Victory Over Physical Attacks
10 Days of Prayer Day 22
Written By Ellianna Destinee Citro
"Now thanks be unto God,
which always causeth us to triumph in Christ,
and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place."
2 Corinthians 2:14
Here on earth, there has been a great history of physical attacks. World history is plagued with events of violent wars and battles. In recent times, there are unfortunately still events of violence. There have been recent issues of violent riots and attacks on other people. The enemy loves to divide. Since the fall of man, Satan has influenced many people to turn against each other, many of which became violent.
There are many battles recorded in God's Word, one famous battle that I will mention was between the Israelites and the Philistines. The Philistines sent forth Goliath, who was said to be a giant. "A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. His height was six cubits and a span. He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels; on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. His spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels..." (1 Samuel 17:4-7).
Goliath proposed to the Israelites that if a man could kill him, the Philistines would serve them. If the man failed and was killed by Goliath, the Israelites would have to serve the Philistines. The Israelites, including King Saul, greatly feared him. However, despite the circumstances, God still had a plan.
David, a simple shepherd boy, came to the Israelite camp. He was sent by his father to deliver food to the commander of the unit that his older brothers served in and to check on them. Now David overheard Goliath repeating his challenge, and he asked the men that were near him:
“What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” They repeated to him what they had been saying and told him, “This is what will be done for the man who kills him," (17:26-27). The news of what David said reached Saul, so he sent for David. "David said to Saul, 'Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.' Saul replied, 'You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth.' But David said to Saul, 'Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.' Saul said to David, 'Go, and the Lord be with you,'” (17:32-27).
David chose to fight Goliath with only his staff, sling, and five stones. David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands,” (17:45-47).
Despite being only a shepherd boy, David had the courage that none of the Israelite soldiers had. After striking the giant using his sling and one stone, David defeated Goliath. "So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him," (17:50).
Though these days we may not be fighting literal giants, the world is still faced with gigantic problems. Many have tried to fight with the United States, even it's own people have begun to turn against each other. The devil is trying to tear our nation apart. But just as the Lord was with David as he fought Goliath, the Lord is also with us among all of the the division and chaos. When the enemy tries to wage wars against God's people, the Lord is always the victor. With the Lord, there will be victory over the violence and attacks.
Just as David said: "it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s." Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, we humbly ask for the courage and strength like that of David in these trying times. Amid the turmoil that the world is facing right now, we ask for Your peace and for Your justice. We know that You have the victory, Lord. We ask for Your continued guidance and protection over Your people. We thank You, Lord, for the victories that are to come. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Praise & Worship: It's Not Over Yet by for KING & COUNTRY: https://youtu.be/XmTmTMcdxOs