In my last post, I talked about why we seem to have so much trouble on our journey with God: we are in the middle of a spiritual war. Sides have been drawn and battles fought. It is possible, though, that most days you feel like you’re on the edge of defeat. I have learned, in my own struggle, that the only source of spiritual victories in my life is to follow God’s plan for victory, not my own.
God spells out His battle plan in Exodus 14. It came at an intense moment in Israel’s beginning. They had recently been freed from slavery in Egypt, but were suddenly trapped by the Red Sea. This was their first confrontation as followers of God; the first time they felt like trouble was their reward for following God. Pharaoh and his army were charging in upon them and the sight of the army causes them to wish they had never left Egypt (ever notice that almost every trial they face resulted in them wishing to return to slavery?). It is at this pivotal moment that God reveals His plan for victory to His newly formed army. It is the core of every battle plan God uses.
The first thing outlined in God’s battle plan for us: “Do not be afraid” (Exodus 14:13). Can you imagine being in the heat of battle and someone next to you is screaming over and over, “We’re gonna die! We’re gonna die!” Fear can spread quickly. Due to this, before any battle, if an Israelite soldier was afraid, they would be sent home (Deuteronomy 20:8). God knows that fear is contagious, and many victories have been forfeited because of fear. Sadly, we can be so afraid of defeat and failure that many times we won’t even try.
We struggle with this fear even though God promises over and over that He will be with us. Actually, He does more than simply “be” with us, He fights for us! Deuteronomy 3:22 says, “Do not be afraid of them; the Lord your God himself will fight for you” (emphasis mine). This is the same reason He puts in His battle plan: “…you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you. …The Lord will fight for you” (Ex 14:14). This is no doubt why David says: “The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1). And why Paul can say, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rom 8:31). With God as our light and salvation, and our fortress, who should we fear? We don’t have to fear because God is with us, and is fighting for us! Victorious spiritual soldiers are courageous—not because of their strength, but because they trust in the power of their God.
Next, God’s plan says that we must stand firm. “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today” (Exodus 14:13). God’s battle plan requires that each of his soldiers take their stand. They must hold their ground—be committed. This isn’t about being committed to an idea, it is being committed to God and His plan. When you join the battle, you cannot be on the fence about Whom you stand for. You must understand and be committed to His cause. It means that you will be ready and willing to obey any order at any given time. Too often, we find ourselves running ahead and asking God later if it was something He wanted us to do. To be victorious you must not move until told to move. You will rest when you are told to rest, and fight when you are told to fight. It means you are focused—focused on Him. By standing firm, nothing else in our lives come before serving our Master and His plan.
Finally, the last part of God’s plan: be still. “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still” (Ex 14:14). It may sound like it is saying the same thing as before, but the Hebrew word here literally means “be silent.” What had the Israelites been doing? Complaining. For God’s battle plan to work, we must stop our mouths too—stop complaining. Complaining causes us to look at the problem rather than the solution. When we complain, we are questioning the battle plan. When we complain we can’t hear the battle plan. What reason would we have for talking over God anyway? We don’t need to point out the problem—it’s obvious. We can’t add to the strategy of His plan—it is already perfect. So what could we have to say? Nothing. Therefore, we are to be silent. Silently listening for God’s next instruction. If we read further in the chapter, we’ll find that once Israel stopped complaining they were able to see the Red Sea part.
Friends, we are in the middle of a tremendous war. When we accept Christ as our Savior, we proclaim satan our enemy. Therefore, as long as sin exists, we will have trouble in this world. So what is God’s plan for victory? Be silent, trust Him, and take a stand.
You see, God doesn’t need Super-Soldiers or mighty fighting machines—He’s got angels. What He needs in us are soldiers that will stand for Him. He’s not asking us to have faith in our strength. He doesn’t ask us to be the best fighters. He’s not even asking us to fight. He just asks us to stand.
Are there trials in your life? Stand firm—God is your refuge! Are temptations attacking more than ever? Stand firm—God is your strength! Are there more losses than victories in your spiritual life? Stand firm—God is your salvation! In other words, when Satan tries to advance in your life, you stand your ground with Christ.
We must remember, though, that victory is not winning every battle, it is about winning the war. There will be losses. There will be struggles and pain. You may feel like giving up. You may think that God has abandoned you. But do not give up! He will not abandon you! Jesus promised, “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20, emphasis mine).