Faith Seeds: Prayers and Poetry

Banish

Banished armies

Built garrisons

Brought tribute to Jerusalem

Bronze offerings, gold shields

Brought victory to David

By God’s hands.

Faith Seeds: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions

1.     What enemies, within or without, do you need to see put to flight?

2.     What fears do you need banished or turned into a tribute?

3.     What garrisons have you set in place by God’s word to protect your faith?

Share: What recent victory has the Lord given you through His lovingkindness?

Faith Seeds: Prayers and Poetry

2 Samuel 8:6, “Then David put garrisons among the Arameans of Damascus; and the Arameans became servants to David and brought tribute. The Lord gave victory to David wherever he went.”

The Old Testament is filled with the stories of battle where God gave deliverance. 2 Samuel 8 relates several different sets of foreign enemies that David put to flight under God’s direction. Despite all his wrong choices and sins, David remained faithful to belong to God and his desire to be His servant.

David’s heart was dedicated to God above all else. He sought the Lord’s words—personal communion above all else. He could not bear to be apart from His will.

But he was also well trained in warfare and knew that retaliation was always on the horizon. So he built garrisons. He built in protection. He did not take times of peace for granted. He stayed vigilant and with each victory he turned the tribute to the Lord.

Sometimes we are so grateful for a victory over an enemy without, we don’t see the one diminishing our heart. Or we give thanks and forget to set up protective garrisons of prayer and tribute and become complacent in sustaining a heart-to-heart relationship that seeks only God’s guidance. We doubt our ability to receive His gifts of refuge and training and let false words or false ways become our plans.

Lord, please give us Your eyes of faith to put to flight, to banish, any desires or enticements that can corrupt Your will in our lives.  

Psalm of Worship: Psalm 144:1-2

“Blessed be the Lord, my rock, Who trains my hands for war,

And my fingers for battle;

My lovingkindness and my fortress, My stronghold and my deliverer;

My shield and He in whom I take refuge; Who subdues my people under me.”

Faith Seeds: Prayers and Poetry

Stand

Three hundred men

divided into thirds

given trumpets

for one hand

empty jars with torches

for the other.

These their swords,

yet they stood in place

waited on command

obeyed in unison

won the day’s battle.

Walls that could not

be broken shattered

under God’s word.

Faith Seeds: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions

1.     How difficult is it for you to simply stand in place when there is danger or oppression approaching?

2.     What helps you discern whether a situation requires more or less resources?

3.     What battleground are you standing on right now? In whose strength are you standing?

Share: What unlikely weapon has God given you to use in a time of battle?

Faith Seeds: Prayers and Poetry

Judges 7:21, “Every man stood in his place all around the camp.”

Our world often extols victory based on quantity equating success with an overwhelming flood of resources, whether manpower or economics, technology or authority.

In the Book of Judges God calls Gideon to be His servant and defeat the power of Midian against Israel. Gideon is astonished. Not only is his house considered the least in Manasseh, but Gideon himself is the youngest. He cannot perceive how he could become mighty in war. Yet over 30,000 men come to battle at his side. Then, in Chapter seven, God reduces Gideon’s army to 300 men, “lest Israel become boastful.” And arms them with trumpets and torches. Not common tactics.

Yet they obey. They stand their ground. And God indeed makes them mighty.

Sometimes we are barely able to manage even standing still when we face circumstances that overwhelm and subjugate us into oppressive days. We cannot imagine a hint of becoming mighty in our battle. Only by the Spirit’s power can we hold our ground to possibly hope relief will come. And still doubts creep in.

 However when we trust Jesus’ promise to “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me..” and take our place under God’s direction, we too can stand firm in the strength of His word.

He gives us His power to become mighty in our daily wars—His way.

Psalm of Worship: Psalm 18:39

“For Thou hast girded me with strength for battle;

Thou has subdued under me those who rose up against me.”

Faith Seeds: Prayers and Poetry

Breath

Your promise stands

throughout all time

to call on Your name;

to seek Your face.

Hezekiah pleaded

his course changed

added fifteen years.

Yet we continue

to rage or despair

on our own counsel;

forget to ask.