I've just finished reading about Deborah and Barak in Judges 4. Here we have a mighty woman of God, someone who was ready to step in and go the extra mile. Deborah had called for Barak and told him to take ten thousand men toward Mount Tabor. The Lord was going to deliver Sisera the captain of King Jabin's army into his hand. Sisera had oppressed the children of Israel for 20 years and he had 900 chariots of iron. Barak would only go to the battle if Deborah agreed to go with him. While Barak was ready to disobey God if Deborah wouldn't go with him, she was ready, and without hesitation, said she would go with him but she told Barak that he wouldn't have the honour of taking Sisera life, the Lord would give that to a woman.
Sisera gathered all of his chariots together and Deborah said to Barak 'Up for this is the day in which the Lord hath delivered Sisera into thine hand, is not the Lord gone out before thee?' So Barak went to battle.
Think for a minute about our own battles. As Christians we face battles of one kind or another throughout our Christian life. How many of us I wonder face battles that we think we can't win - battles of the mind or addiction.
Our God is a mighty God and Psalm 24:8 tells us the LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.
He can help us win any battle that we're going through, he's sent you a Deborah.
Someone who will go to battle with you, he has sent a Deborah in every brother or sister that the Lord has on their knees praying for you during your struggles. They may not know you by name but the Lord has put you on their hearts and they do battle with you in prayer. The Lord also goes to battle with you and at times is right there in front of you fighting that battle for you. He not only fights our battles with us but he wants us to overcome them, why? because he wants to equip us, to equip us to go onto the battlefield for him.
In Ephesians 6 we are told to put on the full armour of God.
Ephesians 4:25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour; for we are members one of another.
Philippians 3:9 - And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.
Romans 10:15 - And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things!
Psalm 3:3 But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.
Psalm 28:7 The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helpe: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.
Psalm 140:7 O God the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.
Hebrews 4:12 - For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
We most definitely need to put on the whole armour but how?
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit...
Prayer is our lifeline - it's how we talk to the Lord, it's how we are built up. If we are to equip ourselves to get onto the battlefield then we most certainly need to pray. To pray for those lost in sin. But there's a battle going on for our minds too, even as Christians the enemy doesn't just leave us alone so we must continually pray. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says pray without ceasing and I believe this applies to very part of our life.
The victory was won at Calvary, the day the Saviour of the world gave His life for us. But we must remember Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
He will strengthen you on the battlefield for him. He will strengthen you to face any battle you are going through and he wont let you face it alone. Trust him to be ... the Lord, strong and mighty in battle.
The Battle is the Lord's
Sisera gathered all of his chariots together and Deborah said to Barak 'Up for this is the day in which the Lord hath delivered Sisera into thine hand, is not the Lord gone out before thee?' So Barak went to battle.
Think for a minute about our own battles. As Christians we face battles of one kind or another throughout our Christian life. How many of us I wonder face battles that we think we can't win - battles of the mind or addiction.
Our God is a mighty God and Psalm 24:8 tells us the LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.
He can help us win any battle that we're going through, he's sent you a Deborah.
Someone who will go to battle with you, he has sent a Deborah in every brother or sister that the Lord has on their knees praying for you during your struggles. They may not know you by name but the Lord has put you on their hearts and they do battle with you in prayer. The Lord also goes to battle with you and at times is right there in front of you fighting that battle for you. He not only fights our battles with us but he wants us to overcome them, why? because he wants to equip us, to equip us to go onto the battlefield for him.
In Ephesians 6 we are told to put on the full armour of God.
- Belt of truth - buckle it around your waist
Ephesians 4:25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour; for we are members one of another.
- Breastplate of righteousness - wrap it around your chest
Philippians 3:9 - And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.
- Gospel of Peace - take it to others, spread it abroad
Romans 10:15 - And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things!
- Shield of faith - sometimes it's not just own own faith we need to rely on
Psalm 3:3 But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.
Psalm 28:7 The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helpe: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.
- Helmet of Salvation - the Lord covers us. He is our covering
Psalm 140:7 O God the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.
- Sword of the Spirit - the word of God - We know that everything that is written in the word is our defense.
Hebrews 4:12 - For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
We most definitely need to put on the whole armour but how?
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit...
Prayer is our lifeline - it's how we talk to the Lord, it's how we are built up. If we are to equip ourselves to get onto the battlefield then we most certainly need to pray. To pray for those lost in sin. But there's a battle going on for our minds too, even as Christians the enemy doesn't just leave us alone so we must continually pray. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says pray without ceasing and I believe this applies to very part of our life.
The victory was won at Calvary, the day the Saviour of the world gave His life for us. But we must remember Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
He will strengthen you on the battlefield for him. He will strengthen you to face any battle you are going through and he wont let you face it alone. Trust him to be ... the Lord, strong and mighty in battle.
The Battle is the Lord's!
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