To Teach Warfare (Judges 3.1-4)

Our most recent discussion of warfare insights from Joshua and Judges produced the following thoughts from our group meeting in Gig Harbor:

1. God's battle plan is often counter-intuitive. Who would have thought to conquer Jericho by marching around it blowing trumpets and shouting?
2. God is willing to give us specific instructions on how to approach a battle.
3. These first two points imply the necessity of being able to hear from God. While the Scriptures remain our touchstone by which we test all things (Isaiah 8.20), there are times in the spiritual battle when we must receive specific instructions from God for our unique circumstances. In those times God is able to make His will known to us through counsel, signs or prophetic revelation.
4. Winning the battle requires that God's agenda be preeminent in our hearts and minds. Any selfish human motives or goals will jeopardize the battle's outcome.
5. It is our faith that overcomes the world (1John 5.4). Without faith we can neither please God (Hebrews 11.6) nor win our spiritual battles. It behooves us, then, to understand what faith is!
6. The principle of consecration looms large in the historical books. We cannot expect to win spiritual battles if we are not holy, that is, if we have not made certain that we are in a personal spiritual state that is pleasing to God. True consecration before a strategic battle requires self-examination, repentance where called for and time spent listening to God.
7. There is a defensive action that can be summarized by the idea of "locking our doors." Just as chains and dead bolts can keep unwanted troublemakers from entering our physical homes, appropriate safeguards can keep immoral influences from polluting our spiritual landscape.