We as Christians are in a war. It is the ultimate battle of the ages: the kingdom of light against the kingdom of darkness. This is not a spiritual metaphor or analogy; this is serious and this is real. There are real lives that are hanging in the balance, real attacks from the enemy, and real responsibilities to uphold. As a Christian, we are currently living in hostile territory. This world is the domain of the prince of darkness, and it is his bent to harass our lives. Those under the control of this world are against us as Christians. If we live in such a way as not to upset the natural flow of society, then the world will tolerate us and maybe even be our friends. But as soon as we give our allegiance to our rightful king, then everything changes. We will be despised by men and persecuted for our pursuit of Jesus Christ.
Just look at the life of David. One day the prophet of the Lord came to his house, bypassed all of his older brothers, and anointed him king of Israel. Now King Saul was still the reigning king, and when he found out that David had been chosen by God to be king, all hell broke lose on David’s life. Saul put a bounty on David’s head and sought to kill David to protect his own throne. David became the most wanted man in the kingdom. He was a hunted fugitive living in a cave, reproached of men, and despised of the people. But in the midst of all of this, David did not fear and lived in confidence in his God. What!?! How could he do that? He had twenty-two assassination attempts on his life and was constantly living on the run. With all these problems how could he live without fear and still trust in a God who would let this happen to him? Because David knew that God was on his side. For If God be for us, who can be against us (Rom. 8:31)?
Back when God chose David to be the king of Israel, the prophet Samuel anointed him with oil to mark him as king. But something else happened at that anointing, the Spirit of God filled David from that day on. Although he was not recognized as king, he began to live like one. When a lion and a bear came to attack his sheep, David rose up and broke their jaws and retrieved his lambs. Later when a giant stood and blasphemed the armies of Israel, David said “who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” Then armed only with a sling and the spirit of the living God, he sprinted to the battle. David knew the power of his God, and he knew that he had been chosen by God to lead the nation of Israel. As a result of that, David lived with an unshakable confidence in his God.
We serve the same God as David, and God has not changed. When the Spirit of God is given to us as Christians, we should have the same fearlessness and unwavering confidence in the power of our God as David did. When the kings of hostile kingdoms come to persecute us, or the giants of our day mock and blaspheme the living God, may we rise up with the growl of David and boldly say:
The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what man can do unto me?
I do not fear those who can kill only the body and not the soul.
Death, where is your sting?
Hell, where is your victory?
If God be for us, who can be against us?
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