Grace Bible Church
Pastor-Teacher Robert R. McLaughlin Friday, August 25, 2017
The importance of the military and preparation for war, both in the natural realm and in the spiritual.
Luk 14:31, "What king or ruler of a nation, when he advances to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and take counsel whether he is strong enough with 10,000 men to attack the one coming against him with 20,000 men?."
PSA 138:2 I will bow down toward Thy holy temple, And give thanks to Thy name for Thy lovingkindness and Thy truth; For Thou hast magnified Thy word according to all Thy name.
JAM 1:22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.
ZEC 2:5 describes that wall of fire when the Lord said, "For I, declares the Lord, will be a wall of fire around her, and I will be the glory in her midst."
We also noted some of the winner soldiers from the Old testament as in Heb 11:7, Noah was an individual who operated as a believer for the crisis in spite of the mocking and rejection which he had to face.
HEB 11:7 By means of doctrine resident in the soul, Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the deliverance of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.
We are told that Noah was a man who walked with God in the midst of evil surroundings, Gen 6:8-12.
Heb 11:31 By means of doctrine resident in the soul, Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies in peace.
The leadership of this woman who is called a harlot illustrates that even in a wicked environment a wicked individual could find grace by turning to the Lord and she also spared her family from the crisis!
Her people were hopelessly depraved and yet one whore, who became a believer, brought blessing upon her entire household, Jos 6:25.
MAT 13:58 And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.
Note that phrase "be sure your sin will find you out.".....= The sin here is not going to war and being a draft dodger.
In 1Ch 5:18‑22. Just warfare is always from the Lord.
In JOS 11:23 teaches that victory in war means the perpetuation of peace for a certain time.
JOS 11:23 So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the Lord had spoken to Moses, and Joshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. Thus the land had rest from war.
Psa 46:7-9 Teaches that "He makes wars to cease" through military victory.
God destroys nations who seek to conquer other nations, as in DAN 2:44, 4:17.
DAN 2:44 "And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever."
Psa 68:30 Rebuke the beasts in the reeds, (in Egypt) the herd of bulls (their leaders) with the calves of the peoples, trampling underfoot the pieces of silver; He has scattered the peoples who delight in war.
God delivers from nations who talk peace but mean war, Psa 140:1‑2; Jer 6:13‑14, 8:11.
Psa 140:1-2 Rescue me, o lord, from evil men; preserve me from violent men, who devise evil things in {their} hearts; they continually stir up wars. Why nations start wars, Jer 6:13‑14.
Jer 6:13 "For from the least of them even to the greatest of them, everyone is greedy for gain, and from the prophet even to the priest everyone manufactures lies.
Jer 6:14 "And they have healed the brokenness of my people superficially, saying, 'peace, peace,' but there is no peace.
The mature believer is courageous in battle and puts to flight the invading armies, Heb 11:33‑34.
Psa 27:3 Though a host encamp against me, my heart will not fear; though war arise against me, in {spite of} this I shall be confident. Job 5:20 "In famine He will redeem you from death, and in war from the power of the sword.
He understands and uses self and group discipline, has a relaxed mental attitude, common sense, a sense of responsibility, understanding of strategy and tactics.
Warfare is also a means of discipline, Jud 5:8; 2Ch 16:6‑9.
Jdg 5:8 "New gods were chosen; then war {was} in the gates. Not a shield or a spear was seen among forty thousand in Israel.