Vital signs- Wednesday, March 29th, 2023

Ever since sin entered the world, people have been fighting. Adam and Eve’s firstborn killed his own brother, and since then the scale of killing and making war has only increased. Jesus has told his disciples that “nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom”, and history provides countless examples. Making war is a clear expression of human sin.

But there is more to it. The Bible is clear about the spiritual battle going on between God and Satan, and this spiritual dimension influences what is going on here on earth. We should be careful not to oversimplify things, or to claim that we are God’s people and thus everybody who opposes us must be influenced by Satan. We can’t judge present-day conflicts along these lines. But the Bible offers several examples of battles where God was at work.

These stories remind us that we only have a limited view of reality. We can only see what is visible with our human eyes. But there is more going on in the heavenly realms. God is the ultimate Ruler of the world, and sometimes He uses human battles to achieve his goals.

Can you mention a Biblical example of a battle that was influenced by the Lord?

“Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the Lord, and spoke, saying: “I will sing to the Lord, For He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea! The Lord is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him; My father’s God, and I will exalt Him. The Lord is a man of war; The Lord is His name. Pharaoh’s chariots and his army He has cast into the sea; His chosen captains also are drowned in the Red Sea. The depths have covered them; They sank to the bottom like a stone. “Your right hand, O Lord, has become glorious in power; Your right hand, O Lord, has dashed the enemy in pieces. And in the greatness of Your excellence You have overthrown those who rose against You; You sent forth Your wrath; It consumed them like stubble. And with the blast of Your nostrils The waters were gathered together; The floods stood upright like a heap; The depths congealed in the heart of the sea. The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; My desire shall be satisfied on them. I will draw my sword, My hand shall destroy them.’ You blew with Your wind, The sea covered them; They sank like lead in the mighty waters. “Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, Fearful in praises, doing wonders? You stretched out Your right hand; The earth swallowed them.”

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭15‬:‭1‬-‭12‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

The battle belongs to the Lord!

Team Wade loves you and is praying for you!❤️👊