As I was writing and studying about the Whole Armor of God, the Lord said that we need to remember that this armor that we are talking about is HIS ARMOR!!!
So, why is it so important for us to know and understand that THIS ARMOR IS GOD’S ARMOR???
Well, most of ALL, it is important for us to know that God will help us put on HIS ARMOR!!! He doesn’t just say to us, “You’ve got to put this armor on, so you will be ready to fight when the devil comes!!! You are on your own, so you better get that armor on!!!”
NO!!!! NO!!!! NO!!!!
WE NEVER HAVE TO FIGHT THE DEVIL BY OURSELVES AND WE SHOULD NEVER EVER TRY TO FIGHT HIM ON OUR OWN!!!
Deuteronomy 31:6 (CEB) Be strong! Be fearless! Don’t be afraid and don’t be scared by your enemies, because the Lord your God is the one who marches with you. He won’t let you down, and he won’t abandon you.
The devil will whisper lies in our ears!!! He will tell us that we are all alone!!! He wants us to be afraid!!! But when we trust in GOD, but we don’t have to be scared of the enemy!!!
Romans 8:28-30 (NCV)
28 We know that in everything God works for the good of those who love him. They are the people he called, because that was his plan.
29 God knew them before he made the world, and he chose them to be like his Son so that Jesus would be the firstborn of many brothers and sisters.
30 God planned for them to be like his Son; and those he planned to be like his Son, he also called; and those he called, he also made right with him; and those he made right, he also glorified.
31 So what should we say about this? If God is for us, no one can defeat us.
29 God knew them before he made the world, and he chose them to be like his Son so that Jesus would be the firstborn of many brothers and sisters.
30 God planned for them to be like his Son; and those he planned to be like his Son, he also called; and those he called, he also made right with him; and those he made right, he also glorified.
31 So what should we say about this? If God is for us, no one can defeat us.
Now let’s think about this!!! Since IT IS GOD’S ARMOR, HE KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT PIECES GO WHERE AND HOW THE ARMOR SHOULD FIT!!! GOD WILL HELP US make sure that we have on ALL OF HIS ARMOR AND THAT WE ARE WEARING IT RIGHT!!!
You know, God tries to make sure that we are protected each and every second of every day!!! It is so important for us to listen to THE LORD!!! If we don’t or won’t listen to HIM, then we make it hard for HIM TO INTERVENE FOR US!!!
We should listen to THE LORD, after all, HE knows where the enemy plans to attack us and how we should prepare!!! HE knows the enemy better than any of us could!!!
As I was writing this, God reminded me of how Saul tried to get David to wear his own armor to fight the giant!!!
1 Samuel 17:38 (KJV) And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail.
1 Samuel 17:39 (NCV) David put on Saul's sword and tried to walk around, but he was not used to all the armor Saul had put on him.
He said to Saul, "I can't go in this, because I'm not used to it." Then David took it all off.
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.
GOD’S ARMOR is NOT like the armor that Saul fought his enemies with!!!
GOD’S ARMOR HAS BEEN TRIED AND PROVEN!!! GOD’S ARMOR WILL WORK FOR US!!! IT HAS AND WILL STAND THE TEST OF TIME!!!
Did you notice that David used what he had tried and proven??? David was a man who communed with God and David relied on God for his strength and direction!!! If ONLY we would do as David did and rely on God to give us strength and ask HIM to lead and guide us!!!
You know, often others think they know what we should do, but what works for someone else (out in that old world), may NOT work for us!!! If God appoints someone to tell us what to do, then what that person says WILL LINE UP WITH THE WORD!!!
When we seek the Lord and trust HIM, God will provide our answer!!! HE WILL SHOW US EXACTLY WHAT TO DO!!!
God will tell us how to respond to the attacks of the enemy!!! And what GOD says, WILL WORK!!! God will show us what to do to be sure that we are correctly armed and ready to go into battle!!!
GOD WILL NOT LEAVE US!!! IF WE INVITE (OR ASK) GOD TO HELP US, HE WILL STAND BESIDE US AND HELP US FIGHT THE ENEMY!!!
