Have you ever been in a fight? Have you ever witnessed a neighborhood fight? Have you ever been in a neighborhood fight? For each battle, perhaps there is a different outcome. If the battle becomes too rough, you might retreat – to live and fight another day.
Have you ever heard someone run to your parents and proclaim, “Your children are fighting.” When a fight occurs publicly, there is usually someone who runs ahead to tell of its occurrence.
Why are we fighting?
In battle, great warriors, will size up the enemy, continue to access if they are winning; and come to the conclusion that it is time to retreat – for they have determined if they will prevail.
1 Samuel 31 tells the story of a battle fought by the Israelites against the Philistines. Saul was their leader at the time. It would be the last battle that Saul would fight against this enemy. It is said that in this battle, the men of Israel withdrew and attempted to remove themselves. However, the Philistines followed after them. The story continues concerning the fate of Saul, his sons and his men.
I only tell part of this story because it is true that not every battle is winnable for your glory. This is an example of a battle that was lost by Israel. While this story does not give the details of the battle, it does tell the outcome. Saul lost his life by his own hands. Check your hands, people. Check your own hands. Is the battle you are fighting, is it yours?
David, on the other hand, fought his battles as the servant of the Lord. He writes in Psalm 18, how he suffered during battles. David said that God rewarded him because of his (David’s) righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he recompensed (rewarded) me.
Further into the scripture, David writes in verse 34, “ He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. He trains my hands for battle; he strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow.
Unfortunately, there are many who will fight a battle that God has not chosen for them. They intervene into situations that are not honored by God; rather, they choose fights to honor man and for self-glory.
God, your children are fighting. Why are they fighting battles that are not yours? Why are they tearing each other apart? Why are they engaging in unfruitful wars?
David, said that you are a battle-axe. In fact, in these verses, David sang of your warring spirit. He told of the victory that you gave him.
Psalms 18:5-20 NKJV
5 The cords of death encompassed me;
the torrents of destruction terrified me.
6 The cords of Sheol encircled me;
the snares of death lay in wait for me.
7 In my distress I called out: Lord!
I cried out to my God.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry to him reached his ears.
8 The earth rocked and shook;
the foundations of the mountains trembled;
they shook as his wrath flared up.
9 Smoke rose from his nostrils,
a devouring fire from his mouth;
it kindled coals into flame.
10 He parted the heavens and came down,
a dark cloud under his feet.
11 Mounted on a cherub he flew,
borne along on the wings of the wind.
12 He made darkness his cloak around him;
his canopy, water-darkened stormclouds.
13 From the gleam before him, his clouds passed,
hail and coals of fire.
14 The Lord thundered from heaven;
the Most High made his voice resound.
15 He let fly his arrows and scattered them;
shot his lightning bolts and dispersed them.
16 Then the bed of the sea appeared;
the world’s foundations lay bare,
At your rebuke, O Lord,
at the storming breath of your nostrils.
17 He reached down from on high and seized me;
drew me out of the deep waters.
18 He rescued me from my mighty enemy,
from foes too powerful for me.
19 They attacked me on my day of distress,
but the Lord was my support.
20 He set me free in the open;
he rescued me because he loves me.
Lord, your children are fighting. Are they fighting battles that belong to you? Are they fighting battles that you have no hand in it and yet, they are calling it yours? Are they going into battles that will lead to death by their own hands? Will they listen to you, Lord? What will they do, Lord? What is your response? Lord, your children are fighting.
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