The sons of God are winners. They are winners because of the God who powers them to victory. Wherever they go, the God of heaven and earth goes with them. The enemy that hears of the power of God cannot venture to fight against them. He has known the history of their battles that they have lost none. “Now Jericho was tightly shut because of the sons of Israel; no one went out and no one came in” (Josh. 6:1). It is indeed soothing to know that God Almighty walks before His sons. It is precisely for this reason that Jericho tightly shut itself. Israel fought many battles before, but the battle of Jericho was unique. It was unique in that the events that led to their victory are realized only by belief.
The men of Jericho did not want to be destroyed. Truly, it is a victory in itself when the enemy does not want to face you. Yet, God powered His sons to destroy Jericho that she would not become an instrument that corrupts their hearts. The men of Jericho certainly knew that it was the Lord’s fighting behind Israel victories. They knew He was creating for them ways for victory when there were none. They knew that they too will be captured. The words of Rahab that hid the spies stand as a testament to their knowledge. Despite that, the reason behind God powering His sons was not known to them. It was impossible for them to know, since they were not the chosen nation. They were not of the faith that contained the promise. Like every city in the Promised Land they too harbored sin and performed deeds of wickedness. It was only by what they heard with their ears that they knew their defeat was inevitable. Even then, they thought their only way out of defeat was to tightly shut themselves. Was not their thinking inconceivable, since they knew that the Lord was creating ways for Israel’s victory? It is for this reason that it is utterly important for the sons of God, now the church, to comprehend the God that walks before His sons.
It was belief in the almighty God that persisted Israel toward not losing the battles. The enemy constantly fled from them. He who has grasped this has already won the battles even before he fights them. This is the secret that Israel learned under the leadership of Moses and then Joshua. Israel had peace on every side. For God to be on our side for victory, our belief in Him must bear absolute obedience. Only absolute obedience yields absolute peace. Then, at the facing of every struggle or suffering we come out victorious. “Now the dread of the LORD was on all the kingdoms of the lands which were around Judah, so that they did not make war against Jehoshaphat” (2 Chron. 17:10). How amazing is it that all the nations stood aloof from the son of God! Truly, the Lord God was keenly watching over him. He was unlike the kings of Israel that sinned, but imitated his father David. He did away with all the sin that his predecessors have committed. He did not seek Baals. He obeyed God’s commands. In fact, he took great pride in the ways of God. He did everything necessary to bring back the love of God upon His nation. He even appointed men that would teach his people the laws, ways and works of God. Therefore, God could not retreat from Jehoshaphat. Surely, it is evident that God is able to bring back a nation to Himself through one man, even as He begot a nation through one man, Abraham. All it takes for the assembly of God to secure peace is one man that uninhibitedly loves God. God will relentlessly power him for greater good.
Would it be too difficult or even impossible to find a person that dearly loves God? May it not be! If the churches as sons of God ought to defeat the enemy, whether it is the godless, sin or Satan, the dread of the Lord must be upon him for their sake. For every church to live in a situation which puts the Lord’s terror on the enemy there is required one that takes pride in the ways of God. Then, every enemy will be like the nations that could not wage war. They will even tightly shut themselves that the Lord Himself should make way for His judgment upon them.
There can be no peace as long as the enemy keeps breaching our walls and continues to live in our midst. Peace appears in our midst when the enemy learns about the presence of God in us. His powering us to victory gives our enemy the needful knowledge. It is one thing for the churches to say that they have been saved. Yet, it is quite another when they are able to manifest the proof of their salvation. If indeed they are saved, the blood of Christ that sanctified them, the seal of the Spirit on them and the power of resurrection in them constantly offer proof making them the sons of God. They force the godless to stand aloof and make their defenses weak; destroy the power of sin and the flaming arrows of Satan. They represent the steadfast faith in God. If this is difficult for you to believe, visualize the belief that brought down the walls of Jericho. When they heard the word, they obeyed like they believed; and it was done.
Now the question is – what sort of word did you hear or have been hearing? Is it the word that powers you to God’s will? Vast is the difference produced by hearing the word of God. Defeat is unheard of. And if there was a word that could not power you to overcome the enemy, it was not from God. One way to believe God to power you to defeat or resist the enemy is by calling on Him and reminding Him His ways. “Deal with them as with Midian, as with Sisera and Jabin at the torrent of Kishon” (Ps. 83:9). Then again, you ought to have in your possession a history of God powering you to victory. The reason the psalmist was able to recall to God the time when He powered Israel to victory under the leadership of Deborah was because he himself was in possession of the account of God powering him to victories. This is how faith operates and compounding the deeds of God toward His people while calling on Him signifies exalting His omnipotence, which is His praise. It yields quick results. But if you do not possess with you an account of God powering you to victories, you are naïve. Yet, do not worry. There is a way to possess an account. Call on Him by reminding Him the marvelous deeds He has done toward those who called on and believed in Him. He will certainly hear your voice. Be careful that you do not call on Him in presumptuous sin, for it will lead to His severity.
Listen to this promise of God attentively. “I will make Rabbah a pasture for camels and the sons of Ammon a resting place for flocks. Thus you will know that I am the LORD” (Ezek. 25:5). God wants you to own this promise; not only you, but all who are willing to take pride in His ways. If you are willing to call on Him and exalt Him and confess before Him, He will give it to you. This promise is for those that are undermined by the enemy. He will make known to you His presence and His omnipotence. For God always searches men and women to redeem them from the oppression of the enemy. He desires that you seek Him and be powered by Him to victory. He fights for you in your every struggle. He will make peace your treasure. Until that time you cannot truly call yourself a son of God.
The moment you begin pleasing God in all ways, you will realize Christ at your side protecting you from the enemy. Consider how Christ made a winner out of Peter. “But I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:32). Even the great Peter was not without struggle. And, if it was not for Christ who powered him with His work, we would not have known him as an eminent apostle. As long as in the flesh, all the workers and believers of the Lord will face the brunt of the enemy. Therefore, we must possess the appropriate faith to resist him; a faith that does not dissociate us from the invariable nature of God. Only in such case will Christ intercede for you and me as the enemy seeks to war against us. Peter did fall, but did not fail. The prayer of Christ to God powered him to victory. What more is he was awarded the work of strengthening his brothers. Christ knew Peter would turn again to Him. If Christ has the same confidence in you, He will certainly power you to defeat the enemy, though you might fall a few times. For what He has known about you, the enemy does not i.e. that you always return to Christ. Then, imagine the kind of asset you will become to those who hear you speak of Christ and watch you live for Him. Truly, a faith that does not recognize the omnipotence of God is rather a useless faith.
As far as I am concerned, I can consciously say, “Now God has not only raised the Lord, but will also raise us up through His power” (1 Cor. 6:14). I am fully convinced that it is only His power that can raise us up on the last day. Because I know His power raised me up to defeat the enemy, I also know it will raise me up on the last day. My conviction is through the bearing in me the account of God powering me to defeat the enemy and I desire for you the same. Am I weak? Most certainly! Yet, I do know that when I am weak, by grace He makes me strong, even as He has been making me strong. Unless the power of God that raised Jesus powers us now, it is impossible for us to defeat the enemy. And, those who ignore this power or speak of it in a manner that alienates men from it will be judged. Indeed, the men of Jericho will stand as witness against them on the last day.
Therefore, receive His blessing for your sake and be a son of God that wins no matter how unique the battle. As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matt. 3:11). May the Lord power you with His Spirit and the fire which is His zeal to defeat the enemy!