Doing Valiantly

UV 1405-10,000 Doing Valiantly

Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.

Psalm 60 v 12
The help of man is vain and futile. It is limited and motivated. At best it is bravado or foolhardiness. But the Lord shall help us to do valiantly, implying to live victoriously, bravely, successfully, confidently. The Lord is a master strategist. He counselled David not to be weighed down by the heavy armour and weapons offered by Saul in his fight with Goliath. Even before the first blow was struck the Lord had ordained victory for David. The odds were heavily against the diminutive David by comparison but God was in his favour. David had made the right choices to ensure he was on the winning side- the side on which God is. He did not look to his brothers for help who were overcome with fear and taunted and teased him for even thinking of taking up the gauntlet against Goliath. It was not as if the young David did not have any sense of fear but his faith in God enabled him to overcome that fear and to affirm his belief in the power of God. The power of God is unlimited. This is the reason the Psalmist says that he does not look to the high persons or places or resources of this world for help but he looks to the Maker of Heaven and Earth. God will help us in spiritual ways(Heaven) and practical ways (earth). He will pull out all the plugs to help us. All the persons and resources of heaven and earth are at our disposal or our help.

With the help of our Ebenezer, we will face the big challenges and threats of life bravely. Through Jehovah Nissi, we have victory in all our battles. Through Jehovah El Shaddai, we will have might, strength and power in our inner being. David turned a deaf ear to the threats and abuses hurled at him by Goliath. Goliath called him a dog for coming against him with stones and sticks. But David went forth valiantly in the name of the Lord and called on God to help him. David could do more than the entire Israelite army could do. God had turned him into a one man army.

Each of us is a one man army. One can send a thousand fleeing. Two can defeat ten thousand Prayer is our catapult that sends our requests right into heaven. The Word is our weapon of offence and strength. Faith in the Commander-in-Chief Jesus is our shield. The promises of God that we have memorised, meditated and applied are our arsenal. Our praise and worship are our victory towers. Our enemies are not against natural forces but against the power of God. The chariots of Egypt pulled by trained war horses were of no avail against the hapless, harmless, unarmed Israelites. They were drowned by the crashing walls of water on either side. The Lord will enable and ensure safe passage for us through our lives even as we are pursued by our enemies just as He provided safe passage for the Israelites on the dry bed of the Red Sea. Every believer is every day confronting a new Red Sea, a Jordan river or a new Goliath wondering how he or she would cross the mighty hurdle of personal affliction or personal challenge. Like David, we must bolster our faith by remembering past testimonies of God’s faithfulness to us and muster our courage and face the odds with God on our side.

Prateep V Philip