomorrow go out against the great army for the Lord is with you!”

There was utter silence.  Jehoshaphat bowed his face to the ground and all Judah and Jerusalem bowed to the Lord and worshiped Him.

Then they shouted!  Can you imagine the great shout that must have gone up to God?  Praises to their awesome God!  With voices loud and high!  Wow!  What a sound that must have been.

The next morning they went before the massive invading army.  But they weren’t praying or petitioning God.  They weren’t crying or whining for help.  They weren’t shouting insults or yelling battle cries.  No, they were shouting praises to God!  And singing, “Praise to the Lord!  For His love endures forever!”

It says, “Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab and MountSeir and they were defeated”.

Do you suppose their singing and joyous praise confused the enemy?  I’m not sure what happened, but as the army of Judah stood still singing and watching, the enemy armies turned on each other!  And utterly destroyed EACH OTHER!  Amazing!

Sometimes God tells us to stand firm.  To take up our postion of trust in our mighty God and stay still. He does call us to praise Him.  Before the outcome of the battle.  Before we know what will happen.  No matter what will happen, we need to praise God.  And sing.

The battle is not ours to fight.  God is not only with us in battles, but sometimes He fights the battle.  The battle belongs to God.  (from 2 Chronicles 20:1-30)

 Hezekiah

            Fast forward again to yet another threat on Judah.  Once again, a massive army is marching to lay siege on the city of Jerusalem. The king of Assyria is throwing out threats against the land of Judah.

Upon hearing this, Hezekiah, the current king of Judah, fortifies the city and builds up his army and his arms.  He tells his captains, “Be strong and courageous do not be afraid nor dismayed before all these multitudes coming against us for there are more with us than with them.  With them is an arm of flesh, mere men, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battle.”

Sennacherib, king of Assyria tries the inside tactic by sending a messenger into the city to spread false teachings trying to turn the people against their king and their God.  This might have worked for his arguments were persuasive and made sense.  However, Hezekiah and Isaiah, the prophet, pray earnestly, crying out to God for help.

God sends an angel, one angle only, who swoops down on the army of the Assyrians where they are camped around the city of Jerusalem and he cuts down every mighty man of valor and captain in the camp.

Can you imagine it?  Suddenly a giant, white, winged being plummets from the heavens bringing death and destruction in his wake.  This mighty, gleaming angel pounces on the unsuspecting men and wipes out the whole army in one swipe.  Wow!  Did the people in Jerusalem see this?  What a sight it must have been.  Completely amazing!  (from 2Chorn. 32:1-23)

Sometimes God literally wipes out our enemies with His own army.  Or one angel.  We stand by opened mouthed and watch while the God of the universe takes care of our problems.  Just like that.

Maybe not always the way we envision it, or how we would want Him to take care of things, but He always delivers His children out of their tribulations.

Sometimes it may be by taking them Home.  It says, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.”  (Ps. 116:15)  Precious in Webster’s is: Highly prized, valuable, greatly esteemed, beloved, cherished, sensitive.

In other words:  Greatly esteemed, cherished, valuable, in the eyes of the Lord is the death of His children.  He takes them home to be with Him for ever and ever.  How better of a deliverance can we ask for?

Sometimes God wishes His children to go through and face great trials, to build our faith to strengthen us, to bring us ever closer to Him, enabling us to see and experience His love and His Glory.  (from James 1:2-4 1 Peter 4:12-13)

So, there is a time for us to go out and fight.  He is with us in the battle lending His strength to our arms and feet, delivering our enemies into our hands and giving us power to overcome.

There is a time when God fights our battles.  He wants us to take our position of trust in Him and stand firm. The battle is not ours to fight, it belongs to God.

There is a time when God sends His mighty armies, His angels, to literally wipe out the enemy.  He wants us to wait, watch and see what He will do.

In all of these stories, the men of God turned to the Lord.  I need to give it to God, first and foremost.  And leave it in His capable hands.  Invariably I take it back.  So I need to give it to Him again. And again.  As many times as it takes, I need to pour my heart out to God, give it to Him and let Him be God. Then praise Him and sing.  There is something powerful in singing to God.  If nothing else, it keeps my mind off of my circumstances and my focus on Him.  Praise Him before I see the outcome.  Before I see the victory.  Because Victory I will indeed see.

He is my help.  He will fight the battle.  I may need to fight or I might need to stand firm.  He will let me know which it is I should do.  Whether He is fighting alongside of me or wiping out my enemy, He will conquer.  He is my Deliverer. He will have the victory!  The battle belongs to the Lord!

There was a great army after Elisha and many chariots and horses surrounded the city where he lived.  When his servant saw the massive army he cried, “What shall we do! So Elisha answered, “Do not fear for those who are with us are more than those who are with them. Elisha prayed and said, Lord I pray open his eyes that he may see.  Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man and he saw.”  And behold this is what he saw. Covering the mountain were a multitude of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. The army of the Living God ready to fight!  Amazing!  (from 2 Kings 6:14-18)