We sing “Onward Christian Soldiers.”
And “I want to die on the Battlefield.”
And “When the Battle’s Over, I Shall Wear a Crown!”
Among many other Hymns that depict the Christian life as a struggle.
Paul taught us to “put on the whole armour of God,” to better overcome the Devil.
Jesus depicted the Cross of Calvary as a Confrontation. “Who will contend with me? Let us stand together: Who is mine adversary? Let him come near to me. Behold, the Lord GOD will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? Lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.” Isaiah 50:8-9, Jesus previewing His Death on that Tree of Torture!
And this old world will end (before the Lord creates it as a new earth) in the Battle of Battles! “And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city … (to fight) … and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” Revelation 20:7-10
Revelation’s very next verse … “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. “
Then the Bible prophesies … “no more war, no more fighting!”
But until that day … Paul wrote Timothy to prepare himself for the war! “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” 2 Timothy 2:3
And … “This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies (Scripture) which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare.” 1 Timothy 1:19
Wow!
But keep in mind, we can never overcome the enemy on our own. We need the Lord’s Help!
And that brings me to the verse the Lord used today to prompt this Devotional, this Bible Study.
Just an excerpt from Psalm 35:1 … “O Lord, fight against them that fight against me.”
That’s powerful!
Asking God Himself to fight against them who seek your destruction, seek your detriment, harm!
Literally turning those enemies over to the God Who knows how to judge in all righteousness and wisdom!
That’s where I want to leave you today. Pondering this ineffable Request … “FIGHT AGAINST THEM THAT FIGHT AGAINST ME!”
Somehow there’s peace in that little prayer!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
And I can pray this with all Bible Authority!
The full Context in which our Truth is located … “Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me. Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help. Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them.”
Amazing!
.