Fight The LORD’s Enemies

Finally, David is the king of Israel.  He no longer needs to hide from Saul’s murderous threats.  He need not fight against his own Israelite extended family to become their king.  David is anointed by God, pronounced by the prophet Samuel, and, now, affirmed by all of Israel as king.  What, then, does it look like when David reigns as king?  What does it look like to have the LORD’s Kingdom come and his will be done here on earth just as it is in heaven?

When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king of Israel, they mobilized all their forces to capture him. But David was told they were coming, so he went into the stronghold. The Philistines arrived and spread out across the valley of Rephaim. So David asked the LORD, "Should I go out to fight the Philistines? Will You hand them over to me?" The LORD replied to David, "Yes, go ahead. I will certainly hand them over to you." So David went to Baal-perazim and defeated the Philistines there. "The LORD did it!" David exclaimed. "He burst through my enemies like a raging flood!" So he named that place Baal-perazim (which means "the Lord who bursts through"). (2 Samuel 5:17-20 NLT)

War is the first thing we see David doing as the newly-crowned king.  That shouldn’t surprise us, though.  Often times, I will talk about God’s design for our lives.  This perfect picture can be found in Genesis 2, when Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden walking together with God.  They had nothing hidden and nothing to hide.  Even in the Garden, though, Adam and Eve faced danger.  The tree in the middle of the garden not only brought knowledge of good and evil.  It also brought with it, death.  In The Garden, Adam and Eve also faced a very real enemy who sought to devour them like a roaring lion.  Who was this enemy?  The serpent.  Adam and Eve, even in the perfect picture, needed to fight the LORD’s enemies.  They needed to go to battle.

But after a while the Philistines returned and again spread out across the valley of Rephaim. And again David asked the LORD what to do. "Do not attack them straight on," the LORD replied. "Instead, circle around behind and attack them near the poplar trees. When you hear a sound like marching feet in the tops of the poplar trees, be on the alert! That will be the signal that the LORD is moving ahead of you to strike down the Philistine army." So David did what the LORD commanded, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer. (2 Samuel 5:22-25 NLT)

It’s a good thing that David was an excellent warrior.  It’s an even better thing that he walked together with God.  The LORD gave David victory and David knew it.  His faith in battle was clearly placed into the hands of the LORD.

How about you?  Do you fight the LORD’s enemies?  Are you experienced in these kinds of spiritual battles?  Does God give you victory over His enemies?