Category Archives: Defense

Arrogance, Bible, Defense, Heaven, Pride, Scripture

LOOK AT ME!

PHILIPPIANS 3:5

“circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee;”

Have you ever known someone who had to be the center of attention? They wanted everyone to watch them. They wanted everyone to give them praise. My ten-month-old grandson wants his Nana’s and my attention if we are both in the same room. For instance, if she is reading him a book and I am in the room, he will make sure I am watching him by making this little sound that means, “Hey, look at me.” No one taught him that. It’s just part of his little nature.

If you took this verse (and the next one) out of context, you would think Paul was bragging on himself. What he is doing is showing the Philippians if anyone had a reason to brag on their earthly pedigree, he did. Paul knows none of these things really mean much. His true pedigree is in Christ. But let’s take a look at some of these things Paul mentions here.

APPLICATION

Being “circumcised the eighth day” meant his parents had followed the law perfectly. This was the requirement (Genesis 17:12). He belonged to “the nation of Israel.” He was able to trace his lineage back as far as anyone. (I have traced my lineage back to 1555 in England. I think that’s pretty cool.) He is also “of the tribe of Benjamin.” In other words, his tribe has always been loyal to Israel, remaining with Judah when the nation split. Then Paul says he is “a Hebrew of Hebrews” which meant he was a pure Jew by blood. Finally, he says he was “a Pharisee.” He had kept the law exactly.

All of Paul’s accomplishments mentioned above would not get him into heaven. He knew that. He is laying out his argument much like a lawyer would. Don’t you love watching crime shows where the lawyer finally nails the bad guy with the evidence of their crime? Paul is laying out all the reasons why he should be declared righteous. We’ll see more of these tomorrow.

In verse 7 he will nail the coffin shut on all his achievements. We should do the same. Nothing we do will ever give us a heavenly home. Only Jesus’ shed blood on Calvary can open the doors to heaven for us once we accept Him as our Savior and Lord. Don’t stand up and say, “Look at me!” Instead, point to Jesus.

Lord God, I have no way of entering glory except through Jesus. Thank You for the assurance of my salvation.

Standard
Bible, Defense, Love, Prison, Scripture, Witnessing

OUT OF LOVE

PHILIPPIANS 1:16

“the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel;”

Why do we do the things we do for others? I have been helping my wife care for our 9 month old grandson these past several months. Let me say first and foremost what a privilege that is. I believe grandparents have a higher calling for this. My wife and I know that we are not just babysitting. We are investing in a brand new life who is part of our legacy. Along with his parents and other grandparents we are pouring our lives into him to help make him into a godly man, husband, father, etc.

Paul continues his line of reasoning, tying this verse back to the last phrase in the previous verse, “but some also from good will.” There’s a little Greek word that does not appear in this translation. It’s men which can be translated as “indeed” or “on the other hand.” It’s a word written to draw a contrast to another statement. In this case, Paul was contrasting those who were preaching for ill reasons against those who did it out of love, God’s agape love, benevolent love, what is good for others.

APPLICATION

What have you done out of love for others? Now, before you answer that, let me clarify. What have you done out of love for others knowing you will receive nothing in return? Hmmm, that puts a different slant on it, doesn’t it? It is easy to love when we know that love will be reciprocated. These Philippian believers who were preaching out of love were doing this to aid Paul’s ministry and further the Gospel, knowing that 1) their lives were endangered by doing so and 2) they may never see the fruit of their labors.

They were doing this because of what they saw Paul doing – defending the Gospel. The Greek word for “defense” is apologia where we get our word apologetics. Strong’s Lexicon says this word “refers to a formal defense or justification of one’s beliefs, actions, or position. It is often used in the context of defending the Christian faith against accusations or misunderstandings.”

It was really out of love for Jesus that Paul did this and now why the Philippian believers were doing this. They stood tall and proud to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to whomever would listen. Are we as bold? Do we do it out of love? Do your own self-assessment. I’ve done mine and I know I have room for improvement.

O Lord, give me a heart full of the love of Jesus that just overflows on others.

Standard
Bible, Defense, Devil, Faith, Protection, Satan, Scripture

OUR FORCE SHIELD

EPHESIANS 6:16

“in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” 

I grew up a Star Trek fan. I mean, come on, what child in the 60’s wasn’t! Each week we would tune in to see what other alien race Captain Kirk, Spok, Scottie and Bones would be battling. The Star Trek Enterprise was equipped with a protective force field which could be used to protect it against the missiles fired from enemy spaceships. Those missiles would bounce off or explode on impact. What a great defense!

As Christians, we have our own force shield called the “shield of faith.” This shield is standard equipped given to each believer at salvation. Unfortunately, too many of us literally let our guard down. Paul tells us why this is dangerous. He says with that shield we “will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” We should never “leave home without it.” Right? Those flaming arrows can come at any time.

