I Am a Warrior - Part 1Ihe Atụ

Know Your Commander in Chief

Devotional Content:

Let’s finish out the story we began yesterday from Second Samuel. Remember David learned that the Ammonites and the Arameans were approaching to do battle with the Israelites. The enemies now have positioned themselves on two fronts, presenting a real challenge for the Israelites. Joab, dispatched by David, takes his pick of the best of the Israelite men and deploys them to confront the Arameans. He puts the rest of the army under the command of his brother Abishai and deploys them to confront the Ammonites.

Then Joab says these words to his brother, “If the Arameans are too much for me, you help me. And if the Ammonites prove too much for you, I’ll come and help you. Courage! We’ll fight with might and main for our people and for the cities of God. And God will do whatever He sees needs doing.”

God is our Commander in Chief, but did you get what Joab was saying? God is not a bystander. He is not sitting on His throne in Heaven doing nothing. God is going to do whatever needs to be done! When you see your kids struggling with culture and are fearful of all the things that they may be exposed to, God is right there with you in the battle.

When marriage is tough and you have that helpless, “I have no idea what to do” feeling, your Commander is there with you in the battle. He has all the answers that you lack. When your boss asks you to do something in business that you know is wrong, God is there. Your strength is not in yourself. My strength is not in myself.

This world that our kids and grandkids are growing up in scares the heck out of me too. It seems like the battle is bigger than my mission. I am saddened every time I hear that a couple has given up on their marriage. I fight for strong, God-honoring marriages every day. The thought comes, “You can’t do it.” I used to fight that thought, but I now accept it as truth. I really can’t do it, BUT GOD CAN! The Holy Spirit in me equips me to do battle every day.

When I am obedient to God, He is there. He equips me and fights alongside me. With Him, we will win the battles because He will do whatever He sees needs doing!

Today’s Challenge:

1. What qualities do you think David saw in Joab when he picked him to lead the Israelites into battle?
2. Do you see God as a bystander or as an active participant in your life?
3. What stands in the way of you embracing God into your life in the fullness of who He is?

Going Deeper:

How does knowing that God will do whatever He sees that needs to be done affect you as a warrior on a mission?