GOD IS A MAN OF WAR
Part 4

“Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities,
against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world,
against spiritual wickedness in high places”
(Ephesians 6:11, 12).

We look at the last of the twelve Hebrew words today:

7. QUAB (ker ab)

Zechariah 14:3: “Then shall the LORD go forth and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle .”

The word battle is quab and means “hostile encounter, battle, war” and is used nine times in the Bible. In other words, God has some hostile battles to fight.

He wants to teach us how to fight too. David confessed in Psalm 144:1: “Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war (qrab) and my fingers to fight.”

Psalm 78:9: “The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle (quab).” May this never be our testimony.

8. NASHAQ

This word speaks of “armed men.” 1 Chronicles 12:2 describes the mighty men, “helpers of the war,” who came to help David: “They were armed (nashaq) with bows, and could use both the right hand and the left in burling stones and shotting arrows out of a bow.”

9. CHALATS

Another Hebrew word that speaks  of armed men.

Numbers  31:3, 4 (NET): “So Moses soke to the people: ‘Arm (chalats) men from among you for the war, to attack the Midianites and to execute the LORD’S vengeance on Midian. You must send to the battle a thousand men from every tribe throughout all the tribes of Israel.’”

Now here is something beautiful for you to understand. Numbers 32:20, 27, 29 says: “go armed before the LORD to war . . . every man armed for war before the LORD to battle . . .”

The word before is the Hebrew word paniym which means “face, or more correctly, faces, as it is a plural word.” The Israelites were to go out to war with the face of the Lord upon them, or literally, in His presence. God was hovering over them as they fought their battles.

The God’s Word translation states it correctly: “In the LORD’S presence have all your armed men get ready for battle . . . in the LORD’S presence we will all get ready for battle.” Isn’t that wonderful? You don’t go our armed to face the enemy on your own, but in the presence of the Lord. What more do you need?

10. MA-ARAKAH

This Hebrew word means “military array, army, fight, set in order for war, rank, ordered.’’

When David was preparing to fight Goliath he mockingly asked: “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies (ma-arakah) of the living God?” (1 Samuel 17:26).

And when he faced Goliath he confessed with boldness his trust in the Lord his God: “Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies (ma-arakah) of Israel, whom thou hast defied . . .  And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army (ma’arakah) to meet the Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:45, 48).

11. C’OWN

Meaning “a military boot, battle (Isaiah 9:5).

12. CA’AN

Meaning “a soldier shod with a shoe, a warrior.” Also found in Isaiah 9:5.

As we close, let’s see where God uses more than one word for battle in just one Scripture. And there are many more Scriptures.

The following is a beautiful description of David as a young man:

1 Samuel 16:8: “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty (gibbor) valiant man (chayil), and a man of war (milchamah), and prudent in matters, and a comely person (meaning beautiful), and the LORD IS WITH HIM.” What a wonderful description of a young man and yet we notice that three of the adjectives are all about him being a valiant and mighty warrior. God wants us to train soldiers for His army (2 Timothy 2:3, 4). There are many wimps around today. We are desperate for a generation of brave young warriors.

The following is a description of a father who raised mighty warriors for God’s army. God uses four different words to describe them:

1 Chronicles 7:11: “All these the sons of Jediael, by the heads of their fathers, mighty (gibbor) men of valor (chayil), were 17,200 soldiers, fit to go out for war (tsaba) and battle (milchamah).”

We must learn how to fight the enemy so that we can teach our children yow to fight. We are facing battles now between the kingdom of darkness and the kingdom of God. As we see the end coming nearer, the battle is becoming more intense. Our children will face this battle and they must be ready. They must know how take up the armor of God. They must know how to wield their weapons. They must know how to pray. They must know how to destroy the works of the enemy. If not, they will be sucked into the evil swamp.

Let’s rise up, dear mothers. We have a great task before us as we raise God’s end time army.

PRAYER:

“Dear Father God, the God of hosts, the mighty Warrior, I realize we are in a are mighty battle between two kingdoms and the enemy is rousing up his evil army. Oh God, please strengthen me and all your people to stand strong in this day of battle. Help me to never give up the fight, never to lay down my weapons, never acquiesce. Help me to keep fighting and praying ‘till the end. Amen,”

AFFIRMATION:

I will fight the good fight of faith and will never give up.

Did you know, I am now doing a podcast for you each week called FROM OUR HOME TO YOURS w/ Nancy Campbell? I know you will be blessed and encouraged. Go to www.aboverubies.org and you’ll see the icon. Or go to http://ARPoddy.buzzsprout.com

GOD IS A MAN OF WAR
Part 3

“One man of  you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God,
he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you”
(Joshua 23:10.

