Weapons and Tactics in Warfare*

In this modern era, we have seen through media and technology what war is really like. Beginning with the Vietnam War, right up to the present war in the Ukraine, the images of warfare are brought to us. What we see happening in the natural realm, however, is only a microcosm of what is going on in the spiritual realm. In both realms, poor tactics can cost lives. We, as believers, are in a war. Rabbi Jonathan Cahn refers to a "dark trinity war" in his new book, "The Return of the Gods". We need to know our weapons, and the correct tactics to use in this spiritual warfare. We are given powerful information from the apostle Paul: "...some...think of us as if we walk according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. Do ye look on things after the outward appearance?..." (2 Cor. 10:1-7). Our weapons are not carnal. Our enemy is opposition against the knowledge of God, and disobedience to Christ. Our tactics involve casting down ungodly thoughts, and revenging disobedience through the fulness of our own obedience. Spiritual warfare begins in the mind, within us, and not with bombs, or bullets. All natural soldiers have weapons and some sort of body armor, but our armor in spiritual warfare, "...not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places", is the whole armor of God. (Eph. 6:10-13). It is this armor which enables us to stand against the wiles of the devil, and "the evil day". As we know, the days are very evil, and wicked powers of darkness are very real. The whole armor of God includes having our loins girded with truth. We are to procreate the Gospel of truth, bringing it to others. We are to have on the breastplate of righteousness. Our hearts, which are the "kill zone" to the enemy, are deceitful, but we cover them with Christ's righteousness, not our own. Our feet are prepared with the gospel of peace. Wherever we go, we go with the Gospel. This is the Great Commission given to us by Christ. Above all, we take up the shield of faith. This spiritual shield quenches the fiery darts of the wicked against us. We take the helmet of salvation, protecting our minds from those thoughts, reasonings, and imaginations that Paul warned of above. In our hand is the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (v. 14-17). This is a two-edged sword, reminding us that judgment begins, not with an enemy, but with the house of God. We use the Word, especially 2 Chron. 7:14, to bring repentance to our hearts, to fulfill our obedience first. Always, Paul wrote here, praying for all the saints of God, and for the boldness to make known the Gospel even in the face of obstacles and persecution (v. 18-20). Regarding this, here in this country and across the world, we are seeing a growing intolerance to the Word and knowledge of God, and instead a demand, under penalty of law, that the people of God accept in silence ungodly and abominable practices. We can see in scripture how these spiritual weapons and tactics were used by God to fight Israel's enemies, even when they were outnumbered, ill-equipped and starving in their natural circumstances. In Exodus 17, the Israelites are in battle with the Amalekites. Moses gave this instruction to Joshua: "Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand." (Ex. 17:8-9). When Moses would hold up his hand, Israel prevailed, however, when he lowered his hand, the Amalekites prevailed. As the battle raged on, and Moses grew weary, Aaron and Hur put a stone in place for Moses to sit, and stood on either side of Moses to hold up his hands until the sun went down. "And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword." (v. 11-13). The LORD commanded Moses to write the battle against Amalek for a memorial in a book to remind Joshua of the vistory, and to insure the continual warfare of the LORD against the Amalekites. From this event, Moses worshipped the LORD by the name "Jehovah Nissi", meaning "The LORD our Banner" at an altar that he constructed (v. 14-16). The battle was won by the rod of God in the hand of His servant. This is the same rod that Moses used to part the Red Sea. In another example of the ways of God in warfare, Gideon had assembled an army of 32,000 to fight the Midianites. The LORD told Gideon that he had too many in his army: "...there are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, 'Mine own hand hath saved me." (Judges 7:1-2). The LORD told Gideon that the Israelite army was too big! So the LORD told Gideon to tell all who were afraid to go home. This reduced the army to 10,000. The LORD said that this was still too many, and the army was to number 300. Those 300 were to carry a trumpet in one hand, and a vessel containing a lamp in the other hand. To reassure Gideon of the coming victory, the LORD had Gideon sneak up to the enemy camp with his servant, Phurah (meaning "branch, bough, glory, glorify"), to spy. Gideon overheard one enemy soldier telling another of a dream that he had in which Gideon had crushed their tent. This telling of the dream in the enemy camp caused the Midianites to believe that it was inevitable that God was going to deliver them into Gideon's hands. When Gideon overheard this talk within the enemy camp, he sent his 300-man army in three divisions against the Midianites, who were as numerous as grasshoppers. As they blew their trumpets and threw down their lamps, crying 'The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon', the Midianites panicked and ran (v. 9-21). The fleeing Midianites turned their swords upon each other in their fear, and the Israelites pursued them. As we can see, this is not warfare as usual as practiced in the world by generals and armies. God has already told us that His thoughts are not our thoughts, and neither are His ways like our ways. We see the contrast again between natural warfare and spiritual warfare in the account of David and Goliath. The armey of Israel was confronting the army of the Philistines. David had gone to the army camp to bring provisions of bread to his older brothers, who were soldiers. Then the Philistines' champion warrior, a man of giant proportions, Goliath, began to threaten and taunt them. When the Israelite army saw him, they all ran, including young David. However, when David heard the rewards that King Saul had promised to the man who would go forth and answer Goliath's challenge, David verified the reward offered three times, and then said of Goliath, "...for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?" (1 Sam. 17:24-26). One of David's older brothers became angry at him, and belittled him, that David, a lad who watched sheep, would speak up and involve himself in army business. However, King Saul heard of David's talk, and asked him to come to his tent, telling David, "Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth." (v. 28-33). David told Saul that as a shepherd of his father's sheep, he had already killed both a lion and a bear, even taking one of the captured lambs out of the predator's mouth. David told the king that this uncircumcised Philistine, Goliath "shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God", adding, "...the LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion,...and the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine." (v. 32-37). Saul agreed, and offered David the use of the king's own armor. However, the armor did not fit David, and David did not feel confident in it because he had not "proved it". So David went forth to meet the Philistine with his shepherd's staff, his slingshot, and five smooth stones that he had gathered from the stream and placed in his shepherd's bag. (v. 38-40). We know that David ended up killing Goliath with one of those stones in his slingshot, even though Goliath was armed with a huge sword, spear, and shield. In another example from scripture, God made four Israelite lepers with nothing left to lose sound like "...a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host" as they approached the enemy Syrian camp looking for food because the rest of Israel was starving. The Syrian army fled thinking that they were coming under attack from two great armies. (2 Kings 7:1-7). When the Syrians fled, they left all of their food and possessions behind them, and the four lepers began to gather all they could. Then the lepers reconsidered, and reported the bounty, and the empty Syrian camp to the king's household. (v. 9). The king's army then chased after the Syrians, picking up spoil as they went. God's spiritual warfare can make four shuffling lepers sound like two mighty armies to the enemy, causing them to flee! Another king of Judah, Jehoshaphat, believing the word of prophecy that had come from the LORD through His prophet, went into battle against the Ammonites and the Moabites by commanding the Levitical singers to go before his army praising "the beauty of holiness", and singing, "Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever." (2 Chron. 20:14-21). Jehoshaphat had told the people, "O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall you be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper." (v. 20). Not many generals of the world would send singers in front of their army to face a large enemy, but by this tactic the LORD made the enemy armies destroy each other (v. 22-23). It is very important for the church to be aware of the weapons and tactics available to us in spiritual warfare, because so many believers are becoming caught up in natural, or worldly, methods and ways. Neither politicians nor natural armies can defeat the spiritual enemies that hold nations in darkness. Paul wrote to his son in the Gospel, Timothy: "Thou, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier." (2 Tim. 2:1-4). *Based on Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 11/20/2022 message to the church. To contact us, submit a prayer request, give a praise report, or to support this ministry: P.O. Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705 OR Everlastingcovenant@ymail.com. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, theshroudofturin.org, and END TIME SCHOOL, also on Facebook.

