Let's Talk ... A Quick Study of Warring for Your Prophecy

(1 Chronicles 17 - 21)

Imagine having God’s stamp of approval to do anything that your heart desires. The prophet Nathan came to king David in 1 Chronicles 17:2 and said, Do all that is  in thine heart; for God is  with thee. Then in 1 Chronicles 17:4 …that same night, that the word of God came to Nathan, saying, Go and tell David my servant, Thus saith the LORD, Thou shalt not build me an house to dwell in:  And in 1 Chronicles 17:8 God took care of your enemies and made your name famous. But that’s not all, to top it off, God guaranteed David in 1 Chronicles 17:11-14, even after he dies, that He has his back. God told David I’m going to settle your son in my house, he’s going to be in my kingdom forever, and his throne will be established forever.

Now, let us be honest, most of us at this point would be beyond ecstatic. Here you are, once a shepherd boy in the middle of nowhere, God anoints you to become a king, sends a prophet to tell you that you can do what you want and He has your back, and now in verse 4 ‘thus said the Lord’ that you don’t have the responsibility of building him a house. To top it all off, He took care of your enemies, made your name famous, and even after you die, your lineage (i.e., your children) is established in His kingdom forever. You would think you have made it, and the rest of your days are easy like Sunday morning. You would think David would be laid back, feet kicked up in the palace, and the maidservants feeding him grapes. Instead, David responded to the prophecy that was given through the Prophet Nathan by humbling himself before God. 1 Chronicles 17:16 says, David …came and sat before the LORD… David sitting before God is a key indicator of his relationship with God. Consider the consequences of coming before a king without being called. Take Queen Esther, she knew that going before the king without being called had serious consequences. Esther 4:16, the queen’s command and statement, illustrated the seriousness. Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish. Even after the fast, she dressed in her royal apparel. Another example is the high priest when they went into the tabernacle’s holy of holies. They wore bells when they went into the presence of God in the Holy of Holies. The moment those bells stopped ringing, the children of Israel knew that the priest was no longer alive. Therefore, coming into God’s presence commands and demands reverence and honor. David, though a king, had an understanding that regardless of his position, God was the one who placed him where he was, and he was no more than a servant of God. He was humbled before the Lord. After communing with the Lord, David got up and went to war.

The manifestation of a prophecy is not always automatic. First and foremost, 1 Peter 5:8 says we have an adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. When Satan came and presented himself with the sons of God before the Lord. He was after Job. He couldn’t kill Job, but he was trying to set Job up for failure. And in Luke 22:31, Jesus was telling Simon …Satan hath desired to have you, that he sift you as wheat. But praise God, we have an advocate! In Luke 22:32 says, But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. Knowing that we have an adversary, we must remain steadfast in faith, and as Philippians 3:14 states, we must … press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

 Secondly, James 2:17,26 says,… faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. Therefore, having faith alone is not enough. Take, for instance, when Jesus went about healing. In Luke 17:12, Jesus encountered 10 lepers. Jesus gave them a simple instruction to go show themselves to the priests in verse 14. Verse 14 says, …as they went, they were cleansed. Therefore, just as the psalmist wrote in Psalms 37:23, The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. God will shed light on the path you have to walk, and sometimes it requires more faith than others because you might still see the symptoms like these lepers did, but as they went, they were healed. Moreover, some situations may require you to have that as you go faith; And it may be those as-you-go moments that are pivotal points in bringing the prophecy into fruition. At times, to bring the prophecy to fruition, warfare is a necessity. After receiving the prophecy from Nathan, the prophet, and humbling himself before God, David went to war. His first encounter was with the Philistines in 1 Chronicles 18:1.

Strongholds and Opposition

Strongholds and oppositions come in a variety of forms. In the case of the Israelites, the Philistines have been a stronghold and opposition to them throughout the Bible. Historically, the Philistines were said to be Aegean or of Greek origin and settled on the south coast of Canaan. They have been a stronghold and opposition to the Israelites. And the five major cities belonging to the Philistines are: Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ekron, and Gath. Cities hold significance in power, military, economic, and governmental control.

First on the list is Gaza; it lies on a trade route. This is where Philip met the man of Ethiopia, a eunuch who had great authority under Candace, the queen of the Ethiopians, in Acts 8:26. And it was in Gaza that Samson was taken as a prisoner. Second city, Ashkelon, is a coastal trade hub. Likewise, with the city of Ashdod, it was a maritime trade city. One of the key events that happened in the bible regarding Ashdod was when the Philistines in 1 Samuel 5:1-3 placed the ark of God in the house of Dagon and set it by Dagon. Last, but not least, is Ekron. Ekron was rooted in believing in Baalzebub 2 Kings 1:2. Ashdod and Ekron are a reminder of God’s faithfulness to fulfill His promise. Both cities are located in the tribe of Judah promised land. Additionally, when David smote the Philistines and took Gath and her towns, he took over fortified cities that were thriving in trade.

