Luke 14:31 Or what king, going to war against another king, will not first sit down and decide if he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand?
Jimmy Carter said, “War may sometimes be a necessary evil, but no matter how necessary, it is always evil.”
There is a tone and expression of war that has become commonplace in everyday language. Today, some individuals make money by creating a language of war, which is promoted and commercialized by those seeking to generate more clicks on their media platforms. They use rage bait, deliberately designed to provoke anger, outrage, and frustration to increase angry responses and drive algorithmic traffic. Those in government wage war on migrants, drugs, social policies, opposition parties, and religious affiliations, all in the guise of bringing peace to the perceived war. Everything must be conquered through warfare rather than civility. We hear about neighbours at war, and the divorce courts fighting custody battles between those who once loved one another to the deepest of sentiment, and are now at war over the well-being of the children.
Selwyn Duke said, “The more a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those who speak it.” Society is at war with those who speak truth, calling everything they say and do ‘fake news.’ Then the same people look for a different narrative that suits their current philosophy and declare war on family members who do not adhere to it. All this warfare seems to be creating victims on every side, which in turn creates more victims until the victims become the abusers by using their victimhood. This is what King Ahab was doing when he blamed Elijah for the troubles in Israel. Ahab and Jezebel had caused Israel to sin in excessiveness, and the judgment of God brought hardship to the nation. Then Ahab had the nerve to use his victimhood to abuse Elijah and blame him for the troubles the country was going through. 1Kings 18:17 When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is that you, the one ruining Israel? ” Elijah blames all the warfare directly on the ones who were responsible. 1Kings 18:18 He replied, “I have not ruined Israel, but you and your father’s family have, because you have abandoned the LORD’s commands and followed the Baals.
How do we get away from this language of war, strife, and false accusation? How do we get back to walking in peace as God teaches in His Word? We need to remember that you and God are the majority, and regardless of what others say, whatever God says for your life will come to pass. The underlying truth is that the war and battle against God’s people and His church belong to God Himself. 1Sam. 17:47a And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s. To get away from the language of war that the world dictates, we need to speak the language of God’s reassuring salvation. The language of God brings calculated destruction upon the corrupt plans of the dark forces of hell. Our warfare is not a carnal strife, but a spiritual battle against Satan and his dominion. Eph. 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, contending only with physical opponents, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly supernatural places.
We do not go into this warfare with our own strength. We go into it with the weapons God has given us and the strength of the Lord. We can never become so hubristic that we think we can defeat demonic angelic beings in our human abilities. We do not trash-talk with egoistic overconfidence as the street thugs do, but rather, the weapon of humility and prayer is what moves God’s heavenly forces to battle on our behalf. As was the case with Daniel, when he needed answers and direction. Dan. 10:12 Then he said, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer, 13 but for twenty-one days, the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then Michael, one of the archangels, came to help me, and I left him there with the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia. This is a constant theme throughout the history of God and man. Those who align themselves with the Lord become the majority.
When Gideon faced the Midianite army of 135,000, he defeated that army with 300 men that God had chosen. God won the battle because the battle belonged to the Lord. Or, when God’s angelic army blinded the soldiers of the Syrian army and led them into the hands of Elisha and his servant. Then Elisha leads them to the king of Israel in Samaria. At this point, Elisha asks God to open the eyes of the blind soldiers, and in that moment, they realized they could not fight the mighty God of Israel. 2Kings 6:21 When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, “Shall I kill them, my father? Shall I kill them?” 22 “Do not kill them,” he replied. “Would you kill those you have captured with your own sword or bow? Set food and water before them, that they may eat and drink and then return to their master.” The debriefing of the Syrian army would have been an interesting conversation to listen to. It would have been tough to explain how two men had captured the whole army, then fed them and sent them home. God wages war on a different level.
The world’s language of war destroys people and their habitat. The Lord’s language of war defeats and destroys sin, iniquity, and the works of the devil, so that God’s people can live victoriously and in peace. John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. Let us provoke one another to initiate love, accept salvation, and live in Christ by using the weapons of God’s warfare. Eph. 6:18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
Amen. Thank you.