Battles and Victories

Day 46

Reading: Num 21:1- Num. 23:30

Do you face battles and wonder where God is? Settle it within yourself that God is the Man of War and no battles with God are a loss. In today's portion of scripture reading, we see different kinds of battles the children of Israel faced.

Before I list the battles, a situation took place where the children of Israel complained. This took place just after they had fought a battle and emerged victoriously. They were discouraged. Discouragement if not handled properly can lead to complaining. A plague was released upon them where serpents suddenly descended on them and bit them killing many. They cried to God in repentance and God gave Moses a remedy. Erect a bronze serpent and all who look to it will be delivered. This was a prophetic picture that the Messiah who would come would bring deliverance and it was only accessed by looking at Him. Look to God for your deliverance from every bite of the enemy. Learn to focus on God even in the midst of trouble. He is the Only Solution.

This portion reveals 4 battles that we face continually.

1. The first battle is the king of Arad who was a Canaanite. Canaan was the land of promise. This battle represented the people whom they would face. Arad means wild donkey or dragon. The donkey is known as a stubborn animal. In life, you will face battles to possess the land of promise and understand that it will be a stubborn battle against the enemy. Victory is certain. The strategy for victory in such battles of destiny is to give yourself wholly to God. The children of Isreal made a vow to God and victory was given to them. The king of Arad had captured some people. It takes total dedication to God and that is what a vow signifies to see victory in liberation battles. To take Canaan you cant keep the people or their habits. 
2. The next battle was against Sihon the King of the Amorites. Sihon refused to give access to passage to the children of Israel and instead chose to fight them. Sihon means one who sweeps away, rooting out, a conclusion. Amorites mean bitter, rebels or babblers. The battleground was in a place called Jahaz which means trodden, depressed place.  The children of Israel were facing an army led by a sweeping rooting out king who led bitter babbling rebels whose intention was to sweep away their victims from the trodden depressed place. In life, every battle against your wellbeing seeks to sweep you away from the Life of God. Learn to fight anything that tries to introduce bitterness and rebellion. Be careful when you are in a depressive place or place in life where you are just going in circles, the enemy may try to cause you to rebel and become bitter before sweeping you away to root you out.
3. Og the King of Bashan was next. The second battle against the Sihon we don't see Moses talk to God. Learn to fight and use the weapons of warfare in the Kingdom of God. He simply led them to victory. Against Og, God spoke to Moses and said Fear Not. The place for this battle was called Edrei, which means good ground. Contend for the good ground. Fear not going into to battle to contend for good ground for God has given you victory. Develop the courage to fight for good ground.
4. There some battles you will not know are being planned for you, however, know that God is fighting for you. Balak the ruler of the Moabites feared the children of Israel and decided to get divine help against them. Unfortunately for him, the children of Israel already had Divine Help and no weapon would be formed against them by Balak. He hired Balaam, a soothsayer, whose name means one who destroys people and sought to get him to curse the people. Initially, Balaam wouldn't go with the princes to meet Balak however when they persisted he went. The donkey could see the angel of God whilst Balaam couldn't see. Lord, open my eyes that I may see in the spiritual realm. It's a sad state of affairs when an animal can see and we cant. To make matters worse he had a conversation with the donkey and didn't ask himself what is going on here. God can use anything or anyone to speak to us. Don't despise anyone and think they cant be sent by God to speak to you.

Memory Verse: Num. 23:19

Decree:

“God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? Num. 23:19(italics mine)