Psalms 24:8 Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.
Studying the opponent, their strength, strategies and schemes play a pivotal part in the planning and preparation for a battle. “If you know the enemy and know yourself, your victory will not stand in doubt.” – Sun Tzu. Analyzing the skills, the line of attack, the commander-in-chief, weaponry, techniques and most importantly the limitations (weaknesses) of the opponent are rudimentary requirements for victory.
Life is a battlefield. The certainty of victory rests on the groundwork on bent knees. Like the natural battles, spiritual battles must be scrutinized. Unless we understand the cause, there will be no cure. The spiritual realm has battle arrays, ranks of authority, spiritual armory and attacking tactics. Studying the word of God will give us insight into the enemy’s plot and the Holy Spirit will give us the ploy to resist and retaliate.
The first battle of Joshua was not with sword, spear and shield; it was won in silence and a shout of victory! They faced an impenetrable wall at Jericho. The military plan was mindboggling. Joshua and the armed men marched around the walled city in silence for six days; On the seventh day, they marched seven times, with the priests carrying the “Ark of the Covenant”, blowing their trumpets. When they heard a long blast of the trumpet, the army raised a shout of victory that brought the fortified fortress down! Archeologists say that Jericho had stone retaining walls of about 12-15 feet in height. On top of the stone retaining wall, stood another wall made of mud-bricks, 6 feet (2m) thick and 20-26 feet (6-8m) high. Together these two walls combined to form a fortification of 32-41 feet high.
Our battles are not with bricks or blocks but cold-war with blocked minds, impenetrable stubbornness, twisted ideologies and wrong philosophies of people and policies. The battlefield is in our own minds or in the mind of our sons, daughters, pals or spouses.
Three strategies to crumble the brick walls and rusty iron doors of the mind:
- Presence: The Ark of the Covenant that Joshua carried represents the presence of the Lord. Where the presence of the Lord is, there is victory. Remember, the battle is not between Heaven and hell. Hell melts and the demonic forces quiver at the name of Jesus. The battle is between the emotions, reactions and sentiments. Exasperating, vexing statements “I can’t endure this anymore”, shifts the onus on us, ignoring the power of the Almighty. Invite the presence of the Lord and annihilate the demonic penetration.
- Peace: Joshua commanded his armed soldiers to march in silence for 6 days. Silence, serenity and stillness paralyzes the demonic. Don’t verbalize the perils or let them steal your peace. Our peace in the turbulence and our trust in the omnipotence of God freezes the demonic. Peace paralyzes the demonic ghetto.
- Praise: Joshua’s brigade shouted at the trumpet blast. The blast blew the battlements down. Demons paralyzed on the parapet will come crumbling down with the shouts of ‘Halleluiah’. Praise smashes the fortified argumentative walls of bitterness. Praise shatters the ego entanglements, psychological prisons, social impediments, seductions, stigma, and corrupt theologies. Praise collapses the hardened walls of the mind.
The battle strategy to win the walled wrong philosophies, waywardness and willful rebellion is Praise.
Joshua 5:20a When the men gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, coach me to break ego entanglements, psychological prisons and stigma with your presence, Godly peace and Praise. Amen.
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