By: Gen. Jim – 4/21/25
“… And he (David) came to the camp as the army (Israel) was going out to the fight & shouting for the battle.” – Sam. 17:20, NKJV
“Thou art My battle axe & weapons of war: For with you I will break the nation in pieces; with you I will destroy kingdoms. With you I will break in pieces the horse and its rider…” – Jer. 51:20,21, NKJV
“The children of Ephraim, being armed & carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle. They did not keep the covenant of God…” – Ps. 78:9,10, NKJV
I’ve seen both the brave fighter & the foolish fearful.
The voice of the LORD is speaking LOUD & CLEAR these days: “I command you to keep on in the Revolution for the Return to Righteousness!” To return means at one time the warriors for God were in the battle but had left the field and took an extended furlough. In the military (in my day (the 60’s) it was called R&R (“rest & relaxation”; others called it “rest & recreation”). This was permitted by the army. But in the context I write it means leaving the field of battle not wanting to return. They call this being A.W.O.L. (“absent without official leave”).
The Spirit of the LORD is saying: “As the ones who are My Warriors, you are not meant to desert, take extended furloughs, or simply quit in exasperation & despair. NO! I have called you to do what I have for you & not give in to the pressures that want to squash you nor cause you to behave in a disorderly way towards your duty. Inasmuch as I have called you to pursue the course I have set before you, do not be hasty to turn aside & go in another way.”
Ephraim
Ps. 78:9,10, verses 8-10 picture the stubborn & rebellious Ephraimites: they refused to fight (see Jud. 1:29). Vs.9 refers to some defeat of the Ephraimites (scholars don’t know where or when). The Psalmist is giving a history lesson here: “… the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise & declare them to their children: That they might set their hope in God, & not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments: And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn & rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, & whose spirit was not steadfast with God,” vss.6-8. Whatever the case may be concerning the armed men of Ephraim, they TURNED BACK from battle – they did not drive out the evil Canaanites (Jud. 1:29); they did not help Jephthah the judge in battle (Jud. 12:2); Philistines “of Gath” killed some of them (1 Chron. 7:21).
Jeremiah
Jer. 51:20,21:
Jer. 51:19 says, “… the LORD of hosts is His name,” i.e., “the LORD of Armies”. This “LORD of Armies” says that either the pagan king Nebuchadnezzar is meant or Israel (this is debated). I did several articles where God used pagan kings to fight for His purposes, as well as Israel. Other scholars believe the battle axe was the Medes against Babylon (which they did overthrow that empire).
Personally, I’ll leave it up to the “experts” WHO the LORD was referring to. We do know Israel was captive of Babylon & God was going to deliver them. Cyrus conquered Babylon. What I believe is that Cyrus was God’s Battle Axe & weapon of war. With his army He was going to “break in pieces” … “I will render unto Babylon & to all the inhabitants… all their evil they had done in Zion…” (vs.20-24).
My point is not WHO but what was destined to happen – God used an army against an army. Unlike what we read about Ephraim – running from the battle – this Battle Axe obeyed.
David
Oh, what a sad story! He stayed at home too long, entered into transgression with Bathsheba & brought shame to God’s Kingdom (see 2 Sam. 11 & 12). The Spirit has said, “So it is in these times, those who have volunteered to do battle in the Revolution for the return to Righteousness are not meant to violate their duty by disorderly or immoral conduct. I want My Warriors to keep on in the WARFARE in the WAY that gives Honor to My Kingdom & to My Son, Myself, & My Spirit.”
Fight or Flee?
It disturbs many that we write/teach about “fighting”. Well, the N.T. promotes this – demands it! (see all my posted articles on “Spirit Warfare”) Never do we find in the Word to take an extended furlough or let our fire burn low or let it die out. NO! NO! NO!
The Word of the LORD continues: “Keep on looking to Me to give you all that you need to RESIST, REFUSE, & REFUTE the demonic powers sent to deviate you away from Me & the mercies I give to you each day… you are meant to be in the company of those who are striving to remain Righteous.”
In short, as James wrote in 4:7, “Therefore submit to God, resist the devil & he will FLEE from you. Draw near to God & He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands… purify your hearts.”
