I Chronicles 5:18

Skillful In War

War has many strategies and one of them is to know your opposition and render him ineffective at every turn.  Two ways of doing this are called War of attrition, or wear them down; and crippling them, or taking out key abilities.  It all boils down to becoming Skillful in War. 

          "The sons of Reuben, and the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh, of valiant men, men able to bear buckler and sword, and to shoot with bow, and skillful in war, {were} four and forty thousand seven hundred and threescore, that went out to the war."

For the Christian, the Bible states it like this, "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ."  (2 Cor. 10:4-5)  In other words, it's a "mind" thing; "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus."  (Phil. 2:5)  We need to think like our Lord Jesus Christ and see the enemy as He sees him. 

Almighty God fights wars in a very unique way and we may "have to go some," as they say, to figure out His methods.  He told Gideon to place trumpets and empty jars with torches inside, in the hands of all the men.  When they were given the signal, they were to blow the trumpets, smash the jars, hold the torch in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands and shout, "A sword for the Lord and for Gideon."  It so confused the enemy that they smashed into each other and ran crying as they fled!  We could save a lot of money if we fought our Nations' wars with this type of equipment; one plastic shopping bag with a jar, a candle, and a trumpet, per soldier, from the local Kmart and march onto the battlefield with our "baggy" in hand shouting, "A sword for the Lord and America!"  That would do them in, alright!   

If we think about it, it's not so irrational, after all.  The Lord crippled the enemy with utter confusion and with all the running and crying they were doing, He no doubt wore them down somewhat!  Our enemy; the "cast out" one; the one who must ask Jesus' permission to do anything to us; the one who will be thrown "by just ONE Angel" into the lake of fire; the one whose days are numbered, satan, is worn down and crippled by just three phrases:  "By the Name of Jesus; by the blood of Jesus; and by the Word of Jesus!" 

Our Lord is looking for a group that knows how to "pray;" that knows how to pull down strongholds; that laps water like a dog while watching for the enemy; He searches for an army who starves their bodies to strengthen their spirits; for a united people who will humble themselves before Him and seek His Will; and for some that think like Him, walk like Him, talk like Him, and "Win" like Him.  He wants a people called by His name, who will wield the sword of the Spirit, the Bible, with ultimate skill, and render our enemy inoperable and defeated.

God's Church is His shining armor of power sent forth to conquer evil, save the souls of men, and fill the waiting heavenly barracks; it is a completion of His "circle of life;" from Eden to Eden.  This sums up how God thinks: "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."  (2 Chron. 7:14)

For the Christian, it doesn't take a tank, a gun, a warplane, or even a face mask to be an efficient soldier.  In God's eyes, it takes a blood-bought, Holy Ghost-filled, baptised in Jesus' Name, praying, humbled, soul-saved, Word-proclaiming, devil-chasing, God-fearing, Saint, clad in the full armor of Almighty God. 

So, grab your "baggy;" let's hit the battleground.  There are some demons and devils we need to send runnin' and cryin'.  It's got a name; it's called being "Skillful in War!"
                                                                                                                                                          By Sheryl Fowler

(Visit promiselandchurch.net and theexperience238.com.  PromiseLand Church, Austin, Texas, "Austin In Love," Pastor Kenneth Phillips)