The Road To Pentecost #15

We close out this week on the exponential benefits of utilizing the 3 tools and 2 tactics on the Road to Pentecost by looking at what comes out of being still.  We saw in session 5 that being still allows us to discover where to go next on our path in Him.  In session 10 we saw the enemy of stillness is moving forward without considering God. Today, we'll head back to Psalm 46, the origin of this tactic, to discover what benefits we receive from this tactic.

Stillness disarms our enemies

He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire. (Psalm 46:9)

In the verse leading up to the our command to be still, we are promised that God has the ability to stop all the chaos that might swirl around us.  He not only causes the conflicts in our lives to cease, he destroys all the tools our enemies would use to defeat us.  This heralded promise reassures us in the power and authority of God.  We can therefore stand still knowing that God will fight our battle for us.

Samuel used the tactic of being still when he led Israel out to face the Philistines. He didn't command the Israelites to get into formation when the Philistines drew near (1 Samuel 7:7).  However, Samuel had already gotten Israel to turn towards God (1 Sam 7:3-4).  As the Philistines drew near, Samuel offered a sacrifice and cry to the Lord (1 Sam 7:9).  In that moment, God did what he promised in Psalm 46.  He broke the Philistine army and restored all the land they had taken back to Israel. 

We may face some Philistines on the Road to Pentecost.  These enemies will try to intimidate, confuse and defeat us before we ever face them in battle.  However, if we will be like Samuel and be still, God will deliver into our hand a mighty victory.  Note, the Israelites prayed, fasted and practied the Word in the lead up to this victory.  They followed the plan set forth by the man of God to the letter.  By coupling fasting, prayer, the Word and plan of God with our stillness, we open ourselves up to victories that we never have to fight for. 

Take this thought with you into the weekend and practice being still in the face of your enemies as Samuel did:

The greatest foe we face on the battlefield is our lack of faith in the One who can deliver us from the hand of our enemy.