Untitled Document

Battlegrounds. They plague us all. They happen at home, in the neighborhood, at school, and at our places of work. Minefields even show up at church. The question is, how do we handle them? Fortunately, God gives specific directions.

God declares ownership of our battles. 2 Chronicles 20:15 states that "the battle is not yours, but God's." He even dictates the arms we must use. In 2 Corinthians 10:3-4 he says: "For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds."

Worldly weapons would include things such as name-calling, intimidation, and a demanding spirit. Intellectualism, the ability to articulate well, money, numbers, stockpiles, and sheer strength round out the worldly arsenal. But God is quick to remind us that "his pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of a man; the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love" (Ps. 147:10-11).

The prophet Zechariah echoes the sentiment, "'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the Lord Almighty" (Zechariah 4:6). Spiritual weapons are those that can only be utilized through surrender to the Holy One. These would be things like humility, a transformed life, a servant's heart, a soft answer, forgiveness, prayer, sacrifice, and a blessing for a curse.

One who was an extraordinary warrior provides a model for us. The story is familiar. A Sunday schooler of any age knows about the shepherd boy and the giant. In reality it was a mismatch. A giant lost to the Most High God. The cast of characters in this account will show us what is best and what is not on the battlefields of our own lives.

The Philistine champion, Goliath, had as his solution to pick a fight. In 1 Samuel 17:10 he is reported to have said: "This day I defy the ranks of Israel. Give me a man and let us fight each other." His goading terrified many, but the young David was disgusted at Goliath's 40-day taunt.

How often I have tried to win a skirmish with my words. I am sometimes defiant and demanding and usually it makes the person on the other side of the argument more defensive.

David's brothers showed us to pick a side, and they didn't even choose sides well. "Jesse's three oldest sons had followed Saul to the war" (1 Samuel 17:13). 1 Samuel 17:21 states that "Israel and the Philistines were drawing up their lines facing each other." David's siblings chose Saul's side. David chose God's side. He asked in 1 Samuel 17:26: "Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?"

I, too, often choose sides. Then I dig in my heels, draw a line in the sand and, even if I don't use words, my spirit screams at the opposition. That doesn't work. There's only one enemy. Sometimes those who seem like adversaries are only victims of the one enemy.

King Saul desired to pick a strategy. When David volunteered for service against the giant, the king quickly retorted: "You are not able..You are only a boy and he (Goliath) has been a fighting man from his youth" (1 Samuel 17:33). Saul's strategy was to dress David in his own armor. After all, he was a warrior of note with lots of experience. But David looked ridiculous in Saul's heavy bronze helmet and most certainly tripped over the sword and tunic that the king offered.

We do that in the church today. Someone shares a problem and we are quick to give the five steps to success. "Do it just as I have. I've been there before, you know." But how-to formulas give no room for the Holy Spirit to do a unique work in each individual in the circumstances allowed just for them.

David refused Saul's strategy. He faced the giant with the things God had already prepared for him to do battle with. A staff, a sling, and five stones were the tools of a shepherd and just enough when God is on your side. David boldly declared: "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied" (1 Samuel 17:45). David showed us to pick a God and his God wasn't a dwarfed deity like Dagon, the god of the Philistines. Plus, David did it all for the glory of his God saying "the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel" (1 Samuel 17:46).

We, too, can choose to rely on the bigness of our God or depend on our own smallness and count on our defiant words, a side we determinedly join, or a strategy meant for someone else at another time. We can pick a fight, pick a side, pick a strategy-or pick our powerful God.

Some Bible scholars believe that Psalm 144 was written by David during the Goliath incident. I don't know for sure, but his words ring true to my heart on the battlegrounds of my life. Perhaps they will for you, too.

"Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle. He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield, in whom I take refuge." (Ps. 144:1-2).

Click here to send your response plus the title of this article to us at Good News.

Pick a solution Marilyn Anderes

Pick a solution
Marilyn Anderes