APPLICATION

MacLaren’s Expositions talk about these “flaming arrows” and why they are so dangerous to the unshielded believer. “But there are things in us all to which the fiery darts do especially appeal: desires, appetites, passions; or-to use the word which refined people are so afraid of, although the Bible is not, ‘lusts-which war against the soul,’ and which need only a touch of fire to flare up like a tar-barrel, in thick foul smoke darkening the heavens. There are fiery darts that strike these animal natures of ours, and set them all aflame. But, there are other fiery darts than these. There are plenty of other desires in us: wishes, cowardices, weaknesses of all sorts, that, once touched with the devil’s dart, will burn fiercely enough. We all know that.”

Do you have any of those things within your heart? We all have some weakness which we have probably revealed to the evil one. That’s his target. That’s his bullseye. Our defense, however, is our shield of faith. Our faith in Jesus, in His shed blood, quenches any flaming arrow fired against us. We hold that shield up to protect us from this relentless adversary.

And, unlike the Starship Enterprise, our shield is everlasting. It is stronger than any foe. Why? Is it because of our faith? No, it is because of the Faith Giver. He gives us His never ending supply of faith. Paul said it well when he said in Romans 1:17, “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written: ‘BUT THE RIGHTEOUS ONE WILL LIVE BY FAITH.’”

Father God, thank You for giving me the shield of faith to protect myself from the devil’s flaming arrows and accusations.

Standard
Allies, Bible, Defense, Guard, Guardian, Protection, Scripture

GUARDIAN

GALATIANS 3:24

“Therefore the Law has become our guardian to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.”

When I worked in the Child Welfare field, I often had dealings with people who served as a Guardian-ad-litem (GAL). That person was someone who watched out for the care of a child who had been placed in state custody. They were appointed by the court to ensure that proper placement occurred and, once it did, that the custodian at that site was meeting the social, spiritual, educational and medical needs of the child. Most, if not all, these GALs I met were special people with good hearts.

Paul describes the Law much like a GAL. Its purpose was to direct and care for the people. Its purpose was to try to guard them against getting hurt by giving them clear directions on how to live. But try as it might, the Law could not save them. It was limited. It was powerless to save. It did, however, point to Christ Who can save us.

APPLICATION

The Greek word for guardian is paidagōgos. It’s only used three times in the New Testament (here, in tomorrow’s verse and in 1 Corinthians 4:15). HELPS Word Studies says it “is used of the role of the Law (OT), especially the necessary “letter” (foundation, technicalities) needed to establish the doctrines of salvation, grace, faith, etc.” A guardian is a good thing, even though many people who have one begin to resent it. They want their freedom. Hmmm, that sounds familiar, doesn’t it.

1 Corinthians 4:15 says, “For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.” What was Paul saying here? Guardians are no guarantee of getting things right. You need someone to truly come alongside you and spend time with you. You need someone to serve as your role model.

In my ministry (Every Man A Warrior), we do just that. We get men to spend time with men and be each other’s allies. We need each other. We need others to serve as our guardians, our role models, our defenders and protectors. All of that is for one purpose – to point each other to Christ. Nothing is more important than that. Can you do that for someone?

Father, help me be a good “guardian” for another brother in Christ to help them in their walk with You.

Standard
Allies, Battles, Bible, Defeat, Defense, Deliverance, Demons, Devil, Enemies, Protection, Rescue, Scripture

THE DEVOURER

MALACHI 3:11

“‘Then I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruit of your ground; nor will the vine in the field prove fruitless to you,’ says the LORD of armies.”

One thing I have learned from ministry is that we are in constant need of protection from those who want to devour, eat up and destroy what we are trying to do for the Lord. The enemy does not want us to be successful in God’s work. He will do anything to destroy it. He will use anything at his disposal. So, I pray for His protection all the time.

In verse 11 of Malachi 3, God promises the people that as a result of their obedience in giving, which have discussed the last couple of days, He will protect them. I love what Matthew Poole says in his commentary about this verse. “The devourer; all kinds of devourers, the locust, the canker-worm, caterpillar, etc., pests of those countries very often; though they are in mighty armies and incredible multitudes, yet a rebuke from God will check them all at once as if they were but one.”

APPLICATION

Did you catch that last phrase in the above paragraph? “yet a rebuke from God will check them all at once as if they were but one.” Even if the devil sends hordes of demons against you, one rebuke of God will send them all scattering. Woo-hoo! Just one little flick of His finger! We have an all-powerful God watching our back. Who ‘ya gonna call? Not Ghost Busters. I am going to call on Jesus.

We are promised God’s protection today just as suredly as the Old Testament believers were. God is still God. He hasn’t changed. He still loves His children. He still gives His protection when needed. He still moves in and destroys those incoming volleys of the devil.

