How To Fight Your Battles

 “So, David went on and became great, and the Lord of hosts was with him.” – 1 Chronicles 11:9

 

The story of David’s life has always been a sweet spot in my Bible reading.  He was a simple young boy, a shepherd tending sheep in the countryside.  When the day came that Samuel was called to anoint him as King even his own father wasn’t thinking of David.  He presented all his brothers, and David was an afterthought.

Reading about David’s relationship with God you can hear his humility.  You can hear in his conversations with God how dependent he knew he was on God.  When he was going up against Goliath he said, “The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” (1 Samuel 17:37) When he knew by Jonathan’s arrow that he had to escape Saul he bowed down three times, which is an act of humility and worship. Yet throughout David’s life, troubles and struggles were continual!   

David, or perhaps Samuel who wrote so much about David, had a favorite name for our God.  We all know He has many names, such as Jehovah Jireh, Jehovah Nissin, Jehovah Rapha, Adonai, El Shaddai, Yahweh, and so on.  But time and time again, David refers to Him as the ”Lord of Hosts”. 

When David spoke to Goliath he said, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.” (I Samuel 17:45).  1 Samuel 5:10 says that David, as King of Israel, “became great, and the Lord God of hosts was with him.” In 1 Samuel 6:2 when David first went to retrieve the Ark of the Covenant from Baale Judah, it is referred to as “the ark of God, whose name is called by the Name, the Lord of Hosts, who dwells between the cherubim”.  After finally retrieving the Ark 2 Samuel 16:8 says that after they had sacrificed offerings, danced, and praised God, David “blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts.”

The Lord of Hosts mean that God commands an army of Angels, the Moon, the Sun, and the Stars.  David understood something that I think a lot of us have never recognized.  Angels do walk among us (Hebrews 13:2).  And they’re not little naked butt babies with wings or women with long flowing hair and gowns!  They are warriors! 

Some believe there are unisex – neither man nor woman.  But in the Bible those that are named are men (Michael, Gabriel, & Lucifer, the fallen angel.)  Michael was the Archangel who warred against the “king of Persia” in Daniel 10:13, and the angel who fought the dragon in Revelation 12:7.  Gabriel was the messenger angel that appeared to Zechariah and Elizabeth when she was pregnant with John the Baptist, and to Mary when she was pregnant with Jesus. He also appeared twice to Daniel with messages.  And lastly, Lucifer, Satan himself, once was an angel.  But he warred against the army of Heaven and was cast out, along with a third of all angels (Ezekiel 28:12-19).  And friends, if you don’t know his occupation, God bless you!

The Army of Heaven is made of angels, mighty warriors.  The Lord of Hosts commands them.  And friends, if He commanded them to watch over David and protect him from Goliath, from many wars, from Saul, and if He sends them to give messages to Zachariah, Daniel and Mary,  – He most certainly is commanding them over His children today and sending messages by them as well. 

The Lord of Hosts is how you should fight your battles. 

First, you want an army that can defeat your foe.  Ephesians 6:12 says we don’t wrestle against flesh (humans), but “against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Now if you had an enemy causing you grief in Kentucky, would you send someone from Nebraska to fight your battle?  Of course not.  Likewise, if our enemy if in the “heavenly places” we should ask God to send angels to defeat our enemy. 

Secondly, you don’t want a defender who is a first timer for the fighting ring.  The armies of the Lord has already defeated Satan and his evil troop when they were cast out of heaven.  The Lord of Host commands and army that has not been defeated.

And lastly, look back to David.  He pleaded with the Lord of Hosts to fight His battles, and he became great because the Lord of Hosts was with him.  Your success is rooted in your relationship with God, our Lord of Hosts.  He is almighty.  He reigns over all creation.  He is the only one who has the power to build up and cast down.

Friends, are you tired of trying to fight your own battles? It’s time to recognize defeat and fight them in prayer to the Lord of Hosts.  He is our great defender.