Y’all, in the past few months, weeks, and days, the Lord has been making it so clear that now, more than ever, as Christ followers, we have got to stand for and with each other. Satan is attacking on every front from the public arena to the privacy of our own homes. These are battles that can’t just be fought on a mass scale, but are going to require us to get out of our comfort zones and become courageous fighters for and with the people closest to us in personal relationships that will have a domino effect for God’s people:
In 2 Samuel 10: 9-12 and 15, David sent Joab to fight the Ammonites (who brought in reinforcements to fight with them) and this is what happened:
“When Joab saw that he would have to fight on both the front and the rear, he chose some of Israel’s elite troops and placed them under his personal command to fight the Arameans in the fields. He left the rest of the army under the command of his brother Abishai, who was to attack the Ammonites. “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then come over and help me,” Joab told his brother. “And if the Ammonites are too strong for you, I will come and help you. Be courageous! Let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. May the Lord’s will be done.”… The Arameans now realized that they were no match for Israel.” NLT (italics mine)
There are four things the Lord shared from this passage that we need to think about as we go to battle with our brothers and sisters in Christ:
1. The Enemy comes at us from every side, so we must have a plan of attack.
“When Joab saw that he would have to fight on both the front and the rear…” (2 Sam.10:9)
Joab knew that he had to assess and evaluate the war situation he was walking into before he got there. He realized that he had to strategically place his men and himself for victory…battling evil is not something that can be taken lightly. He found that he would face adversaries in the front and the rear, so he called in reinforcements himself. We must follow his example in preparing wholeheartedly for struggles ahead and prayerfully consider the who, what, when, where, why, and how of claiming victory.
2.We need to share the responsibility of battle with our brothers.
“He left the rest of the army under the command of his brother Abishai…” (2 Sam.10:10)
You may say, “Well, I don’t have a brother in my family.” But this is a calling to recognize our brothers and sisters in Christ as allies and allow them to use their gifts, abilities, and the power of prayer to help us when we are struggling and vice versa. It might be a family member, a friend, a colleague, or even an acquaintance who you know loves the Lord and will battle beside you when you recognize that you can’t battle alone.
3.We need to keep an eye on one another so that if the battle becomes too strong, we can come to the other’s aid.
“If the Arameans are too strong for me, then come over and help me,” Joab told his brother. “And if the Ammonites are too strong for you, I will come and help you.” (2 Sam.10:11)
So this is huge. Not only should our brothers and sisters in Christ battle beside us and us with them, but we should keep watch over one another so that we can be ready to join in fighting with and for them when they need us. It most likely will not be literal fighting, but becoming prayer warriors, speaking truth to each other, fasting and standing in the gap for those who need us by using our voices and actions. Claiming victory in Jesus’ name and just being present to “weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice.” To become a community of believers who will call each other up and express our struggles. Then as one prays for another and that one for another and that one for another, these small victories will push us on to greater victories together.
4.Be confident that when God’s people stand together in His name, the enemy is no match.
“Be courageous! Let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. May the Lord’s will be done…The Arameans now realized that they were no match for Israel.” (2 Sam.10:12, 15)
There is power in standing together in the name of the Lord, y’all! We have got to bind fear, rebuke complacency, and claim Truth to each other and those around us, believing that we WILL see a victory in Jesus’ name. We must choose to live courageous and fight for the Lord’s will. No matter what battles you, your friends, or our nation are facing, we can face them and fight them together!
Y’all, this life is not going to get any easier. Jesus told us that in this world we would have trouble…but we don’t have to fear because He has overcome it. And we don’t! But sometimes, when your eyes and ears and heart and mind are bombarded with things that bring sadness, frustration, anger, and confusion (all tactics of the enemy), it can be hard to accept Truth.
I know the Truth. I study the Truth. I tell other people the Truth. But sometimes, I need someone to tell it to me out loud and remind me that I am in a battle that has already been won! A battle that I know the ending to. And that the things of this world are temporary. I need to hear that God is good and just and faithful and will never leave me. I need to hear a sister in Christ praying out loud for me because there is power in the name of Jesus spoken for all to hear!
If you need someone to pray for you, I would consider it an honor. Please don’t fight your battles alone. And don’t let those close to you. We are all one in Christ Jesus. Let’s show that to the world, one relationship at a time.
The Little Moments 
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