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The Battle is the Lord's
Andrea Lende • July 27, 2020
I Samuel 17:45 and 47
The Battle is the Lord’s
You can also listen to the meditation and prayer at: https://anchor.fm/andrea-lende/episodes/The-Battle-is-the-Lords-ehatp1
Daily Word:
I Samuel 17:45 and 47
“Then said David to the Philistine, You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the ranks of Israel, Whom you have defied.”
“And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.”
David spoke to Goliath out of total and complete faith in God.
He spoke out of his experience with God.
David had spent a number of years in the fields alone with the sheep.
Well, he wasn’t actually alone.
God was with him.
He gained confidence in the Lord as the Lord saved him from many dangers.
David smote both a lion and a bear as he was tending the flock as well as other wild animals.
He could draw on these experiences as he faced another adversary – a giant Philistine.
No one would fight Goliath.
But David had a perfect and strong faith in the Lord.
He knew the Lord would deliver the giant in his hands.
His past experiences gave him that confidence.
As I read this story once again, I thought how wonderful it would be if we could remember all that God has done for us so vividly that we would never be afraid.
There are times that fear stops me in my tracks.
It can immobilize me.
There are some things that I can pass on and don’t need to do.
However, I cannot back down on the things God tells me to do.
So, I ask Him for strength and courage.
I ask Him to lead me and guide me closely.
It helps when I remember what He has already done for me.
So, I try to fix my mind on those things as I move forward with the new.
I also try to remember what David said, “the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.”
The battle is already won.
God has everything worked out.
Today I choose to grow in faith and remember all that God has done for me in the past so that I can move forward with strength and courage.
May you find that as you fix your mind on the greatness of the Lord and all He has done for you, that your faith will be strengthened, and your fears will dissipate.
Daily Prayer:
O Lord, my God, thank You for taking the battle away from me. Thank You for already knowing the outcome and working everything out for Your glory and my good. Thank You for taking care of me in every way. Help me remember all that You have done for me and all the promises that are yet to come. Increase my faith and strengthen my belief in You, Lord, as these days continue to pass with still new issues to fear. May You equip me with courage as I move through this day and all future days. Although it seems that chaos is worsening, help me know it is all a part of Your plan. Your plan is perfect, Lord, and I have no cause to question You. Strengthen me in every way so that I can be of service to You. Help me do all that You have planned for me to do. Help me bless someone this day. Thank You for hearing my prayer.
Answer: I have already won every battle that you will face, My child, and will strengthen you to walk through each one in victory.
Response: Thank You, Almighty and All-Powerful Lord and God.
We start a New Year! How exciting! Paul had just finished telling the Ephesians to put off their old nature. They had been run around by their feelings and desires. He told them to be renewed in their spirit. The Amplified Bible defines this to be “having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude.” As we say goodbye to this year, let us put on the new and leave the old behind. We have an opportunity to reflect on what to bring forward into this New Year.
This is a great message for the New Year. We can be in control of our own words. As a mother, I used to tell my children to use their words to explain what was happening in their minds. I tried to help them find the right words. Words that would help the situation and not make it worse. I must do the same thing when talking to them. It’s important to use words that do not damage their spirits. Words that lift up instead of tear down. Even though my children have grown, I still want to be careful how I speak to them because my worlds will impact them for the rest of their lives.
As we approach the New Year, it is a perfect time to take inventory of what part of our lives, our hearts, and our souls are not bearing fruit. What can we give up as this year comes to a close? What do we need to give to the Lord for His cleansing and pruning? The answers to these questions take time. Time with the Lord. We are creatures of routines and habits which serve us well. But we can also change our routines and habits to serve us and the Lord better. So, we can ask God to show us what He wants us to give up so that He can have more of us.
I cannot think of a better verse to meditate on as we approach the New Year. Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]." For so many years I believed I had to wait to go to heaven to experience the kingdom of God. I have longed to step into heaven and meet the Lord and His Son. However, as we read the Gospels and study Jesus and all that He said, we begin to understand the kingdom of God is all around us. The kingdom of God is within.
Paul wrote to the Colossians and told them he was praying for them. He prayed they would be refreshed, renewed, and invigorated. He also prayed they would be strengthened. May his prayer be heard by the Lord God Almighty on our behalf today just as it was received two thousand years ago. God is the Source of all things beautiful and wonderful. There is no shortage of renewal, refreshment, or inspiration in His kingdom. And as the Creator of this universe, He continues to pour all good things into His people. Paul wrote that refreshment and strength are needed so we may have endurance.
This verse is the perfect verse to reflect on as Christmas comes to a close. The Lord sent His Son to us. He sent Him to this world as a babe. Jesus was given the task of growing up. A difficult one for all of us. He endured the awkward stages we all go through as we grow past them. I look back at old picture and cringe, yes, I cringe. This life provides plenty of opportunities to feel awkward and just plain weird, but our Father loves us as though we are perfect every day of our lives. This is why Jesus came. He came to make us perfect in God’s sight.
God made Himself flesh so He could take away the sins of the world. The story of the very first Christmas was humble, yet the most powerful and loving birth ever recorded in history. All humanity changed in an instant. When Jesus was born, love filled the earth. Love came down and lifted us up. The angels came to tell the shepherds of this beautiful birth. The stars in the heavens also told the story. As we do all tasks that we do to ensure a beautiful Christmas day, may we remember the miracle that God sent long ago. The miracle of all miracles.
The first Christmas was going to be documented, so that it could be read many times over for all Christmas’ to come. It was also documented so the prophecy of the Messiah’s birth would be known to be fulfilled. Prophets of old foretold Jesus would come from the house of David. They also prophesied that He would be born in Bethlehem. And all this came to pass. Even though Jesus would be known as a Nazarene, His beginning began in Bethlehem. God’s divine plan was set in motion with the first census while Mary was at the end of her pregnancy.
What a wonderful passage to read during Christmas week. Our passage touched my heart as I read it through the lens of Jesus’ birth. “It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself.” We have so much to be thankful for in these few short words, “restoring the world to favor with Himself.” So undeserved and yet so graciously given. We are offered favor with the Lord. Imagine having favor with the almighty God, the Creator of the universe. Jesus chose to leave heaven’s door where all was perfect. He chose to be born into this dusty messy world.
Jesus had just spoken to a fig tree and deemed it unworthy to live because it had no fruit on it. His disciples were amazed when they saw the fig tree wither and die. Then the Lord talked to them about prayer and belief. He told them that whatever they asked for, if they had the faith and belief, they would receive it. I remember the day I started hearing music and lyrics. I had just bowed my head at the piano and asked if the Lord would bless praise and worship music. As soon as I prayed that prayer, the Lord bestowed the gift of song writing upon me.