Subtopic: Weapons of War:
Scriptural Reading : Jer 51:20-23:, 2 Sam 22: 35: Psa 144:1: Heb 2:9,10: Eph 6:10-18: 2 Tim 2:3,4: Josh 5:13-15:
Salutations saints in the precious name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Who is a believer? In the hands of Almighty God , a believer or believers are weapons of war . They can fight ! And you can fight ! However, you must understand how you become a weapon of war. Who is best suited to teach your hands for war? Who is your war captain? You need to know the God-given weaponry in your hands. You also need to learn the principles and virtues of war. You need definitely to learn the best strategies of warfare. You need to know your enemy! You need to be always prepared for war while dressed in the right armour! You need to learn something about rescue missions!
So, you understand that to be a believer is not a simple thing. Right?
WEAPONS OF WAR:
It is written! Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms; And with thee will I break in pieces the horse and his rider; and with thee will I break in pieces the chariot and his rider; With thee also will I break in pieces man and woman; and with thee will I break in pieces old and young; and with thee will I break in pieces the young man and the maid; I will also break in pieces with thee the shepherd and his flock; and with thee will I break in pieces the husbandman and his yoke of oxen; and with thee will I break in pieces captains and rulers.( Jer 51:20-23).
Notice, from these scriptures, we should understand that, as believers, we have been called to be soldiers in the army of the living God! While writing to Timothy, apostle Paul said: Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. ( 2 Tim 2:3-4). No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. See?
Notice! We are chosen soldiers of Christ! We are called to endure hardness and remain good soldiers of Christ! We are battle axes and weapons of war! We are at war, and we have a common enemy to all of us. ( Eph 6:12). See? It is a spiritual war!
Indeed, Satan and his hordes of demons are the common enemy to all of us. We must know our enemy! Who is a believer? A believer is one who knows his or her enemy! A believer is not one who gets involved or is manipulated to fight or engage in wars against his fellow soldiers, friends, or allies in collaboration. ( Jam 4:1). No, Sir! He or she knows exactly who is the enemy at any one given time! That is a believer in the body of Christ! Yes, Sir!
CHRIST IS THE WAR CAPTAIN:
Notice! Christ is our war captain! Like the warrior Joshua of old when he entered the promised land, one day he was strolling around in area of Jericho, in the promised land which he had with the commission of the Lord God made the nation of Israel to enter. It is written! And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant? And the captain of the LORD'S host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.( Josh 5:13-15).
Notice! Joshua was a believer, a real believer in Jehovah! He believed the word of God! God gave him a commission to take the children of Israel from the wilderness across river Jordan and take them to the promised land and divide the land for each of the twelve tribes of Israel. God had promised that every place that they stepped into, they were to possess it( Josh 1:3). He needed a war captain. God provided him! Why? He was a believer!
That is a believer today! You must know your calling and commission or assignment, which God has given you to do! And then, like Joshua, you need to know and be acquainted with your war captain! Know Him! And to know Him is life! See?
Notice! Joshua was dressed for war! And when he saw this stranger just in front of him, he picked courage and walked straight to him and faced him with this probing question: Art you for us, or for our adversaries?
Imagine that! That is a believer! He knows how to ask the right questions when faced with uncertain opponents! He wants to distinguish between a friend, a brother or sister, a fellow soldier from, the real enemies! He is careful not to launch an attack, which may turn out to be " friendly fire." See? Are you for us or for our enemy? Some of you are busy hulling " quotes " of the Prophet Branham against one another. Be careful. You may be trying to hurt and harm a fellow soldier! A believer knows his or her enemy! Right! Who is a believer?
Notice! The man whom Joshua met answered thus: Nay, but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come. Amen. And the captain of the soldiers of the Christ has already come! It is written! But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.( Heb 2:9-10). See?
Watch! The scripture says, "we see Jesus, crowned with glory and honour!" He is risen from the dead as the mighty conqueror. He came and was manifested to destroy the works of the devil ( 1 Jn 3:8). He did! And today, he is the captain of our salvation! So, who is a believer? A believer is one who looks to the Lord Jesus, embracing him and his revealed word in his or her heart, and honours him as the captain of his or her salvation! That is a believer! He is not putting his or her trust for victory and assurance for eternal destiny on any arms of the flesh! No, Sir! He or she knows that the arm of flesh will fail him or her( Jer 17:5). Victory is only assured in holding to Christ and his unfailing promises ( Matt 24:35). See?
HOLY GROUND:
Notice another thing which he captain of the Lord's host commanded Joshua to do: And the captain of the Lord's host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou stand is holy. And Joshua did so. What does it mean to loose thy shoe? It was a call for humility in Joshua. He must be humble and give reverence to God while serving Him and his people. That is who a believer today should be. You are required as soldiers or weapons of war of God to exercise humility while in service to God and his Kingdom ( 1 Pet 5:6). For pride is demonic, and it is a curse to the one who is imbibed with it! See?
Notice ! What made that place holy? It was because of the presence of God. It happened to Moses the Prophet in the burning bush and also the apostles Peter,James and John in the mountain of transfiguration ( Exod 3:5: 2 Pet 1:18: Matt 17:1-6). See? Therefore, who is a believer?
A believer is one who walks in the righteousness and holiness of God all the days of his or her life( Lk 1:75). See?
GOD TEACHES YOUR HANDS TO WAR:
Listen, friends! If you are called to be a believer, remember you are called to be a soldier of Christ. You are weapons of war in his hand. However, a soldier who is a recruit must be trained for war! Otherwise, no army, even in the world today, sends her soldiers or troops to the battlefield who are simply recruits or novices in the art of warfare! They will be canon fodder for the enemy! It is the same in the spiritual realm.
Therefore, for the soldiers of the Lord, the Lord himself takes responsibility to train and equip them for the spiritual battles against Satan and his demonic forces! Yea.
Notice! It is written! He teacheth my hands to war; so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. ( 2 Sam 22:35). King David was a warrior! He was a fighter! He was a weapon of war and a battle axe in the hands of God. He fought many battles, and the most outstanding one was with him against Goliath, the Philistine giant ( 1 Sam 17:26-37). See? He was a man with great faith( Heb 11:32). It was tested faith because he had experience in the supernatural power of God of deliverance! Right!
That is why he acknowledged that it is God who taught his hands to war! It is written! Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight( Psa 144:. See? He blessed and praised God for doing that noble task to him. God is a man of war!( Exod 15:3). Who can teach one how to fight better than God Almighty? My dear brother and sister, can a seminary education train you to be a good soldier of Christ? Or can your intellectual knowledge alone be of any help to you to train and equip you to face the challenges of modern life today? How can you be able to face the challenges of the conditions of the endtimes, without meeting God face to face and give him your time to train you in your Christian walk, journey and prepare you for your daily battles with the forces of darkness?
Remember, you need him to dress you with the whole armour God so you can be able to overcome the wiles of Satan ( Eph 6:10-18). See? Who is a believer? God says you are my battle axe and weapons of war! My dear brother and sister surrender your entire life to God. Spend some time in his presence both in earnest prayers and reading and studying his word. Find a quiet time with God every day of your life. Believe and obey all his commandments! Afterwards, you will come to realise that he has made out of you, a battle axe and a weapon of war in his holy hands ! Satan and demonic powers will tremble in your presence! That is a believer! You can fight ! Are you a believer, my dear brother and sister? To be continued.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you . Amen . One more soul . We work till Jesus comes .
Pastor Charles Obwoon