6. LACHAM

This word means “to battle, to fight, to prevail, fighting, war.” It is translated fight or fought 149 times in the Bible. God is a God of rest, but he is also a fighting God. That fighting spirit that comes over you to fight against evil and wickedness is from God. We are to be gentle and nurturing mothers but also fighting mothers, rising up like roaring mama bears to protect our children from deception and evil.

Exodus 14:14: “The LORD shall fight (lacham) for you, and ye shall hold your peace.”

Deuteronomy 20:4: “For the LORD your God is he that goeth with  you, to fight (lacham) for you against your enemies, to save you.”

If God fights for us, shouldn’t we fight for others?

How blessed to know that God fights for us, but if God fights for us, don’t you think we should fight for others?

• We fight for the precious unborn souls who are being murdered in the womb and cannot fight for themselves. We cannot lay down this fight.
• We fight the fight of faith for those needing salvation, healing, and deliverance. It’s not enough to say to someone, “I’ll pay for you.” We need to get alongside them and continue in committed prayer until we see the victory. Faith is not a feeling; it is a fight!
• We fight in prayer for our fellow saints who are suffering persecution and imprisonment. Hebrews 13:3 (NLT) says: “Remember those in prison as if you were there yourself. Remember also t hose mistreated is you felt their pain in your own bodies.”
• We fight for the downtrodden and those being unjustly treated. We fight in prayer against child trafficking.
• Currently we are in the fight against a fake election. We must join this fight to stand against this abomination of fraudulently seeking to steal an election. Yes, God calls this an abomination (Proverbs 25:15, 16). Read also Leviticus 19:36; Proverbs 11;1; 16:11; 20:10; and Micah 6:11. Are you boldly standing up for truth? Are you praying daily, with your family and others?

Proverbs 31:8, 9 (NET): “Open your mouth on behalf of those unable to speak, for the legal rights of all the dying. Open your mouth, judge in righteousness, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.”

In 1 Samuel 25:28 Abigail (wicked Nabal’s wife) states that David “my lord fighteth (lacham) the battles of the LORD.” What battles was David fighting? His own? No, they were the battles of the Lord. God ordained these battles.

Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil. He now sits at the right hand of the Father, but also dwells in us by the Holy Spirit. He wants us to continue His work of destroying the works of the devil. Therefore, we take action when we see evil creeping into our family.

God fights for us, but He want us to fight too!

There is an amazing principle in God’s Word about battles. God promises He will fight for us, but He does not do all the fighting. He wants us to also do our part.

Let’s look at some examples:

Deuteronomy 7:2, 16: “When the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee (God fights); thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them (you fight) . . . thou shalt consume all the people which the LORD thy God shall deliver thee (God and you fighting) .”

Deuteronomy 7:24: “He shall deliver their kings into thine hand (God fights), and thou shalt destroy their name from under heaven (you fight).”

Deuteronomy 9:3: “The LORD thy God is he which goeth over before thee; as a consuming fire he shall destroy them, and he shall bring them down before thy face (God fights): so shalt thou drive them out, and destroy them quickly (you fight), as the LORD thy God hath said unto thee .”

In 1 Chronicles 14:15, 16 God gave the strategy for the battle against the Philistines: “When thou shalt hear a sound of going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt go out to battle: for God is gone forth before thee to smite the host of the Philistines (God fights). David therefore did as God commanded him: and they smote the host of the Philistines from Gibeon even to Gazer (you fight).”

In Jeremiah 51:20-24 God speaks to Israel: “Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee (you fight) will I break in pieces the nations (God fights), and with thee (you fight) will I destroy kingdoms (God fights); And with thee (you fight) will I break in pieces the horse and his rider (God fights); and with thee (you fight) will I break in pieces the chariot and his rider (God fights) . . . “

Do you get the principle of God and you fighting together?

PRAYER:

“Dear God, I thank You that You are my Warrior. You are with  me to fight my battles. But You also want me to fight. Please strengthen me for the battle. Help me to listen intently to You to know how you want me to fight for You are the great war strategist against the devil. Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:

I am fighting with God to destroy the works of the devil.

GOD FIGHTS FOR YOU:

Deuteronomy 1:30; Joshua 10:14, 42; 23:3, 10; Nehemiah 4;20; 2 Chronicles 20;17; and Zechariah 14:3.

Did you know, I am now doing a podcast for you each week called FROM OUR HOME TO YOURS w/ Nancy Campbell? I know you will be blessed and encouraged. Go to www.aboverubies.org and you’ll see the icon. Or go to http://ARPoddy.buzzsprout.com

GOD IS A MAN OF WAR
Part 2

“And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.
And five of you shall chase an hundred, and a hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight:
and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword”
(Leviticus 26:7, 8).

