April 6, 2022
Friends,
Thank you for praying for our prodigals and for revival. Thank you for doing battle in God’s presence for those in need.
This is how Paul described Epaphras. He said, “[Epaphras] who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers” (Colossians 4:12).
He contended. He labored. He fought. He struggled on his knees for the furtherance of God’s kingdom. He was a warrior!
Going back to Hebrews 11 and the faith-hero of David, we learn that while David was a good shepherd and leader for God’s people, he was most definitely a warrior at heart. He was raised up by God for a specific time period with a specific purpose. Paul verified this reality in his address to the Jewish people in Antioch by saying, “For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation” (Acts 13:36).
He wasn’t what you might think of when you think of a warrior. He wasn’t out for blood. He wasn’t wanting to decimate lands and pillage and plunder. He wasn’t seeking accolades and fame. His focus as a war hero was vertical. It was toward his God. His faith in God was intertwined with his activities on the battlefield.
In his fight against the giant Goliath, David fought for God’s honor. He asked the question to the soldiers of Saul, “For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” (1 Samuel 17:26).
The enemy hates all that is precious to God. Ever since he was cast from heaven, he has been trying his best to discredit, detract from, or dishonor His name.
The giant was Satan’s way of destroying God’s honor by invoking fear and cowardliness and maintaining control over Israel. He succeeded until a man stood up and said, “God’s honor is more important than my life!”
You too are a warrior for God’s honor, and this takes true faith!
David fought for God’s inheritance. He knew the covenant God had made with Abraham. He understood the struggles associated with getting God’s people from Egypt into the Promised Land. He read the stories of Joshua and battles fought in the past in order to gain the boundaries God had set. David wanted to protect and keep what God had established.
When praying to God after the ark was returned to Jerusalem, David reminded God of His promises. God said, “To you I will give the land of Canaan, as your portion for an inheritance” (1 Chronicles 16:18).
What God gave to His people was a cause worth fighting for! When David went out to battle, he remembered that he was defending God’s inheritance.
God’s inheritance is more than just land. His inheritance includes all the benefits and blessings that come to us because of what Christ our Savior did at the cross. We are now children of God — sons and daughters who have an eternal inheritance (Hebrews 9:15).
While the fullness will come in a future day, this inheritance is meant to be presently enjoyed. We are right now the sons and daughters of God. We have peace with God. We know our sins are forgiven. We get to walk with God each and every day. We talk with Him and He with us. These are inheritance blessings that are worth fighting for.
Lastly, David was fighting for God’s legacy. He wanted the name of God to be perpetually heard in the streets of Jerusalem. He wanted the God of Israel to be reverenced and worshiped throughout the generations to come. He wanted God to be king of His people forever.
He said, “Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations. [The LORD is faithful in all his words and kind in all his works.]” (Psalm 145:13).
He understood the bigger picture of who God was and what He was doing, and, as a result, he fought for the same. We are living in a different time period, in a different culture, and with different battles to fight, but the God we serve is the same God that David served.
When we can put our immediate story into the context of God’s eternal story, then we can truly live with a sense of purpose. As warriors for the cause of our God, we live for His legacy to live on for many generations to come.
Love in Christ,
Bryan and Rachel