“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said. (2 Chronicles 32:7-8, emphasis mine)
The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. (James 5:16)
There are two distinct verses for today. Both are for believers. One speaks of the difficulties of our ancestors, the Israelites, as they fought their enemies. The other speaks of the power of prayer for the righteous person.
In Scripture, we are continually reminded to be strong and courageous. We are not to be afraid or discouraged because of our enemies, their power on display in the flesh, their threats, their armies poised for battle.
So, why is it so important to remain strong and courageous? For one, simply because it is God’s will that we remain strong, courageous and steadfast. He promises to help us and to fight our battles. He wants us to rely on Him. His great power is with us. God is there with us to fight our battles. Regardless of the battle.
Why do we need to be reminded to be strong and courageous? Sometimes what we can see in the realm of the flesh can be intimidating. We live in both the physical and spiritual realms: the seen and the unseen. As such, we can become intimidated by evil if we take our eyes off of God. Think of the little nation of Judah going up against the King of Assyria and the vast army with him. Sometimes life doesn’t look too promising – in our everyday circumstances - if all we look at is the flesh; that is, what we can plainly see. There is more going on here than what our eyes can see. The way things appear may not be the whole story. God, in his infinite wisdom, power and love, reminds us over and over again that He is our God, He will help us, and He will fight our battles. We need to simply stand in faith and believe.
We are also reminded in the book of James that the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. Our battles, dear friends, are fought on our knees – in prayer. Our battles may also be fought in our minds and hearts. They are won through faith in God, His Word, and His promises. Our battles are won by relying on God, the creator, the Lord, to act on our behalf. This is powerful.
Have you really looked at those who pray, who rely on God, who walk with God? They carry the Presence of the One who is the Source of all things. Seen and unseen. It is God with us. God in us. God working through us. God working on our behalf.
The take away? Pray and rely on the LORD to fight your battles. Believe in His promises and walk with Him. The battle is not ours, it belongs to God. Amen.