Sunday May 10, 2020

I Like Being Offensive

There are two ways to approach a battle: defensively or offensively. One requires us to take a stand and one requires us to move. One allows us to keep what we already have and one will result in gaining more. Both demand preparation and both share in the victory.

It seems like the church has been more defensive minded these past couple of months…kind of just holding our ground and holding on to what we have. We’ve been hunkered down waiting for the craziness to pass by. Shut up in our homes and shut out of the church building, I fear many are crossing their fingers and hoping that we can all get back to business-as-usual sometime soon. But is this the position the Church should be taking?

Now there is nothing wrong with a defensive position…as long as there is a balanced offense to go with it. David and his mighty men took a defensive position against the Philistines on their way to a great offensive victory.

But they stationed themselves in the middle of that field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. So the Lord brought about a great victory. (1 Chr.11:14)

Initially David took a defensive position but then pursued the Philistine army in a strong offensive move. In Ephesians chapter 6, Paul instructs us to “stand firm” in a readied defense but reminds us we have an offensive weapon in our hand…the sword of the spirit (Eph.6:14-17). Jesus promised to give us what we would need to defend ourselves when brought before an adversary…yet turns that defense into a victory.

But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name’s sake. But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony. Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist. (Lk.21:12-15)

You see, we cannot just simply “take a stand” against an encroaching enemy. We cannot simply stay “hunkered in” hoping hardship will pass. We are called to take the land! We are to be an army on the march not just a bivouacked army (2 Tim.2:2-6).

When it was time for Israel to possess the Promise Land they were to encircle the enemy in Jericho and defeat them with a great shout. The time has come for us to possess our land…to take back what the enemy has stolen. We must press on (Phil.3:14), and fight the good fight of faith (1 Tim.6:12). (See WORD WISDOM for a deeper study of great shout)

We ARE a church on the offensive. This cannot be a time of complacency. Let’s pull our sword of the Word out of its sheath, praying aggressively, marching fervently on our way to becoming more than conquerors in this battle.  

It is better to be on our toes expecting victory than to be on our heels praying to just hang on. Satan would love to see the Church on its heels. But we are a church on a mission. Hell’s gates cannot prevail against God’s army on the offensive. I love being offensive!! Amen!!

And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.  (Matt.16:18)

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Related Scripture

You shall march around the city, all you men of war; you shall go all around the city once. This you shall do six days.

— Joshua 6:3

Word Wisdom

great shout
Hebrew "teru’ah" (teh-roo-qh) Strong’s #8643

A shout of joy, a clamor, blast of trumpets, the sounding of alarm (especially with trumpets), a cry of jubilee, a victory shout. Occurring 36 times in the Old Testament, "teru’ah" is derived from the root verb "ru’a," “to cry out and shout,” whether in alarm or for joy. "Teru’ah" is an ear-piercing great noise, a sound that cannot be ignored. "Teru’ah" describes the shouting of the Israelites when the ark was returning (2 Sam.6:15). In Leviticus 25:9, "teru’ah" is translated “Jubilee,” literally “trumpet of the loud sound.” "Teru’ah" is a significant term in the Book of Psalms (Ps.27:6, 33:3, 47:5, 89:15, 150:5)

So...

Ronald Meredith, in his book Hurryin’ Big For Little Reasons, describes one quiet night in early spring: Suddenly out of the night came the sound of wild geese flying. I ran to the house and breathlessly announced the excitement I felt. What is to compare with wild geese across the moon? It might have ended there except for the sight of our tame mallards on the pond. They heard the wild call they had once known. The honking out of the night sent little arrows of prompting deep into their wild yesterdays. Their wings fluttered a feeble response. The urge to fly–to take their place in the sky for which God made them– was sounding in their feathered breasts, but they never raised from the water. The matter had been settled long ago. The corn of the barnyard was too tempting! Now their desire to fly only made them uncomfortable. Complacency is always enjoyed at the price of losing the capacity for flight.