I know, I know! This is kinda hard to believe – the devil fleeing!
Since we’re talking about fighting & the “Warriors for Righteousness”, we should take heed to what James had to say. To start, James calls names – “adulterers & adulteresses”. (4:4). Some manuscripts omit adulterers/adulteresses, e.g. the Nu-text (the Alexandrian or Egyptian texts). James starts this chapter with scolding (Prof. Adam Clarke gives 4 full pages in his introduction to the book, who James was and his reason for writing this epistle.) His conclusion to James, as an inspired writing is abundantly established by the Apostles Paul & Peter, who have in their writing many sentiments/expressions similar; for example: –
1 Pet. 1:3: “Who hath begotton us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
Rom. 5:3,5: “Knowing that affliction worketh out patience; & patience experience.”
Rom. 2:13: “That the hearers of the law are not just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.”
Rom. 7:23: “I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind.”
1 Pet. 2:11: “Lusts which war against the soul.”
1 Pet. 5:8,9: “Your adversary the devil; whom RESIST, steadfast in the faith.”
1 Pet. 5:6: “Be humbled under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you.”
Rom. 14:4: “Who art thou that condemnest another man’s household servant?”
1 Pet. 4:8: “Love covereth a multitude of sins.”
Now compare the above 9 scriptures with James 1:18; 1:3; 1:22: 4:1; 4:7; 4:10; 4:12 & 5:20.
RESIST
1 Peter 5:8,9 tells us to, “Be sober (i.e. self-controlled), be vigilant (watchful); because your adversary the devil walks (& stalks) about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. RESIST him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same suffering are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.” James has the counterpart: “RESIST the devil, & he will flee from you.” James 4:7 instructs his listeners/readers to “SUBMIT to God.” One cannot RESIST evil till one first gets the authority from above.
That word “resist” – “anthistēmi” means to “set against / stand against.” It is used in the middle (or Passive) voice & in the intransitive 2nd aorist & perfect Active, signifying to ‘withstand’, ‘oppose’, is translated to RESIST in Mt. 5:39; Acts 6:10, A.V. (In the R.V we find ‘withstand’). (see also Rom. 9:19; 13:2; Gal. 2:11; 2 Tim. 3:8; 4:15; 1 Pet. 5:9; Acts 13:8; Eph. 6:13; etc. – all having the Gk. word anthistēmi (note: there are 3 other Gk. words as well, but I’ll stick to the first (found in Ja. 4:7).
We’re instructed to “draw near to God”, vs.8. We also find the words “cleanse”/ “purify” in vs.8; “be afflicted”, “mourn”, “weep” in vs.9., “humble yourselves” in vs.10.
To purify your heart is to separate yourselves from the world = sanctification, we’re to consecrate ourselves, i.e. try to live a godly life.
In a time such as now, evil attacks & attracts: RESIST is an order. This is a way of life for the Warrior of Righteousness. This is not going to a “cutting edge” Church where Rock/Rap music loudly plays & the “Warriors” sway! NO! It is an everyday thing. Not just to put on a good show but to live-the-life in the Spirit, dedicated, consecrated, & separated unto God every day.
In the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs (Naphtali 8:4) it is written: “If you work that which is good, My children, … the devil shall flee from you”; Simeon 3:5: “If a man flee to the Lord, the evil spirit fleeth from him”; Benjamin 5:2: “If you do good, even the unclean spirits will flee from you.”
James’ words are not just condemnation, but also an appeal for change of mind & heart. Self-indulgence in this hour is a PLAGUE! …, which has turned into a “SOUL KILLER”. How many lifeless “Christians” go to Church yet find no joy or fulfillment? James tells us to cleanse our hands & purify our hearts (4:8). He calls those whom he is addressing, “doubleminded” = “double soul”, meaning, the believers have a heart/mind for the world & for the things of God. It won’t work!
Christian believers in this hour & in this generation are double-souled… disoriented. Their spiritual awareness is atrophied!, i.e. wasting away because of insufficient nutrition… eating of the world’s devil food.
