As the world becomes more and more dark, we must realize we are in a battle…and in this battle, God’s got our back. We must prepare ourselves to do spiritual warfare, but we do not enter into warfare alone. All throughout the Old Testament, the Lord gives us examples of how He was with the Israelites in their battles against the enemy. In war, there were rules of engagement to follow. So it is with spiritual warfare.  

Deuteronomy 20:1-4 gives us some examples: When you go out to battle against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them; for the Lord your God is with you, who brought you up from the land of Egypt. So it shall be, when you are on the verge of battle, that the priest shall approach and speak to the people. And he shall say to them, ‘Hear, O Israel: Today you are on the verge of battle with your enemies. Do not let your heart faint, do not be afraid, and do not tremble or be terrified because of them; for the Lord your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.’ Ephesians 6:11 also instructs us: Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 

King David was one of the greatest warriors of the Bible. God had David’s back when he defeated the lion and the bear, and David remembered this when it was time to fight Goliath (1 Samuel 17:36). God will always have our back, the same way He had David’s, and this is something we must always remember. This remembrance gives us the courage and conviction to stand up to giants other people cower from!

See, Jesus Himself has an agreement, a covenant, to have our back. Luke 22:20 says, Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.” It’s the Blood of Jesus that gives us the victory before we even enter the battle. How much more confidence can we have, knowing He has our back, and the battle is already won! 

In 2 Chronicles 20:6, when Jehoshaphat faced an army, he reminded God of who He is: and said: “O Lord God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You? After that, the Lord Himself released a prophecy of encouragement and truth over Jehoshaphat in verse 15, telling Jehoshaphat He has his back:  And he said, “Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the Lord to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.’

Yes, these are dark times. Yes, we are in a battle. But we must always remember that God is with us in the battle; we are not alone…God Himself has our back!