Learn to recognize your opposition and strongholds. This can be in the form of past hurts that you have not processed properly, and the issue still lingers, for example. These things are like the “Philistines” in your life. You might have fought through the issue, but the underlying issue may be that you had suppressed and not processed the problem(s). Then some situations are out of control. For example, generational curses that came about from things before your existence.  Nonetheless, all these things must be dealt with at the root.

Who or what are the Moabites in Your Life?

The Moabites' origin sprang forth from immorality. They were descendants of Lot’s daughter from incest after Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed. In the book of Numbers, chapter 25, it was the daughters of Moab that led the men of Israel to turn away from worshipping God. They seduced the Israelites' men into worshipping their god and sexual immorality. Sexual immorality may or may not be an issue for you, but maybe something other than God is commanding your attention, absorbing your time, and drawing you away from Him. Keep your focus on God. Ask yourself, do you want what God has for you (aka the prophecy and promises)? The bible says in James 4:7, Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Wickedness in High Places

Ephesians 6:12 says, For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wickedness in high places could be both physical and spiritual. King Hadarezer was on a mission to expand and establish his dominion along the Euphrates River. The Euphrates River is significant in many ways. Amongst the many, the Babylon territory was established along the river, and it marked the edge of the promised land God had given to the Israelites. Rivers also play an important role in the spiritual realm. There are principalities bounded in the Euphrates River. In Revelation 9:14-19, there are four angels bound there waiting to be released.

Physically, David had to battle with the king, who had 1,000 chariots, 7,000 horsemen, and 20,000 footmen. Moreover, king Hadarezer had help from the Syrians from Damascus. According to 1 Chronicles 18:5, David killed 22,000 Syrian men from there. His army had shields of gold and so much brass that Solomon made the brazen sea, pillars, and vessels from it. In essence, king Hadarezer was equipped. His cities, Zobah (i.e., a fortified fortress) and Syria, must have been so powerful and wealthy that to subdue Syria Damascus, in verse 6, David placed garrisons there as well as the cities of Tibhath and Chun.  When a garrison is set in a city, it is there for protection, projection of power, and control. By setting garrisons, David continued to expand the territory of the children of Israel.

David continued to war and fought with the children of Ammon, other nations from Edom, from Moab, from the Philistines, and from the Amalek. So, if you ever encounter one battle after another don’t be discouraged or think that you are doing something wrong. Just know that what’s on the other side of what you are at war with is greater.

Expectations from People

Have you ever encountered a situation where you showed kindness, and your kindness was taken for granted?  David tried to show kindness and comfort the son of the king of Nahash, the king of the children of Ammon, after his father died. Instead, the children of Ammon abused and shamed David’s servant.

While you are working towards and waiting for the manifestation of your prophecy, you may encounter multiple attacks and situations, including people whom you try to be kind to.  So, don’t think it strange if people who you were kind to begin to hate on you and attack you. Instead, stay steadfast and focus on the prophecy and promise God have given you.

Satan is Waiting for You to Slip Up

Satan waits for you to slip up, whether it be physically or mentally. He’s going to find a crack in your armor to come in and wreak havoc.  When David started battling after receiving the prophecy, he first fought with the Philistines and only subdued them, and did not take dominion. And when David had to battle with the Philistines the second time in 1 Chronicles chapter 20, 2 Samuel 21:15 says David became exhausted. He wasn’t quoting Isaiah 40:31 at this point. In his weakened and tired state, David finds himself back on the palace rooftop during a time when kings went out to battle. Instead, David let his men go to battle without him (2 Samuel 11).

So, here, king David:

1. Left a crack by not taking dominion over the Philistines.

2. He became tired and ended up where he’s not supposed to be.

3. Because he wasn’t where he was supposed to be, he ended up doing something he wasn’t supposed to be doing. (i.e., taking Bathsheba)

This was just enough for Satan to provoke him to step out of line and make the Lord angry. But notice in 1 Chronicles 21:1, it wasn’t about David. 1 Chronicles 21:1 says, And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel. So, the attack you experience or will experience isn’t necessarily about you; it’s for something bigger. Imagine that! Satan was after Israel. Israel can be defined in two ways: 1. The nation, and 2. The promise. Satan knew if he provoked David, the leader, or as Zechariah 13:7 says, …smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered… However, David, anchored in God, recognized that he sinned against God, humbled himself before the Lord, and repented.

Remember, trials and tribulations are not always indications that you have done something wrong or that you are out of God’s will. And the manifestation of some prophecies is not automatic but requires both faith and works. Moreover, you must bear in mind that though the prophecy was given to David, the benefits thereof were for the generations to come. So, when Satan begins to attack you, remember, it’s not specifically about you but about the results of the prophecies that you receive coming into fruition; there’s a bigger picture. More importantly, as you fight the good fight of faith daily, keep in mind that remaining humbled and praying to God is vital before, during, and after warfare.

David humbled himself and prayed to God before going to war, and when he realized he had sinned against God, he repented and prayed to God. The power of prayer should not be underestimated. Revelation 8:4 describes the prayers of the saints that were being poured out by the angel, causing thunder, lightning, and earthquakes.