A Chinese proverb says you must befriend an enemy in order to win the battle.
That’s man’s way of thinking. To win in the spiritual realm, we must befriend God, for he is at the head of our army, and he takes an ACTIVE role in the battle against evil.
Let’s look at our ACTIVE God:
A – He is the ALARM that makes the world tremble.
We do not worship a God afar, one who does not know us as we are. Instead, we worship a God who announces his presence in majesty and trembling.
Joel 2:1 reveals the mighty manifestation of God, for he tells us the trumpet will burst forth in Zion; God will sound his ALARM on his holy mountain; and the world will tremble. The Lord is on his way!
C – He is a COMMANDER unto his people.
We are not a leaderless people. Instead, we have a COMMANDER who goes before us in power and majesty, one who leads us in battle, while decimating all who come against us.
Isaiah 55:4 tells us that the Lord is a witness to his people, and a leader and COMMANDER going before us into battle.
T – He TEACHES us to fight against the evil one.
We live in a war zone, whether we want to admit it or not. The world around us may seem at peace, but there is another realm where good and evil go head to head.
2 Samuel 22:35 tells us that the Lord TEACHES us to make war against the evil of this world. Psalm 28:7 says he is our strength and our shield. Ephesians 6:14 invokes us to carry with us the breastplate of righteousness.
With God as our general, the battle is already won.
I – He is an INSTRUMENT of righteousness.
Our God created the heavens and the earth, and in his desire for companionship, he created man in his own image. We are like him, in word, in thought, and in deed. We are the very image of God.
Romans 6:13 tells us that we are to present ourselves unto God as instruments of righteousness. Romans 8:29 tells us that when we become like him, we will take on the image of Jesus.
If our righteousness makes us more like God, then God must stand before us as an example, the ultimate INSTRUMENT of righteousness.
V – He is VOCAL.
This world belongs to our Father in heaven. He loves us and is gentle with us, but he makes himself known in the thunder on the mountain. He proclaims his wondrous majesty through the storms that rage across the seas.
He is equally VOCAL when he calls our spirits to him. 1 Peter 5:10 reveals the scope of his voice, for he calls us to his eternal glory with his Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus’ death on the cross and his resurrection three days later is still reverberating throughout the world.
E – He ENCAMPS around us.
When attacked by Native Americans, American settlers heading west would draw their wagons in a circle, putting their most precious possessions within the ring of protection.
That is exactly what God does for us. Psalm 34:7 says he ENCAMPS around those who fear him, and with his mighty hand, he will deliver them.
When we draw close to our God, he will build an impenetrable defense around us.
Our God does not leave us to our devices, only to cast judgment on us when we fail. He is a mover and a shaker, and he is directly involved in our lives.
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Originally published on 6-8-13 in Hope