Look at these verses in Psalms 3. “1 LORD, how my enemies have increased! Many are rising up against me. 2 Many are saying of my soul, ‘There is no salvation for him in God.’ Selah 3 But You, LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, and the One who lifts my head.” As a friend of mine used to say, “If that don’t light your fire, your woods wet.” Glory, Hallelujah! We serve a living Savior.

“I serve a risen Savior, He’s in the world today; I know that He is living, Whatever men may say; I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer, And just the time I need Him He’s always near.”

Standard
Advocate, Allies, Battles, Bible, Covenant, Defense, Enemies, Fighting, God's Will, Guard, Opponents, Protection, Rescue, Safety, Scripture

THE LORD IS ON OUR SIDE

ZECHARIAH 14:3

“Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle.”

Everybody remembers the childhood games when kids gathered outside and picked sides to play a game. Whether it was baseball, football or red rover, getting picked last was the worst. No one wanted to get picked last. Getting picked first was the sign of being one of the best, if not the best, players. Get picked anywhere – just not the last.

Well, in verse 3 of chapter 14, we find the LORD getting picked to fight on the side of Israel. Woo-hoo! They just scored the best and most powerful player. When all the nations of the earth turn against Israel, the LORD will jump in. Those nations have no idea what is about to hit them. They don’t see the LORD, but He is there. They will feel the full force of the Creator of the universe.

APPLICATION

He is on our side, as well. Did you know that? The same God who will defend Israel has joined us in our daily battles. Deuteronomy 3:22 says, “‘You shall not fear them, for it is the Lord your God who fights for you.’” How about this one? Joshua 23:3 reads, “‘And you have seen all that the Lord your God has done to all these nations for your sake, for it is the Lord your God who has fought for you.’”

You are probably saying, Carl, those are Old Testament verse about God fighting for Israel. That’s just like our verse today in Zechariah. Okay, how about this one? This is one I have referenced before. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 tells us, “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,” We have God’s armament!

We have nothing to fear. God is on our side. He is fighting for us. All we have to do is yield to Him. Then He can unleash the forces of heaven against our enemies – in His time. We have to wait on Him. He will come through. Never doubt that. He may seem to be late, but He is not. He is always right on time. He will fight for us!

Thank You, Lord, for fighting my battles daily. I may not see You, but I know You are there.

Standard
Abiding, Advocate, Battles, Bible, Defense, Enemies, God's Will, Protection, Provision, Rescue, Salvation, Scripture

THE HAND OF GOD

ZECHARIAH 12:5

“‘Then the clans of Judah will say in their hearts, “The inhabitants of Jerusalem are a strong support for us through the LORD of armies, their God.”’”

There are times in our lives when the only way to explain something is to say, “God did that.” I have shared many times about my disease, Amyloidosis, and my two stem cell transplants (2010 and 2020). The only way to explain my healing is God’s hand was in it. He gave the doctors wisdom. He used the treatment to give me a “remission” from this disease for a while. I know He was the one who did that. There is no doubt.

I love this verse today in Zechariah. The “clans of Judah” refers to all the tribes. They all will realize on that day when Jerusalem is defended against their enemies that it was God’s hand and not theirs that did it. The “LORD of armies” did it, not their army. And by coming together and depending on Him, they will be successful.

APPLICATION

Guess what? Nothing’s changed. Isaiah 26:12 is a favorite verse of my boss. In the NIV it says, “LORD, you establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished You have done for us.” Isn’t that exactly what Zechariah is saying in verse 5 above. If we are honest, we will admit very quickly that anything that is good in us is just Jesus. I know that is true for me.

Yet, God continues to work in and through us to accomplish His will. As the writer of Hebrews closes his letter in Hebrews 13:20-21, he says, “20 Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, that is, Jesus our Lord, 21  equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”

One day, when I reach heaven, I will find out just what the Lord saw in us that moved Him to redeem us. We are His creation, the work of His hands. I get that. But our flesh is so corrupt and wicked outside of Christ. Only by Him working in us can we be made into a useable vessel, fit for His kingdom work. Praise Him!

Father, I know it is You Who works in and through me. I praise You for finding me worthy to be used by You.

Standard
Advocate, Battles, Bible, Defense, Encouragement, Foundation, Scripture, Security

HEAVY STONE

ZECHARIAH 12:3

“‘It will come about on that day that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it will injure themselves severely. And all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it.’”

Sometimes you just have to move a heavy object. I have a piece of furniture in my home that is very heavy. When we moved into our current home, I enlisted several of my friends to help with the heavy stuff. I vividly remember several robust young men heaving this particular piece of furniture over the stair banister and lifting it up the stairs. It was a major effort. I think it will stay when we move.