We are currently studying the different Hebrew words of God as a “a man of war.”

3.     IZZUZ

Another Hebrew word meaning “forcible, an army, power,” It is also used to describe God in Psalm 24:8: “Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong (izzuz) and mighty.”

4.     TSABA

This is another very familiar word for war in the Bible being used 482 times. It means “a mass of persons organized for an army, a multitude of warriors, battle, soldiers, warfare.” Are you getting to see how much war is talked about in the Bible?

It is used 261 times to describe God as “the LORD of hosts” as in Psalm 24:10: “Who is the King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory.” Every time  you read “The LORD of hosts” in the Bible you are reading about God as the mighty warrior, the One who fights for his people, the One who commands the heavenly armies.

It is also used about the company of women in the home in Psalm 68:11 (CJB): “The women with the good news are a mighty army (tsaba).” The women at home are a mighty army, preparing and training the future nation.

5.     CHAYIL

This is another familiar word for armies in God’s Word. It means “an army, wealth, valor, virtue, strength, soldiers, war.”

David calls God this name in 2 Samuel 22:33, 40: “God is my strength and power (chayil) . . . For thou hast girded me with strength (chayil) to battle: them that rose up against me hast thou subdued under me.”

The Bible uses this word to describe valiant soldiers. Read 1 Chronicles, chapters 7 and 12 to read about all the “mighty men of valor (chayil).”

I love Psalm 110:3: “Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power (chayil), in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou haste dew of thy youth.”

Th New English Translation says: “Your people willingly follow you when you go into battle. On the holy hills at sunrise the dew of your youth belongs to you. The NET commentary explains that this refers to the king’s army of strong, youthful warriors.

The message of this Scriptures is that they were WILLING WARRIORS! Can I be described as a willing warrior? Can you? What about our children? Are we raising them to be willing warriors in God’s kingdom? Other translations say:

GW: “Your people will volunteer when you call up your army.”

HCSB: “Your people will volunteer on your day of battle.”

TPT: This Passion translation is most correct when it states: “Your people will be your love offerings.” The word willing is ndabah and means “spontaneous, abundant, free will offering.” It is the same word that is used of the sacrifice offerings the Israelites FREELY offered to the Lord.

God wants us to be willing to get into the battle. Do you remember when young David faced the giant Goliath? Yes, he was only young, most probably a teenager. When the Israelites (who were trained soldiers for the battle) saw Goliath they “fled from him, and were sore afraid” (1 Samuel 17:24). But what did young David do? When the giant came near to him, he “hasted, and RAN (quickly, speedily, headlong) toward the army to meet the Philistine (1 Samuel 17:48). What a difference! David’s confidence was not in himself but in the “God of the armies of Israel” (1 Samuel 17:45).

What is our response? Do we run to the battle or run from it? Are we full of fear or full of courage?

DO WE RUN TO PRAYER MEETINGS WHERE WE CAN FIGHT THE BATTLES OF THE LORD? Our greatest victories are fought in prayer.

But there’s something more amazing yet. This word chayil that is used for God and for valiant men of war is the same word that is used to describe the woman in Proverbs 31. You know it so well but let’s read it again: “Who can find a virtuous woman for her price is far above rubies.” Yes, the word virtuous is chayil, the same word that is used for men of strength and valor.

Dear mother, God has divinely created you to be an anointed nurturer, showing forth His tender love and care as you nurture and nourish your children. But He has also created you to be a woman of strength and valor—strong in faith and purity, strong in embracing who God created your to be as a mother, strong in your convictions, strong in holding on to God’s truth in a deceived world, strong in warfare prayer, and strong to stand against the enemy and every demonic force that seeks to enter your home.

We are in a battle, dear mothers. The devil contends for our children as we seek to raise them to be set apart for God in this deceived world. But we will not give in. We fight in prayer against all deceptions and principalities and powers (2 Corinthians 10:4, 5). And let me tell you, it is a fight. We face challenges and obstacles and demonic forces on every front, but we will never give up the fight.

We are fighting a battle in our nation at the moment. We are fighting against a fraudulent election. We are fighting against the removal of our God-given and constitutional freedoms. But we will not be those who cowardly submit to tyranny. We will stand true to our freedoms which are given to us by God.

When Nehemiah and his team were rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem, they built with one hand and held a weapon in their other hand. This is how we build our families. We build with one hand and we fight in prayer on the other hand. Nehemiah encouraged the builders in Nehemiah 4:14 (NTL): “Don’t be afraid of the enemy! Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes!”

Are you in the fight for your family?