If & when a soul tries to separate from the world, the flesh, & the devil, GET READY for ALL HELL to break out against you. You will be smeared by both the secular & the religious.
I ask, are you in the “Fight for Light” or on an extended furlough?
WOS – Are you a Respondent or a Despondent?
I speak unto you this day and I ask, are you responding to My Spirit when the same calls you to action? Or are you so pushed down by the enemy forces that you are in the web of despondency and are miserable every day? I do not call those who are Mine to be full of despondency and by the same to be taken down into the sludge of depression and death. Rather, I call My people to be respondents to the call of My Spirit in order to do what it is that I want them to do.
It is vitally important for those who are Warriors in the Revolution for the Return to Righteousness to stay in the militant mindset, whereby they are ready and willing to obey the commands of My Spirit when such are given. They are not meant to be as those who have given themselves over to the “church complacent and comfortable” and are left behind to become despondent by their choices. No, those who are Mine are meant to be pushing forward in the Way I have for them as Ready Respondents who will move quickly in obedience without quibbling.
The more My people take dominion over their own carnality and refuse to be sucked into the traps the enemy forces have set for them, the more they will grow to appreciate the ministry of My Holy Spirit in their lives. My Spirit will be ever active to warn them and guide them forth in the New Life whereby they experience growth and development in different realms. Just as a person born in a military family in the natural is going to experience different cultures, so will My Militant Members. By the lifestyle they will live, they will be far more exposed to different demons in the many lands and localities when they will follow the commands of My Spirit to “go”. If you stop and consider, the command which Jesus gave to those who were His first disciples, was to “go into all the world and preach the Gospel.” This means they were not to try and settle themselves in the “church comfortable and complacent”. Rather they were to stay on fire and on the move as Ready Respondents to the spread of the Good News in JESUS, all could find forgiveness of their sins no matter where they were. They were not to remain simply clustered together in one spot, they were to go onward and upward in the pilgrim’s journey to wheresoever the Spirit led. If you stop and think about it, they could not be burdened down with who would care for them or how. They were not to forget they were under My Ultimate command and I would provide and protect them.
So it is in these times, when those who are surrendered to the commands of My Spirit will move out of the comfort zone into the realms of the unknown, they will see My mercies and My miracles time and again. In actuality when people are abandoned to Me, there is no stopping what I am able to do for them as they shall know Me as I am not as men have attempted to construe Me. Therefore do not look to any other god, any other source, or even perverted representations of rote religion for all are traps and snares to take the hungry away from Me and feed them with the unclean food.
When those desiring Me are fed unclean food and covered by filthy coverings they will become despondent. This can happen to babes as well as to those who have gotten eyes for the world and are taking in more of the world than they are of Me. The ones who are doing this are wrong in My sight and suffer for doing what is not right.
Be alerted to the remaining fact that True Christianity will always entail battle because the True Follower is ordered by JESUS to go into all the world and preach the Gospel. To be obedient to His Command those who are True must be Militant for the Truth and aware that the invasion of the Truth into the places of superstition, mythology, and witchcraft will cause war in the spirit and even in the physical.
The Truth exposes darkness and those who are proclaiming the Truth need to be aware of the fact that the world will hate them because it hates Me, My Son, My Spirit and all of My people who are Militant for the Truth. Therefore do not look for a “happily ever after dream life” for the same is not. Look to be on The Ride which will take you up and down, and all around the many curves, crevices, canyons, and mountains of madness on the horizon. The only way to win is to keep absolute in focus, commitment, and action, for to look away will cause defeat.
Be thankful this day for as you learn obedience through the things you suffer, you will not need to be disturbed nor distraught but simply accept that as the learners you must follow the steps of The Master. When you are doing so, you will not fall into the many traps and devices of demons along the way. Of course you may stumble but you have the angels escorting you as you keep on the trail of My intention for you.
It is indeed a good thing to be “in training and or in action as a Respondent” for this is My desire for those who are active for My Kingdom so when the need arises, they are Ready to Respond. They will not be offended by any post of duty they are assigned to, nor will they run from the battlefield. These will be the ones I can rely upon for they are Troops of Triumph and will know what it is to have Victory and not be the victims of the enemy forces.