“And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear, for the battle is the Lord’s and he will give you into our hands.” (1 Sam. 17:47 KJV).

Because we live in a broken world, conflict is a normal part of life.  We don’t like it and we certainly do not desire it.  But it happens.  And being a child of God does not exempt us from conflict.  The key issue is: How do we handle conflict when it comes? The answer is to be prepared before the battle comes.  For the child of God, the Lord has given us vast resources to assist us in the face of the enemy.

He has given to us The Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:11). He has given to us The Word of God (Heb. 4:12). And He has given to us powerful weapons that can be utilized whenever conflict arises (Eph. 6: 10-18).  Our responsibility is to be prepared whenever the battle comes! 

Those in the military train continually with their weapons.  They learn about their weapons.  They know what they can do.  And most importantly they learn how to use them with absolute confidence.  The training is done so that when the battle comes they will instinctively know what to do.  A soldier cannot wait until the battle comes to prepare.  The soldier must be well prepared before the battle comes.  If he is prepared, then he is in a position to experience victory! 

Ultimately our confidence in battle does not come from us, but from the One who has redeemed us and called us,  the Lord Jesus Christ!  When David faced Goliath, he was not prideful or cocky.  Rather he was confident in the God that he knew and served.  David was not intimidated or fearful of the enemy because he knew that the outcome of the battle rested in the Lord, not in himself.   David had spent much time alone with the Lord on the hillside with sheep.  His intimate relationship with the Lord had prepared him for the battle long before it ever came.  Thus when it did come, David knew instinctively what to do.   

Let us prepare ourselves for battle by seeking to know and walk closely with the Lord.   As we do, whenever the enemy comes against us, we will be prepared to use the weapons of our warfare against him.  And we can expect to be victorious.  Like David, we can Run to the Battle with confidence, not fear.   

Rev. James W. Black