PRAYER:

“Dear Father, please help me to be willing to get into the fight. Willing to pray. Thank you for giving me an armor to put on to fight against the enemy. Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:

I will be strong to fight the enemy, not in my own strength, but in the power of the Lord.

Did you know, I am now doing a podcast for you each week called FROM OUR HOME TO YOURS w/ Nancy Campbell? I know you will be blessed and encouraged. Go to www.aboverubies.org and you’ll see the icon. Or go to http://ARPoddy.buzzsprout.com

GOD IS A MAN OF WAR
Part 1

“The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name”
(Exodus 15:6).

“Really?” I hear you say. “I thought God was a God of love and mercy.” Yes, He is totally. One hundred percent. But the Scriptures reveal that He is also a “man of war.” God shows such patience and lovingkindness as He waits for all to come to repentance, but there is a day coming when He will rise up, He will roar, He will bring all His enemies into subjection unto Him, and He will bring justice to the earth.

The Scriptures speak a lot about battles and warfare. I found 12 different Hebrew words that relate to God as a warrior, and which also relate to His people. Shall we look at them?

 1.     GIBBOR

The Hebrew word for war is gibbor and means “a warrior, champion, chief, a strong, valiant man.” In Moses’ song of victory over the Egyptians, Exodus 15:3 tells us that God arose as a “man of war” to accomplish this miraculous victory.

Jeremiah 32:18 describes God as “the Great, the Mighty God, the LORD of hosts, is his name.” The word “mighty” is also gibbor.

This word is also used to describe valiant men. God used this word when He chose David. Psalm 89:19 says: “I have laid help upon one that is mighty (gibbor): I have exalted one chosen out of the people I have found David my servant, with my holy oil have I anointed him.” Many translations say: “I raised a warrior.”

God didn’t look for someone who would say the right things to keep people happy. No. He looked for a man who was real, a man with heart after His heart. He looked for a fighter, a warrior! He looked for a man who was not afraid to go out to war and conquer his enemies.

2.     MILCHAMAH

This Hebrew word is a common word for war in the Bible and it is used 315 times. It is translated battle 151 times, war 158 times, and fight six times, apart from a few other words. It means “fighting, engagement in battle, warfare, a warrior.”

It is also used to describe God in Psalm 24:8: “Who is this king of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle (milchamah)?”

How did God deliver the Israelites from the mighty power of Egypt? Deuteronomy 4:34 tells us: “Hath God attempted to go and take him a nation from the midst of another nation, by temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by war (milchamah), and by a mighty hand, and by a stretched out arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the LORD your God di for you in Egypt before your eyes?”

Isaiah 42:13: “The LORD shall go forth s a mighty man (gibbor), he shall stir up jealously like a man of war (milchamah): he shall cry,  yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies.”

Exodus 17:16 says: “The LORD hath sworn that the LORD will have war with

Amalek from generation to generation.”

Amalek represents evil and wickedness in the Bible. God fights against it in every generation. We must also fight with Him against all evil. Every generation must fight evil until the day comes when all evil is brought into subjection to Jesus Christ, who is King of kings and Lord of lords. Therefore, each new generation had to learn the art of war—how to fight in battle and how to conquer the enemy (Judges 3:1-3).

We as parents must know the art of war against the enemy and we must also teach our children.

God’s battles are our battles, and our battles are His battles!

The Bible tells us that David’s battles were the Lord’s battles (1 Samuel 18:17 and 25:28).

Another amazing thing we learn is that they had to go out to battle in the presence of the Lord. They didn’t go out on their own. They went out with God—in His presence. He ordered the battle. He went before them, and He helped them in their battles.

Numbers 32:20, 21, 29: “If ye will go armed before the LORD to war, and will go all of you armed over Jordan before the LORD . . . every man armed to battle, before the LORD . . .”

The phrase “before the LORD” literally  means “with God’s face upon you” or “in the LORD’S presence” as it is translated in God’s Word translation. God does not turn His eye away from war but is in the battle with us.

PRAYER:

“Thank  you, dear Father, that You are a “man of war.” You are Conqueror. I thank You that You don’t leave me in the lurch when I face my battles but You fight my battles with me. Lord God, I also want to help fight Your battles against sin and evil. Help me to never go AWOL but to always be ready to fight the “battles of the Lord.” Save me, Oh God, from ever siding with the enemy. Help me to always stand true to You and fight and against all evil and deception. Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:

I belong to the kingdom  of God and therefore I am in a war against the kingdom of darkness. I cannot lay down my sword until Jesus comes!

Did you know, I am now doing a podcast for you each week called FROM OUR HOME TO YOURS w/ Nancy Campbell? I know you will be blessed and encouraged. Go to www.aboverubies.org and you’ll see the icon. Or go to http://ARPoddy.buzzsprout.com