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“AND THEIR SHOUTS PREVAILED”
#7
DAVID VS. GOLIATH
Sometimes the worst thing in the world is a fair fight.
When two sides are evenly matched, that’s often when there’s the most
bloodshed.
In their great book, The Century, Peter Jennings and Todd Brewster describe
a horrific battle that took place during World War I. Germany and France
went up against each other – February 21, 1916 – near the town of Verdun.
By this time in the global conflict, the two writers suggest, neither
side had any real strategic advantage to be gained by conquering that
particular territory. But pride was at stake; it was the proverbial “line
in the mud.” France, the record shows, sent something like 259 of its
330 infantry units into the fray, “to defend Gallic pride,” as they put
it.
And when all was said and done, when the smoke cleared, get this – 700,000
men from both sides lay dead in the vast wasteland. Today, when news of
five or ten deaths reported on the Fox News Network makes us want to weep
and march on Washington, astronomical numbers like those stagger the mind.
But a few months later, “in the valley of the river Somme,” England decided
to take a shot at the crack German troops. But the dilemma was this. The
U.K.’s troops had cannons; the Kaiser’s forces were firing machine guns.
And it appears clear that when cannons go up against Uzi’s – or the forerunners
of Uzi’s – the Uzi’s are going to win. Here’s how Jennings and Brewster
put it:
“The strategy was a colossal failure. . . . Row upon
row of infantry marched point-blank into the line of fire, arriving ‘at
a steady, easy pace,’ said a German officer later, ‘as if expecting to
find nothing alive in our trenches.’” (73)
As the sun went down on the carnage, 22,000 Englishmen
were sacrificed in just that one day. Can you imagine? The battle went
on for five months, decimating half a million soldiers on both sides.
And there’s more. One side used chlorine gas; the other developed gas
masks in response. So the Germans countered with phosgene gas, and then
mustard gas, which led to unspeakable deaths there in the trenches.
Well, friend, a couple of pages a day is about all a person can bear to
even read . . . and how can we fathom the way it must have been for those
who were there? But you and I, as people on this battleground called Planet
Earth, are aware that there’s an invisible enemy who still wages war against
the sons and daughters of God. A four-star general named Lucifer still
goes about “as a roaring lion,” or sometimes as a cryptic, invisible spy,
as silent as those deadly, toxic fumes spreading over Verdun.
For about a week and a half now in this series, it’s been a pretty steady
conclusion that on our own, we simply cannot win against Satan and his
forces. We keep returning to a sad Friday morning line, where a weak-willed
governor named Pontius Pilate just didn’t have the intestinal fortitude
WITHIN HIMSELF to stand up to a lynch mob. He gave up an innocent man
to be tortured to death, simply because he couldn’t say no to superior
forces. Luke 23:23: “And their shouts prevailed.”
And even though there are moments when you or I might feel a certain self-confidence,
the hard truth is for us too: the devil and those he controls are an army
with more power than we have. On paper, side by side, in a hypothetical
or real matchup, I – E. Lonnie Melashenko – cannot beat Lucifer. Neither
can you. It can’t be done.
In his very helpful book, The Victorious Christian Life, Tony Evans reminds
us of a couple of things. First of all, various Bible passages teach that
Lucifer used to be the highest of all angel forces. He sat in Gabriel’s
chair before Gabriel got that promotion. So he is a mighty, powerful,
charismatic spiritual being. He’s gifted. He’s talented. The Word of God
describes how he and a third of the heavenly forces were cast out of heaven,
and it’s clear that a fallen archangel had to persuade them, one by one,
to join his doomed cause. So he’s good; no question about it. He’s got
machine guns, and you and I have only spit wads and rubber bands.
The second reality is that all angels – good or bad – start out with more
inherent power and ability than human beings do. Did you know that? Evans
reminds us of a passage of Scripture found in Psalm 8, which tells us
this:
“What is man that You [God] are mindful of him, the
son of man that you care for him? You made him A LITTLE LOWER than the
heavenly beings [‘the angels,’ says the King James,] “and crowned him
with glory and honor.”