It's Time To Call Fire Down From Heaven

 

 There is a spiritual condition among us, the people of God, that mirrors a condition of the people of God in scripture. It is the failure to distinguish between the LORD God, and the gods of this world. 

Near the beginning in scripture, we see the birth of Adam's grandson, Enosh. The name Enosh means "mortal man, weak, sick, frail, incurable, woeful". Sin in mankind was already taking a toll, as Enosh's name reveals. It is at this time that "men began to call upon the name of the LORD." (Gen. 4:26). Men realized that they needed to call upon and rely upon the LORD God for their very lives.

As the generations progress, we are introduced to a god, an idol named Baal in Num. 22:41- 23:1. Baal's name means, "lord, master, husband". We are told that the high places had been dedicated to this god. The Moabite king, Balak ("devastator, lay waste, to make empty and void"), sought out a certain oracle, Balaam ("not of the people"), son of Beor ("burn up, wasted") from Pethor ("soothsayer"). King Balak wants Balaam to curse the people of God, whom he feared, who had settled next to his lands after escaping Egypt (Gen. 22:5-6). From these high places of the god Baal, the full extent of the people of God could be seen. Seven altars were built there, and sacrifices offered. The LORD God did not allow the oracle, Balaam, to curse His people even though Balaam was willing to do so for the reward he would receive (2 Pet. 2:15, Jude 1:11). It is interesting to note that Balaam does counsel King Balak to allow his people to have intimacy with the Israelites in order to destroy them from within. It is through this intimacy that Baal worship was introduced into their midst according to Moses (Num. 31:16). Jesus also warned His own church at Pergamos about the insidious counsel of Balaam within their midst, and its destructive effect, again because of reckless intimacy ( Rev. 2:14). The name Pergamos means a fortified tower of great height used to repel a hostile attack, and to enable a watchman to see in every direction. Instead of this church being a spiritual tower of defense, Jesus said that the enemy, Baal, was able to enter into it.

As the Israelites settled in their new land in Canaan, their leader Joshua, and the generation of elders with him, passed away. This generation had knowledge the great name of the LORD, and had witnessed the great works of the LORD God among the people of Israel. The generation of Israel that rose after them did not know the LORD, and did evil in His sight by serving the Baals (Judges 2:8-13). When our younger generations do not know the name of the LORD or His works, they become vulnerable to a counterfeit, and its consequences. This danger has come upon our own children as the knowledge of the LORD has been systematically removed from them.

