Be Battle Tested and Taught

These are the nations the Lord left to test all those Israelites who had not experienced any of the wars in Canaan  (he did this only to teach warfare to the descendants of the Israelites who had not had previous battle experience): ... They were left to test the Israelites to see whether they would obey the Lord’s commands, which he had given their ancestors through Moses.

Judges 3:1-2,4

Sometimes we like to paint a picture of Christianity like it makes life easy. We forget that Christianity is life as it truly is. In the third chapter of Judges the Israelites are confronted with the reality that there would be warfare. 

I see three things from this passage; there will be warfare, warfare has a purpose and God wants us to have victory. For every nation back at the time of the judges warfare was just what you did. Even during the time of David the spring was when kings went out to war (1 Chronicles 20:1). Jesus warned his disciples that the world would hate them because the world hates him (John 15:18ff). We live in a world that is constantly trying to destroy our faith. 

Warfare tests us and warfare tests our faith. God does not test us to see if we will fail or not, he tests us to reveal himself and strengthen our faith. Sometimes when you work out you see how far you can go, how much you can lift, how much you can endure. You push yourself to strengthen yourself. God allows us to experience battles to strengthen us and show us his faithfulness. 

Jesus told us, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).  Psalm 60:11-12 encourages us to pray, "Give us aid against the enemy, for human help is worthless. With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies." Paul tells us, "The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin in the law. Bu thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:56-57). The apostle John proclaims, "for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith (1 John 5:4). 

There will be spiritual warfare. You will struggle. You will battle. You, by faith in Christ, will have victory, knowing Christ and the power of his resurrection in deeper and deeper ways.