Joshua 1:9 “I have commanded you, ‘Be strong and courageous! Don’t tremble or be terrified, because Yahweh your Elohim is with you wherever you go.’”
Our world is under attack by a ruthless enemy. An enemy that does not come from God. It is the job of every Christian and every Church, opened in Jesus’ name, to join together in Christian unity, to wage spiritual warfare against this destructive evil until it is defeated.
This tragic pandemic is an opportunity for the followers of Christ, around the globe, to unite and engage in spiritual warfare that will defeat and destroy the works of darkness. Each Christian, within their own unique context, will need to decide how God has called them to engage in this spiritual battle. Each Christian leader will need to listen for the Lord’s voice (and nudging) to decide how best to rally, equip and deploy the troops under their direction. We dare not sit silently and idly by wringing our hands and thinking that we are powerless against this pandemic. Jesus said about US, “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.” (Matthew 5:14-15). This is not the time for Christians to hunker down and ride out the storm. This is the time for Christians to actively engage in spiritual warfare. I argued, but to no avail. The Lord spoke very plainly, “Tell them about the weapons I have provided for them to use.”
We don’t often think of unity as a spiritual weapon. I’m not sure why we don’t since it was one of the great prayers that Jesus offered on behalf of his followers (John 17). It was also one of the keys that opened the door for the Holy Spirit to be poured out on the believers in Acts chapter two. As those early believers waited in obedience and as they prayed together day-by-day, an atmosphere of unity was formed. When they were united and connected in their pursuit of Christ’s promise, the power of the Holy Spirit came upon them and they became witnesses to the community.
The work of the Holy Spirit was the same then as it is now: He draws people into a saving relationship with God and accomplishes the purposes of the Father. His objective in Joshua, as in all the Old Testament, was the salvation of Israel; for it was through this nation that God chose to save the world (Is. 63:7–9).
Several characteristics of the way in which the Spirit works can be seen in Joshua. The Holy Spirit’s work is continual. “I will not leave you nor forsake you” (Joshua 1:5). The Holy Spirit is committed to accomplishing the task, no matter how long it takes. His continued presence is necessary for the success of God’s plan in the lives of men.
The Holy Spirit’s work is mutual. “Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go” (Joshua 1:7). It has been said, “Without Him, we cannot; without us, He will not.”
Cooperation with the Holy Spirit is essential to victory. He empowers us to fulfill our calling and complete the task at hand. The Holy Spirit’s work is supernatural. The fall of Jericho was wrought by the miraculous destruction of its walls (Joshua 6:20). Victory was attained at Gibeon when the Spirit stayed the sun (Joshua 10:12, 13). No true work of God, whether deliverance from bondage or possession of blessing, is accomplished without the Spirit’s help.
God has given to every believer an arsenal of weapons to be used in the spiritual battles that we face. While this article will focus on seven of these weapons, please be assured that we are NOT limited to having only seven at our disposal. The one we serve is the “I AM” God (Exodus 3:14), the one whose very name means, “I will be what you need when you have need.” This would suggest that we have a full ammunition depot available for us.
Christians around the world are not powerless over this or any enemy that seeks to destroy people loved of God. We do well to remember, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:16-17).
One of our strongest weapons is the name of Jesus. This name, supported by a personal relationship, is a powerful force that the enemy recognizes and fears. The name of Jesus is a powerful weapon. I do not have time to list all of the blessings and benefits that belong to believer’s through the name of Jesus. I will, however, cite one precautionary story from the book of Acts, Chapter 19.
Because of the shed blood of Jesus, believers are redeemed, sanctified (set apart), cleansed, forgiven, and justified (brought into right relationship) in the presence of God. The blood of Christ grants us entrance into the very throne room of heaven where we are welcomed as children of God.
The blood of Christ provides victory over all of our enemies. “They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.” (Revelation 12:11). We are able to defeat our enemy because of the shed blood of Jesus, our pascal lamb.
Hebrews 11 is called the FAITH chapter. It highlights God’s hall of fame of faith-filled men and women who, through their faith, accomplished seemingly impossible tasks.
Paul describes faith as a shield for believers. “In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” (Hebrews 6:16).
The shield of faith protects us from the flaming darts of our enemy. Faith extinguishes the enemy’s fire and turns those sinister plans into blessings. Faith is a spiritual weapon that clears the way for us to receive God’s grace. Faith enables us to triumph over whatever the world throws at us. “… for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.” (I John 5:4).
One of the last promises that Jesus gave to his disciples was that they would receive, from the Holy Spirit, power to be effective witnesses. “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8).
The Overcomers in the book of Revelation were victorious, in part, because of their testimony. “They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.” (Revelation 12:11).
NOW IS THE TIME to let your light shine for Jesus. People are searching for solutions and seeking answers to this pandemic. Believers are not powerless. We have been given weapons to assist in fighting against this evil. It is our job to stand up, stand out, and proclaim victory even before we see the end of the battle. Let us not shrink back or shy away because we don’t believe we can do anything. Remember the story of Jehoshaphat. This battle belongs to the Lord. I’ve read the back of the book and we win. Ultimate victory does not excuse us from engaging and utilizing the weapons God has provided for us to use in defeating this pandemic. Perhaps God has strategically placed us “FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS!”
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