The nature of Baal worship should sound very familiar to us today. Some of the practices included perverse sexual activity as part of worship, religious prostitution, human sacrifice, child sacrifice by burning in fire, even burying these children in the foundations of new building projects to insure economic favor and prosperity (I Ki. 16:34). It also included the worship of the creation - the sun, moon, and stars. The danger of Baalism is not just in the manner of worship. The danger lies in the fact that it inserts itself among the people of God in a way that makes them unaware that they are no longer worshipping God, but Baal.

 



In the time of Gideon, whom the LORD used to bring deliverance to His people, Baal worship was flourishing among God's people. Gideon's own father had erected an altar to Baal. His father's name was Joash, which means "Given by the LORD, "The Altar Fire of the LORD", yet he built an altar for fire to Baal. Gideon destroyed this altar, as the LORD instructed him to do, and built an altar to the LORD and gave sacrifices upon it (Judges 6:25-26). When the men of the city found out that Gideon had destroyed Baal's altar, they wanted to kill him (v. 30). Gideon's father finally spoke up and told the mob to let Baal plead for himself! Challenging the worship of Baal, whether then or now, results in persecution, even the threat of death.

Later, in the times of the kings of Israel, King Ahab ("Kinsman or brother of the Father") married the daughter of Ethbaal ("with Baal"). This daughter was named Jezebel ("Baal exalts, Baal is husband"). After Baal worship entered in through this marriage, Ahab not only built altars to Baal, but temples as well. Because their king was under the influence of Baal, the whole nation became affected. Prophets served Baal and this queen, for the favor and riches they received at her table (1 Ki. 18:19). The religious and government systems enabled and supported each other in this idolatrous worship. We see a similar situation today as churches compromise the truth in agreement with the government in order to keep certain privileges. Those prophets of the LORD who did challenge Baal worship in Israel were persecuted and killed (v.4).

However, as the LORD knew, and as He instructed His prophet Elijah, the challenge and showdown with Baal and his servants would have to take place for the sake of the hearts and souls of God's children, Israel. The prophet Elijah set up the challenge between himself, as a prophet of the LORD, and the false prophets of Baal. To all the people of the land Elijah demanded:

"How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him. But the people answered him not a word."   1 Ki. 18:21

The people were unable to choose between the LORD and Baal. They could not distinguish between the two. This was their spiritual condition.

Elijah told the people that he would challenge the prophets of Baal in the following manner:

"Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD; and the God who answers by fire, He is God." So all the people answered and said, "It is well spoken."   1 Ki. 18:24

The prophets of Baal built an altar and prepared a sacrifice for the god they served. Elijah repaired the altar in the name of the LORD that had been broken down, using twelve stones to represent the tribes of Israel. His offering was prepared. The prophets of Baal were in a frenzy, trying their hardest to move their god to answer them, even cutting themselves to draw blood, while Elijah mocked.

Elijah then had the LORD's altar and offering drenched with water several times and prayed,

"...let it be known this day that You are God in Israel...Hear me, O LORD, hear that this people may know that You are the LORD God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again...Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench."

As they witnessed the fire of the LORD, the people fell on their faces and cried out,

"The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!"   (1 Ki. 18:36-37,39)

In many cases, like the Israelites of scripture, the Church of our time has accepted the customs and beliefs of the people around them. Like the prophets of Baal, they are awash with corruption and worldliness in an effort to make the unholy, holy for the favor and advantages they receive at the queen's table. The Baal-type worship of abortion, sexual promiscuity and sin, the acceptance of lies about marriage, the worship of the creation rather than the Creator even in churches today, is practiced under the guise of "social justice", "love", "tolerance", and "relevance to the times". However neither the LORD God, nor Jesus changes (Mal. 3:6, Heb. 13:8). So how can a church change the intent and meaning of the Word of God, saying this is who Jesus and the Father now are, and this what They now say?  Baalism has infiltrated, and they are no longer able to differentiate between Jesus and Baal. At the same time, many in our nation, including in the church, are told that foreign gods, by whatever various names they are called, are the same as the only LORD God, but this is not the truth. As a result, there is no discernment in the peoples' hearts between the false gods of this world, the Baalim, and God who is Creator, Father, and LORD. All of these things are rooted in the same deception and darkness that stole the hearts of God's people away from Him so long ago.

This is the word for the churches: For those who still know the name of the LORD, for those who still know His works, and still serve Him, it is time to challenge the false prophets of Baal in our time, and to call down the fire from heaven. This is not a fire of judgment, as Jesus' disciples desired (Lk. 9:52-56). This is a fire of the revelation of the LORD God as it purges, and cleanses the hearts of His people, to turn them back to Him. It is a fire that comes to save lives, not to destroy them. Only then will we once again hear in our land, "The LORD, He is God!  The LORD, He is God!"

Photo top: Elijah calls down the fire of heaven

Photo center: Gideon destroys the altar of Baal