Isaiah 52:12
But you will not leave in haste or go in flight; for the LORD will go before you, the God of Israel will be your rear guard.
PRAYER
Lord God, ready me for battle. Fit me with battle armament specific to the fight. Go before me in strength and guard me from behind in your power. Stay my mind on your word and cause it to focus my attention on you, not on my circumstances. Fight for me, Lord.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Additional Devotions
Have you ever had a Garden of Gethsemane moment? Where God is inviting you to walk the more difficult path in a matter? One where you are finding yourself begging for a different outcome? You know God can change the course, but He doesn’t, and you are left with one of two responses—Your will or His.
Jesus faced ultimate agony in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before his crucifixion. He responded in a posture of submission but not before asking that the cup of wrath be removed, not once but three times *(Matthew 26: 39, 42 & 44). In the end, He bowed His head and His will in surrender. His response, “Not my will but your will be done.”
The lesson in this is beautiful and exceptionally hard to apply personally. It is at odds with our natural bent for internal equilibrium. We go to great lengths to eliminate any and all tension threatening our peace.
And yet, for most of us, life is not linear. Tension is our reality. We may have stretches of time where life seems predictable and pleasantly boring, but those pockets of peace only last a while before a storm hits, a battle rages, or a fire breaks out. And when it does, we are called to the frontline and given marching orders for the fight.
For some this is terrifying. For others, thrilling. Whatever your persuasion, being battle ready is paramount. And this is where we are headed this week. So let’s take a look at a few areas of readiness to help us for the warfare we will face in this life.
It’s important to keep in mind that even in our battle preparedness, sometimes the battle we think we are fighting isn’t our battle to fight at all; it’s the LORDs. In these moments, when God directs us to stand still and watch Him work *(Exodus 14;13; 2 Chronicles 20:17), we must trust Him and stand still. Even in the dark. Especially in the dark.
Conversely, there are times when God says, “Go”. When this happens, we are to move forward with confidence and faith that He, indeed, is leading us. David was called to this approach when he met Goliath on the battlefield. He didn’t turn a blind eye or avoid the problem at hand. He ran toward it with confidence that the Lord God was with him and fighting on his behalf. God equips us to do the same. So when you hear Him telling you to move forward, trust Him and do it.
To prepare for the frontline of battle we need to operate with our eyes wide open, our minds on cue, and our spirits tuned to the voice of the Lord. Our victory in battle and in life is at stake. And although our battles might look different, the premiss is still the same: Prep is key!
Being prepared ahead of time is the best plan of attack. And similar to a good football strategy, the best defense is a good, strong offense. In the same vein, the first line of defense, spiritually speaking, is being battle ready. And to be battle ready you need to make sure you not only have your armor on, but that it’s in good shape, and it fits.
Yes, as Christians we have spiritual armor. It is described very clearly in *Ephesian 6:10-17. Each piece of armor is unique and designed for a very specific purpose. Read this list slowly allowing a picture to form in your mind as you put each one on and claim it as your own…
The belt of truth…The breastplate of righteousness…Feet fitted with peace…The shield of faith…The helmet of salvation…and The sword of the Spirit which is the word of God!
Now that is a picture of strength, and you are looking mighty fierce!
Another tactic for battle readiness is the discipline of staying focused. I say discipline because it is hard work to stay focused. We can see a great picture of focus in the story of Joshua. Specific marching orders had been handed down to Joshua after the death of Moses, and he was charged with leading God’s people into the Promise Land. He was to take the land by way of war in most cases. But to do this, focus was not only necessary, but it was also essential.
Finally, we must possess a heightened sense of spiritual acuity through prayer. Our greatest gift is the Holy Spirit as we see in *John 14:26. Being spiritually connected to the source is perhaps the most critical component of being battle ready. Invest time and energy here. Pray for wisdom. Pray for protection. Pray for an attitude of submission to God’s will. Pray. Pray. Pray.
When you do, you will find a strength rise in your core that you’ve never known before. It is here, in the battle where strength and humility must shake hands and decide to work in tandem. Why? Because our responsibility in battle it to persevere. And we cannot persevere without prayer.
Reflect and Respond:
Whatever battle you are facing today, this week, or this year…one thing remains the same, God is our Commander in chief, and He is also our rear guard. He goes before us and behind us in power and strength.
Hugs for a great week and remember, you are not alone. Be prepared. Be focused. Be connected—Be battle ready.
*Scriptures:
*Matthew 26: 39, 42 & 44; Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”; He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”; So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.
