WHEN ENEMY IS STRONG
Text: Dt 20: 1-9
Purpose: I want believers to prepare to face their strongest enemies by relying on God and encouraging others.
Introduction
It is easy to be safe and confident when we face enemies who are much weaker than us: "It's like taking candy from a child," "It's like pushing a drunk on a slope," etc.
But what should we do, when we come upon enemies stronger than we?
The people of Israel came out of Egypt under the mighty hand of God. The LORD destroyed the most powerful kingdom of the land, at that time, defeated his strong and well-armed army, opened the sea, overcame the Amalekites, and led them into the land of Canaan.
When they arrived there and sent spies, they were frightened by the testimony of the majority of them, who spoke of stronger enemies, cities with high walls and the certainty that they could not win. Then God took them back to the desert.
Now, the new generation is again heading for the promised land and Moses will give guidance on what to do in the war.
These guidelines will be very useful for the people of God these days, when we also face great enemies.
1. We must not fear the enemy, for God is with us and fights for us.
1.1. The enemy can have extraordinary advantages over us, but it has no advantage over our God.
1.2. The Israelites were not to put their trust in their resources or human capacity, but in God (Os 1: 7). "But of the house of Judah I will have compassion on them, and will save them by the LORD their God; for I will not save them by the bow, nor by the sword, nor by the war, nor by the horses, nor by the horsemen. "
1.3. We must remember the past victories, to cheer ourselves up in the struggles of the present. The God who did in the past (taken out of Egypt) is the same that fights for us today. God was greater than the gods of Egypt. God was greater than the magicians of Egypt. God was greater than the army of Egypt. God was greater than the waters. God was greater than the thirst of the wilderness. God was greater than the famine of the people. God was greater than the heat of the day and the cold of the night. God was greater than the wear of clothing and shoes. Who can overcome this God?
1.4. The secret to winning is to be on the side of the stronger, than always wins! Even in the most difficult circumstances, we must trust in the Lord (Isa. 41: 8-13). "But you, O Israel, my servant, your Jacob, whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham, my friend, whom I took from the ends of the earth, and called you from among his most excellent, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant, I have chosen thee, and I have not rejected thee; do not fear, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am thy God; I will strengthen thee, and I will help thee, and I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Behold, all that are angry with thee shall be ashamed and confounded; they will become nothing; and they that contend with thee shall perish. You will seek them, but you will not find them; and they that fight with thee shall become nothing, and as a thing that is nothing, they that war with thee. For I, the LORD your God, hold you by your right hand and say to you: fear not, for I will help you "(Isa. 41: 8-13).
2. We should encourage others with the certainty that it is God who guarantees us victory.
2.1. The priests (v.2) should bring to the people a word of hope and encouragement, reminding everyone that the presence of God is a guarantee of victory against their enemies.
2.2. Israel, in the past, was let down by the negative report of the spies. Now Moses gives them this command: Fear not, for it is God who goes with us to save us.
2.3. The believer must be a messenger of hope, of victory, of courage. Every day we meet people who pull us down, who want to make us feel discouraged. There are people you can not talk to, because it will ruin your day! There are many people discouraged by the things that happen in their daily lives, but we must carry a message of encouragement: God is with us and will give us victory.
2.4. Knowing that God is with us and who overcomes our wars has implications: When we obtain victory, we must give credit only to Him. It empowers us, gives us courage, gives us resources, does what we can not do and wins who we can not overcome . So the merit is his! It is easy (but dangerous and wrong) to win a war with God fighting for us and then to take credit for it! (Shoot with the gunpowder of others).
2.5. The wicked kings bring glory to themselves: Saul built a monument to mark his victory over the Amalekites (1 Sam. 15:12). Herod spoke so beautifully that the people said: This is not a man, it is a god (Acts 12: 21-23). "And on a appointed day, when Herod had put on his royal garments, he sat on the judgment seat and spoke to them. And the people exclaimed, "The voice of God, and not of man!" And the angel of the LORD smote him, because he did not give glory to God; and, eaten of worms, he hath expired. "(Acts 12: 21-23). The result: they both lost their lives and their kingdom.
2.6. David overcame Goliath, but the merit was from God (1 Sam. 17:47). "And all this congregation shall know that the LORD shall save, not with sword, nor with spear: for the war is of the LORD, and he will give you into our hand. "(1 Sam. 17:47).
2.7. If I have overcome, glory to God. If I sung well, glory to God. If I preached, if the judge gave me the victory in the case, if the job arose, if I was able to account for a contract, everything went well, glory to God, for he gives us victory.
3. We must wage war only with those who are willing to fight.
3.1. Some special circumstances could take somebody's disposition to war: Those who had a new house, a new vineyard, or a woman they had recently married should not go to war, so as not to run the risk of dying in combat and not enjoying of these good things. Surely they would be afraid to fight hard, thinking about what they left behind.
3.2. Here we must consider how important it is to consider these things: our home, our work and our family. And we also encourage ourselves to enjoy this, that is, to be content, grateful to God and willing to extract the best from each of these things, as well as consecrate it to the Lord.
3.3. We must also consider that God does not wish to be served in his wars by men pressed, forced into the army against his will, but all of them should be completely voluntary.
3.4. In addition to the dispositions caused by external circumstances, there are those caused by internal weaknesses: the fearful and cowardly. The fearless and cowardly, with a "loose" heart, should not go to war, so as not to infect others, leading them to become discouraged. A fearful, a discouraged, a coward, can do tremendous damage! So it was on the day of the report of the spies! It is better to have two brave than ten cowards!
3.5. In the army of Gideon, they were the first dispensed: 22 thousand returned (Jn 7: 3, 3). Almost 70%! "And the LORD said unto Gideon, There is much more the people that are with thee, that I may give the Midianites into their hand: that Israel may not boast against me, saying, My hand hath delivered me. And now he proclaimeth in the ears of the people, saying, Let him that is a coward and fearful, let him return, and go haste out of the mountains of Gilead. And there came back out of the people twenty and two thousand, and ten thousand were left "(Jn 7: 3, 3).
3.6. The captains would be chosen from among the brave who were left. Only courageous men like them can lead the brave.
Conclusion
Fear is evidence of lack of faith. If God is for us, who can be against us? (Rm 8.31).
God is for us. If He is on our side, it does not matter who is on the other side!
If we are afraid of opponents or difficult circumstances, we are saying: "With this, God can not! ", And this is not true.
Nothing weakens both hands and softens the heart.
Those who have God with them have no reason to fear.
We have no reason to be afraid, for what is with us is greater (1 John 4: 4). "Little children, you are of God, and have overcome them; because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. "
What enemies have risen against you? They are big? Are they bigger than you?
But surely they are not greater than your God!
If there are challenges and struggles before us, let us go forward, with courage, without fear, for God will give us victory.