WHEN WE DO THINGS GOD’S WAY, WE WILL HAVE THE VICTORY!!! GOD WILL FIGHT OUR BATTLES FOR US!!!
2 Chronicles 20:1-9 (NCV)
1 Later the Moabites, Ammonites, and some Meunites came to start a war with Jehoshaphat.
2 Messengers came and told Jehoshaphat, "A large army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Dead Sea. They are already in Hazazon Tamar!" (Hazazon Tamar is also called En Gedi.)
3 Jehoshaphat was afraid, so he decided to ask the Lord what to do. He announced that everyone in Judah should fast during this special time of prayer to God.
4 The people of Judah came together to ask the Lord for help; they came from every town in Judah.
5 The people of Judah and Jerusalem met in front of the new courtyard in the Temple of the Lord. Then Jehoshaphat stood up,
6 and he said, "Lord, God of our ancestors, you are the God in heaven. You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. You have power and strength, so no one can stand against you.
7 Our God, you forced out the people who lived in this land as your people Israel moved in. And you gave this land forever to the descendants of your friend Abraham.
8 They lived in this land and built a Temple for you. They said,
9 'If trouble comes upon us, or war, punishment, sickness, or hunger, we will stand before you and before this Temple where you have chosen to be worshiped. We will cry out to you when we are in trouble. Then you will hear and save us.'
2 Messengers came and told Jehoshaphat, "A large army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Dead Sea. They are already in Hazazon Tamar!" (Hazazon Tamar is also called En Gedi.)
3 Jehoshaphat was afraid, so he decided to ask the Lord what to do. He announced that everyone in Judah should fast during this special time of prayer to God.
4 The people of Judah came together to ask the Lord for help; they came from every town in Judah.
5 The people of Judah and Jerusalem met in front of the new courtyard in the Temple of the Lord. Then Jehoshaphat stood up,
6 and he said, "Lord, God of our ancestors, you are the God in heaven. You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. You have power and strength, so no one can stand against you.
7 Our God, you forced out the people who lived in this land as your people Israel moved in. And you gave this land forever to the descendants of your friend Abraham.
8 They lived in this land and built a Temple for you. They said,
9 'If trouble comes upon us, or war, punishment, sickness, or hunger, we will stand before you and before this Temple where you have chosen to be worshiped. We will cry out to you when we are in trouble. Then you will hear and save us.'
2 Chronicles 20:10-21 (NKJV)
10 And now, here are the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir—whom You would not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them and did not destroy them—
11 here they are, rewarding us by coming to throw us out of Your possession which You have given us to inherit.
12 O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”
13 Now all Judah, with their little ones, their wives, and their children, stood before the Lord.
14 Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly.
15 And he said, “Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the Lord to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.
16 Tomorrow go down against them. They will surely come up by the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the brook before the Wilderness of Jeruel.
17 You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.”
18 And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem bowed before the Lord, worshiping the Lord.
19 Then the Levites of the children of the Kohathites and of the children of the Korahites stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with voices loud and high.
20 So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.”
21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying:
“Praise the Lord,
For His mercy endures forever.”
2 Chronicles 20:22-25 (CEV)
22 As soon as they began singing, the Lord confused the enemy camp,
23 so that the Ammonite and Moabite troops attacked and completely destroyed those from Edom. Then they turned against each other and fought until the entire camp was wiped out!
25 So Jehoshaphat and his troops went into the camp to carry away everything of value. They found a large herd of livestock, a lot of equipment, clothes, and other valuable things. It took them three days to carry it all away, and there was still some left over.
2 Chronicles 20:26-30 (NKJV)
26 And on the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Berachah, for there they blessed the Lord; therefore the name of that place was called The Valley of Berachah until this day.
27 Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat in front of them, to go back to Jerusalem with joy, for the Lord had made them rejoice over their enemies.
28 So they came to Jerusalem, with stringed instruments and harps and trumpets, to the house of the Lord.
29 And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries when they heard that the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel.
30 Then the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his God gave him rest all around.
No comments:
Post a Comment