READING: Numbers 21-22
The battles were on. The people of God had defeated Sihon, king of the Amorites, after he had not allowed the Israelites to pass through his land. They captured all the Amorite cities and settled in the Amorite lands. Then, Og, the king of Bashan, gathered his entire army and prepared to do battle with the Israelites.
Listen to what God told Moses about that battle: “Do not fear him, for I have handed him over to you along with his whole army and his land. Do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon” (Num 21:34). Again, note that God gave the word prior to the battle. The people of God were to march forward, believing that God had already accomplished what they were about to engage in. As one writer described the scene, “This is to be the pattern of holy war, an obedient people following the sure word of their great God.”*
Our battles today are no different. Jesus has already won the war for us through His death and resurrection. He has already sent the devil fleeing (Matt 4:11) and disarmed the powers (Col 2:15). Consequently, we find ourselves in a war that our Warrior has already won.
That is not to say, though, that we’re no longer in a war. We do, in fact, wrestle against principalities and powers (Eph 6:12) seeking to spread their influence as long and as far as they can. They do seek to devour us (1 Pet 5:8). They do want to infiltrate the church through sin, false teaching, and division. The war is real . . . but we do not need to fear the enemy.
God has already defeated him.
ACTION STEPS: Consider these steps:
- Read Matthew 4:1-11, meditating on Jesus’ power over the enemy.
- Apply this truth to any battles you’re facing today: “I do not need to fear the enemy who attacks me today. He’s a defeated foe.”
- If you know the famous hymn, “A Mighty Fortress is our God,” let this verse resound in your mind today:
And though this world, with devils filled,
should threaten to undo us,
we will not fear, for God hath willed
his truth to triumph through us.
The Prince of Darkness grim,
we tremble not for him;
his rage we can endure,
for lo, his doom is sure;
one little word shall fell him.
PRAYER: “God, I praise You for the victory You give us. Let me live in that victory today.”
TOMORROW’S READING: Numbers 23-25
*Allen, R. B. (1990). Numbers. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers (Vol. 2, p. 884). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.
