The Higher PlaceSýnishorn

Fighting from a higher ground

Hannibal Barca was one of the greatest military leaders in history best known for his war tactics by taking his troops up the mountains of the Gaul Alps (Gaul Alps, now part of France). This became special because previously no other troops had dared to do this crazy act. Hannibal had defied logic, and this confused a lot of people, especially the Roman soldiers who were their greatest enemy at the time.

The long climbing process made the Carthage troops led by Hannibal familiar with the characteristics of the battlefield above the mountains, for example, which forests can be used as hiding places, which hills can provide strategic views, and so on. There was a belief in Hannibal that convinced him to do so. That belief arose after learning that a battlefield at high altitude could give his troops an edge.

The concepts of higher ground and war are also closely related in the Christian context. If Hannibal's belief comes from the results of investigation and surveillance, the trust we get as believers come from God's Word. In Psalm 18:32-36, David tells how God had given him strength when he fought against his enemies. The Lord gave him strength and straightened the way (verse 32), trained his hands for battle (verse 34), shielded and sustained him (verse 35), and strengthens his legs and takes him to a high place (verse 33).

The word David used to express a high place in the passage is bamah, which is also used in many other passages in the Old Testament to describe a place of worship. When we pray and worship in our daily lives, we are ascending to a higher place to enter into spiritual warfare. Just like David, we can hold fast to God's promises that in Christ's resurrection, He has triumphed over death and put all enemies under His feet. More than that, He made sure that the world had been defeated.

Are you ready to win your spiritual battle with Jesus as our commander-in-chief from the higher place?

Reflection:

·Looking back, what battles have we fought with God? What confirmation or promise has God given in that battle?