How the Bible Teaches us to Handle our Battles

Guard was Alongside of Guard (I Chronicles 26:16b)

Those words just jumped off the page to me, and I knew God is telling me something that can help me today, but first I must tell you where it started.

I Chronicles is full of genealogies and assorted fun facts. Interspersed with the genealogies are the occasional stories that are just extra info on what we read about the kings of Israel and Judah.  So, the first 3 times I read this I kind of skimmed a little as I thought I might lose interest and quit.  This time, however, I started to notice that in some of the genealogies a description was given about the type of men these were, and these are some of the things I started to notice:

When David was in the stronghold, and King Saul was still alive, he had already been anointed by Samuel.  So, he knew he was going to be king, but the old king did not like him and was trying to kill him.  During this time, men would defect over to him, little by little, more every day.  This is what is said about the men from Gad who came to David:  “They were brave warriors, ready for battle, and able to handle the shield and spear: Their faces were the faces of lions and they were as swift as gazelles in the mountains.” (I Chron 12:8b)

And about others who joined David:

-men of Judah, carrying shield and spear

-men of Simeon, warriors ready for battle

-men of Levi, including Jehoida, leader of the family of Aaron, and Zadok, a brave warrior

-men of Ephraim, brave warriors, and famous in their own clans

-men of Issachar, who understood the times and knew what Israel should do-

-men of Benjamin, most of whom had remained loyal to Saul’s house until then

-men of the half-tribe of Manasseh, designated by name to come and make David king

-men of Zebulun, experienced soldiers prepared for battle with every type of weapon, to help David with undivided loyalty

-men of Naphtali, carrying shields and spears

-men of Dan, ready for battle

-men of Asher, experienced soldiers prepared for battle

-men of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, armed with every type of weapon

“They helped David against raiding bands, for all of them were brave warriors, and they were commanders in his army.  Day after day men came to help David, until he had a great army, like the army of God.” (I Chronicles 12:21)

You are probably wondering what this has to do with anything.  After all, we are not in a battle, are we? If we were, we may want to imitate them.  But wait, we are in a battle!  The battle is unseen in the world that is real and exists all around us.  it is a battle for the hearts of souls of people. Of me. And you.  And people that you love and people that I love.  “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.  Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Therefore, put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” (Eph 6:10-13).

And: “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.  So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall.” (I Corinthians 10:11,12).

That was me, completely unprepared for the battle for my soul that came my way a few years ago.  I was not prepared for it, not on my guard, not walking with God.  So, when it happened, and I thought I was standing firm, I found out that I was not!  And so, I fell.  Hard. I stayed that way for a few years. And I was just like the prodigal son, who only came to his senses after he had tried everything else that would make him happy.    Someone once told me that the prodigal son did not go home because he was sorry, but because he was hungry.  That was me too.  I remember the day that this thought came to my mind (and I have come to realize that these ‘random’ thoughts are sent to me by God, who still loves me): “You have a Creator….you should find out what He thinks.” And this one: “if I am ever going to be happy, I know it will only be with God.”  So, I started my search.  But it was not because I was excited, it was because nothing else had worked.  Just like the prodigal.  But here is the amazing thing about God:  if you look for Him, really look for Him, then He will let you find Him!  And then something starts to happen inside you, and you see the world through new eyes.  The eyes God gave you.  Do not miss the irony like I did! But now, everything is new, and I want to be ready for the battles I am going to face.  Bravely. And why am I brave?  Because the battle is not mine, it is God’s and He has promised to fight them for me.  I need only to be ready. My weapon that I keep with me is my little Bible that I got at a bookstore in Africa a long time ago. (I had gone on a mission trip without a Bible, and I got one on the last day.  There were hardly any to choose from, but this is the one God had for me.  And it fits in my purse. But it is also revealing that I was not reading my Bible much in those days.)

This was me too: “we have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again.  You need milk, not solid food!  Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching on righteousness.  But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” (Heb 5:11-14.  This was me because I was not in my Bible when my day of trouble came.  I was not able to discern good from evil! The lines were blurry, and soon they glazed over.  Believing that you are a sinner and in need of Jesus is good, but it is not until you desire to become like Him that real change begins.  And even if it does begin, as soon as you cease to be careful in your life to keep following Him, our enemy ‘smells blood in the water’ and is ready to devour us.   Did you catch that about solid food?  It only comes with ‘constant use’.  Constant use of what? The Word of God.  It is how God speaks to us and helps us to keep our eyes on Him.  ‘Constant use’ is the opposite of the complacency that is always lurking around the corner!   We will not be ready for battle if we are not in our Bibles and keeping our eyes on Jesus.  We will become like whatever we focus on.  Those who cling to worthless idols will themselves become worthless.  (that was me too.) and Satan would like us to think that whatever we have done is just too much for God to forgive.  He has done that to me, but now I fight back with truth.  Why?  Because now I know the truth.  God’s word is truth and Satan, is a liar and a deceiver.  Sometimes I still have some fears and doubts, but then I remember what I know is true from God’s word.  Return to me, and I will return to you.  All through scripture God is holding out His hand to us. and as I am writing these words, it is still Today.  Still time to accept the gift of forgiveness and life forever.

One more thing I noticed about the battle: the people in positions of leadership were men of integrity and ability. The Levites were important people because their job was to oversee the service of the temple and to guard it.  And these are the kinds of things that were said about them:

-they were very capable men

-they had strength to do the work

-they were heads of families

-responsible

-Zecharaiah was a wise counselor

-the singers were all trained and skilled

Some of the Levites were gatekeepers.  The gatekeepers were assigned to guard the gates of the temple.  Around the clock.  And that is when I saw the phrase ‘guard was alongside of guard’ and it occurred to me that we are supposed to help each other with the battles we are facing!   They were guarding the temple!  And the new testament tells me that I am a temple because the Holy Spirit lives inside of me!  ‘Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God?  You are not your own, you were bought at a price.  Therefore, honour God with your body.’ (I Cor 6:19,20).  We should be standing alongside each other to encourage each other to protect the treasure that is inside of us.  In the things we allow into our lives, the people we hang out with, the places we go.  All of it.  We should be there for each other to help guard against the enemy’s attacks.  

 When my world fell apart a few years ago, I fell right into Satan’s trap, and so I isolated myself.  Cut everyone out of my life. But that is the worst thing I could have done, because I had no one around to refute the enemy’s lies.  When my husband fell apart, he had a friend in his life who never left him.  A friend who cared about walking with God. He kept calling him, and even during the times that Danny did not want to talk to him he would not go away. He knew what the stakes were in the battle we were in!   And today, on the other side of that roughly 5-year long battle, a battle for his life and for our marriage, he and his wife are among our best friends and I am thankful for his example.  I plan to face the rest of my battles alongside other believers and keep this phrase in my mind:

“Guard was alongside of guard.”