Battle Is The Lord's

Battle Is The Lord's

"...And when the Philistine looked about and saw David, he disdained him; for he was only a youth, ruddy and good-looking. So the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. And the Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!”

Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.” (1Sam.17:42-47)

Undaunted, unmoved, unyielding.
Standing down the champion of the Philistines and saying to his face that he would take his head from his body because he had defied God. Note that David didn't have a sword...

I love this account given to us of this brave shepherd. It gives me chills every time I read it. David has the courage, determination, and faith in God that I hope to instill in my own son. Also note that David didn't limit the defeat to only the giant, but he extended it to the army of the Philistines! He wouldn't just defeat Goliath and take his head from him, through God he would deliver the carcasses of the vast Philistine army to the birds of the air & beasts of the earth!

What faith!

What gave him this confidence? David feared no army of man, he knew his God, and he trusted in the might of the Almighty, as he wrote in Psalm 27:

"The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked came against me To eat up my flesh, My enemies and foes, They stumbled and fell. Though an army may encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; Though war may rise against me, In this I will be confident." (Psalm 27:1-3)

Do you and I have this confidence? Are we trusting in God enough to realize that we can speak just as David spoke and have the boldness in the face of evil that our God will surely deliver if we will but stand and fight?

Evil never prevails against God, the army of satan may shout its curses and defy the Living God, but know surely that "the battle belongs to the Lord" and with Him we shall defeat sin and temptation every time it arrays itself in battle against us.

As Romans 8:37 says, we are "more than conquerors through Him who loved us." Stand and fight with the courage and faith of David this day!

Soldiers of Christ, Arise! (Hymn)

Soldiers of Christ, arise, and put your armor on, Strong in the strength which God supplies through His eternal Son.

Strong in the Lord of hosts, and in His mighty power, Who in the strength of Jesus trusts is more than conqueror.

Stand then in His great might, with all His strength endued, But take, to arm you for the fight, the panoply of God;

That, having all things done, and all your conflicts passed, Ye may o’ercome through Christ alone and stand entire at last.

Leave no unguarded place, no weakness of the soul, Take every virtue, every grace, and fortify the whole.

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