*Exodus 14;13; Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again.;
*2 Chronicles 20:17; You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’”
*Ephesian 6:10-17; 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
*John 14:26; “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”
Verse for the Week: Isaiah 52:12; “But you will not leave in haste or go in flight; for the LORD will go before you, the God of Israel will be your rear guard”
*(Please note, all scripture references are in full at the end of this post)
Have you ever had a Garden of Gethsemane moment? Where God is inviting you to walk the more difficult path in a matter? One where you are finding yourself begging for a different outcome? You know God can change the course, but He doesn’t, and you are left with one of two responses—Your will or His.
Jesus faced ultimate agony in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before his crucifixion. He responded in a posture of submission but not before asking that the cup of wrath be removed, not once but three times *(Matthew 26: 39, 42 & 44). In the end, He bowed His head and His will in surrender. His response, “Not my will but your will be done.”
The lesson in this is beautiful and exceptionally hard to apply personally. It is at odds with our natural bent for internal equilibrium. We go to great lengths to eliminate any and all tension threatening our peace.
And yet, for most of us, life is not linear. Tension is our reality. We may have stretches of time where life seems predictable and pleasantly boring, but those pockets of peace only last a while before a storm hits, a battle rages, or a fire breaks out. And when it does, we are called to the frontline and given marching orders for the fight.
For some this is terrifying. For others, thrilling. Whatever your persuasion, being battle ready is paramount. And this is where we are headed this week. So let’s take a look at a few areas of readiness to help us for the warfare we will face in this life.
It’s important to keep in mind that even in our battle preparedness, sometimes the battle we think we are fighting isn’t our battle to fight at all; it’s the LORDs. In these moments, when God directs us to stand still and watch Him work *(Exodus 14;13; 2 Chronicles 20:17), we must trust Him and stand still. Even in the dark. Especially in the dark.
Conversely, there are times when God says, “Go”. When this happens, we are to move forward with confidence and faith that He, indeed, is leading us. David was called to this approach when he met Goliath on the battlefield. He didn’t turn a blind eye or avoid the problem at hand. He ran toward it with confidence that the Lord God was with him and fighting on his behalf. God equips us to do the same. So when you hear Him telling you to move forward, trust Him and do it.
To prepare for the frontline of battle we need to operate with our eyes wide open, our minds on cue, and our spirits tuned to the voice of the Lord. Our victory in battle and in life is at stake. And although our battles might look different, the premiss is still the same: Prep is key!
Being prepared ahead of time is the best plan of attack. And similar to a good football strategy, the best defense is a good, strong offense. In the same vein, the first line of defense, spiritually speaking, is being battle ready. And to be battle ready you need to make sure you not only have your armor on, but that it’s in good shape, and it fits.
Yes, as Christians we have spiritual armor. It is described very clearly in *Ephesian 6:10-17. Each piece of armor is unique and designed for a very specific purpose. Read this list slowly allowing a picture to form in your mind as you put each one on and claim it as your own…
The belt of truth…The breastplate of righteousness…Feet fitted with peace…The shield of faith…The helmet of salvation…and The sword of the Spirit which is the word of God!
Now that is a picture of strength, and you are looking mighty fierce!
Another tactic for battle readiness is the discipline of staying focused. I say discipline because it is hard work to stay focused. We can see a great picture of focus in the story of Joshua. Specific marching orders had been handed down to Joshua after the death of Moses, and he was charged with leading God’s people into the Promise Land. He was to take the land by way of war in most cases. But to do this, focus was not only necessary, but it was also essential.
Finally, we must possess a heightened sense of spiritual acuity through prayer. Our greatest gift is the Holy Spirit as we see in *John 14:26. Being spiritually connected to the source is perhaps the most critical component of being battle ready. Invest time and energy here. Pray for wisdom. Pray for protection. Pray for an attitude of submission to God’s will. Pray. Pray. Pray.
When you do, you will find a strength rise in your core that you’ve never known before. It is here, in the battle where strength and humility must shake hands and decide to work in tandem. Why? Because our responsibility in battle it to persevere. And we cannot persevere without prayer.
Prayer:
Lord God, ready me for battle. Fit me with battle armament specific to the fight. Go before me in strength and guard me from behind in your power. Stay my mind on your word and cause it to focus my attention on you, not on my circumstances. Fight for me, Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Reflect and Respond:
Whatever battle you are facing today, this week, or this year…one thing remains the same, God is our Commander in chief, and He is also our rear guard. He goes before us and behind us in power and strength.
Hugs for a great week and remember, you are not alone. Be prepared. Be focused. Be connected—Be battle ready.
Dori
*Scriptures:
*Matthew 26: 39, 42 & 44; Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”; He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”; So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.
*Exodus 14;13; Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again.;
*2 Chronicles 20:17; You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’”
*Ephesian 6:10-17; 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
*John 14:26; “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”