Now, it’s good news that Adam and Eve and all their
descendents here in the year 2004 are God’s crowning glory. He does love
us with an infinite love. But it doesn’t mask the fact that in the original
order of things, you and I aren’t just lower than Lucifer – we’re lower
than every single foot-soldier in his rebellious legions. In a one-on-one
NBA matchup, it would be Shaquille O’Neal going up against the late Willie
Shoemaker, standing 4’11”, size 2½ Nikes. I mean, there just is
not any chance. No wonder Pastor Evans concludes, and rightly so:
“The bottom line is this: you can’t beat the devil
on your own.”
And if you read through from Genesis to Revelation,
it’s not just Pontius Pilate who experienced this. All of God’s people
surrendered, at one time or another, to the wiles of the fallen but still
mighty archangel.
Well, the answer – and I hope it doesn’t seem like we’re just repeating
the same mantra, but it continues to be not only truth but the ONLY truth
– is this: we can only experience victory with the help of Jesus our Savior.
And please don’t let that be a radio platitude, friend; it’s the absolute
truth. But what’s it mean?
Evans illustrates this in that same book chapter with a delightful story;
here it is:
“A boy went to the zoo with his dad,” he writes. “As
they passed by the lion’s den, one of the ferocious creatures let loose
with a loud roar. Startled, the child reared back and bumped into his
father. He covered his face and began to cry. The father asked, ‘What’s
wrong, Son?’ The frightened child replied, ‘Daddy, didn’t you see the
lion?’ ‘Yes, Son,’ the father said, ‘but I also see the cage.’” Isn’t
that great? And Evans gives us the punchline from right there at the zoo:
“Are you frightened by the lion or comforted by the cage? Jesus Christ
can confine and control this adversary who has already been judged, condemned,
and defeated.”
Well, again, that kind of falls under the category
of “nice clichés,” doesn’t it? But Evans follows up that “look
at the cage” anecdote with two very practical applications. Here they
are. First, he writes, “recognize that Satan is a defeated foe.” Despite
his power, despite the prowess of his hordes of demonic agents, the “millions
of orcs,” as Peter Jackson fans might put it, his entire army has already
seen its own white flag. They were beaten at Calvary, and they remain
beaten today.
Number two is very Scriptural and very practical: “Take inventory of the
armor God has given you.” You’ll find the Christian warrior’s wardrobe
described in Ephesians chapter six, and these aren’t clichés at
all; these are the real deal. Number one, “the belt of truth.” Friend,
knowing Bible truth absolutely IS a way to experience victories over Satan.
Truth is a protection; it gives you answers when he tempts you with falsehoods.
It worked for Jesus in the wilderness, and it can work today. We get mail
all the time from amazed people who have had Bible promises and our Discover
Bible lessons give them moments of triumph over Satan.
Number two, the breastplate of righteousness. Maybe that sounds like the
classic “Catch-22,” but it’s true that righteousness will protect you
from unrighteousness. As we develop good habits, we’re empowered against
bad ones. As we connect our lives up with righteous people, and establish
relationships with godly men and women, we’ll be protected. We won’t encounter
so many sinful invitations.
Then we have the shield of faith, which is simply saying
that we have enough of a trust relationship to call upon Jesus and believe
He has the might to respond. That’s all faith is: a living, active trust
in a close friend. Interestingly, Paul suggests that we can “extinguish
all the flaming arrows of the evil one” by using this shield of faith,
this protective wall of knowing: “Jesus cares. He’s with me. He’ll handle
it.”
Then we also have the helmet of salvation – and what
a wonderful comfort to know that our eternal homes in heaven are already
guaranteed by the cross and aren’t repossessed by God’s mortgage company
if we should slip and fall or have a stray dart from the devil find its
mark.
Finally, the sword of the Spirit, which Paul immediately
reminds us, “is the Word of God.” This Book right here, this powerful,
radioactive volume containing the fullness of God’s will for us . . .
listen, against this inspired Book Satan IS a defeated foe, and he already
knows it from the year 31 A.D.
So it’s good news when an undefeated general properly
outfits you for combat. It’s even better when he gets out front and leads
the way.
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