2 Samuel 3:1a The war between the house of Saul and the house of David lasted a long time.
The longest recorded war in history was “The Reconquista” fought in the Iberian Peninsula (present-day Spain and Portugal) for approximately 774 years! Almost 7 to 8 generations lived and died in war. They would have never seen the beauty of their nations or enjoyed the luxury of peace. Similarly, there are some battles that appear to be never ending! The unrest appears to die down for a short while but the seething under the surface erupts like a dormant volcano without warning.
There was a long battle before David took the throne of Israel. David was anointed as a teenager but it was a prolonged battle of 15 years before he could sit on the throne. He died at around 70 years which means 1/5th of his lifetime he was battling with an envious leader who refused to let power go. Long battles are much more difficult to endure than the fierce ones. They deflate confidence and demean faith. “If it is thy will, heal, deliver and save” is a feeble prayer from a fragile faith. We don’t fight for victory – we fight from victory. Jesus has already won the battle. Our job is only to clean up the mess that the demonic world tries to wield.
After having fasted until we fit into size 6, after having shed all our tears, after exhausting ourselves in petitioning and praying, we reach a point of exhaustion. Our faith was on the mountain top when we started the battle to win our family member back into the fold or to overcome the financial or psychological crisis but constant striving could have debilitated our faith and decapitated our fervor.
Battle strategies during prolonged battles:
- Position: Prolonged battles prepare us to handle power. Battling the same issues over and over again wastes away our enthusiasm. Though David battled for 15 years for the throne, he was in no hurry to take the place of power. He did not resort to shortcuts nor did he undercut King Saul. Even when he had a chance to assassinate Saul he refused to kill the Lord’s anointed and appointed leader. Hence even today, David is celebrated as the greatest King of Israel. Prolonged battles position us in stability and sanity that pride could topple.
- Priority: Prolonged battles mold our priorities. David was a seasoned leader whereas Saul was a power-crazy untrained, immature callow. The routing, battering and battling for 15 years taught David to prioritize divinity above royalty. God ruled on the throne of His heart so, David reigned honoring the Almighty, all the days of his life. Resetting preferences, prayer hours and praise breaks push us closer to the victory line.
- Purity: Prolonged battles purify us. It makes us more compassionate, slow to judge and quick to forgive. The more times gold is put through the refiner’s fire, the greater its value. Pure gold is brighter in colour and more expensive. The longer and tougher the battle, the brighter our future.
Quick win puffed Saul with pride but prolonged battle prepared David for nobility. Prolonged battles positions and propels us to power.
2 Samuel 3:1b David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.
Prayer: Dear Jesus, when the going gets tough and the battle is longer than expected, help me to be patient and persevere as you have already won this battle. Teach me to fight from the place of victory. Amen.
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