The Lord describes Jerusalem as a heavy stone in today’s verse. It wasn’t that they were heavy. They were immovable. Jerusalem would also cause severe injury to all who tried to move it. In other words, God was protecting the city. It was not going to be moved by anyone. They were there to stay, secured by God. It was His power that kept it in place.

APPLICATION

The Lord is still keeping us secure. Did you know that? We are immovable because of Him. Our faith is secure. Ephesians 1:13-14 says, “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.”

Just like Jerusalem was immovable, we are also because of His seal on us. Satan can buffet us and berate us, but we will not be moved. Don’t forget that. You may feel like you are falling apart, but you’re not. God’s got this. What He calls secure is secure.

I am so thankful for that security. Aren’t you? I am reminded of that security every time I read His Word. It is the anchor for my soul. Meditating and memorizing it brings me such confidence and peace. Have you experienced that? I hope so. If not, take some time today to dig into the Word. What you have just read is just a taste of what is to come.

O Lord, You are my security. You make me immovable.

Standard
Advocate, Allegiance, Allies, Bible, Courage, Defense, Power, Scripture, Strength

NO MATCH FOR GOD

ZECHARIAH 10:5

“And they will be like warriors, trampling down the enemy in the mud of the streets in battle; and they will fight, because the LORD will be with them; and the riders on horses will be put to shame.”

One year when my high school football team played a team from Alabama, it was the mismatch of the century. We were a small private school in South Georgia with a small team. We probably had 25-30 players at max. Most of the starters played both offense and defense. But in rode this other team on three busses. They probably had 90-100 players and they were skilled. The final score showed the mismatch (50-3). We literally had no chance against that team.

Anyone who goes against the Lord is mismatched. 1 Chronicles 17:20 says, “LORD, there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to everything that we have heard with our ears.” Israel knew their God was great and would be with them in battle, should it come. God is reinforcing those beliefs here through Zechariah.

APPLICATION

God is with us, to fight our battles. His might is mightier than any foe we face. We only lose these battles when we think we are defeated. That team we faced on that field could have lost to us if they hadn’t played to their skill level. We fought hard against them every play. But they knew they had a superior force. Hey listen, we do too.

God is the mighty warrior. I have been memorizing Psalm 24. It’s only ten verses. I love verse 8 that says, “Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty. The Lord mighty in battle.” Do you think God is through fighting His children’s battles here on earth? No way. He fights mine every day. I invoke His power and His strength daily.

I pray you know that He is on your side. He does not turn us into some kind of superhero, but He does give us the strength to face each challenge head on. There is nothing the devil can throw at you that He cannot defeat. He will use you to do that. Trust Him. He is your strength. He is your mighty power. You are His soldier in the battle. Fight on!

O Master and Defender, give me the courage to fight each day. Help me put on the full armor to fight the enemy.

Standard
Abiding, Angels, Battles, Bible, Defense, Enemies, Fortress, Protection, Rescue, Scripture

BOW BENDING

ZECHARIAH 9:13

“For I will bend Judah as My bow, I will fill the bow with Ephraim. And I will stir up your sons, Zion, against your sons, Greece; and I will make you like a warrior’s sword.”

In past years, I have attempted some archery hunting. Now, when I say “attempted” I mean I wasn’t successful in my hunt. I do not use a regular bow or combine bow when I hunt. I use a crossbow. Mine requires a “cocking rope” to draw back the bow in order to place the arrow (or bolt which are like small arrows made for crossbows). On one trip, I forgot my cocking rope. Try as I might, I could not draw back the bow without it.

God is saying here that He will be the one to draw back the bow and defend His children. I have mentioned one of my favorite verses is Exodus 14:14, “The Lord will fight for you, while you remain silent.” God is going to “stir up” Zion. He is going to “make you like a warrior’s sword.” In other words, get ready. Tests and battles are coming. But God has their back.

APPLICATION

He will defend us, or He will equip us for battle. He will never send you in a battle that you cannot handle. With God at our side, no one can defeat us. David’s Psalm 18:2 gives us a great picture of that. “The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my savior, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”

Is that your position with God right now? Is He your stronghold. O dear brother or sister, I pray you are resting in that. I pray that you know God has your back. I pray you know that He is fighting for you daily. Without God’s defense, we would be sitting ducks for the enemy. Most of us couldn’t hold off an infant demon on our own.

If there is one thing I have learned from my study of the Word through Every Man A Warrior, it is that I am living in a spiritual realm that is only visible through spiritual eyes. I now see the enemy at work in places I would have never seen him five years ago. God’s Word has opened my eyes. Be aware of your enemy, beloved. But be more aware of God’s warring angels there to intervene at God’s beckon call.

Father, thank You that You prepare me and accompany me into battle. You are Jehovah Nissi.

Standard