PSALM 144:1-2 – Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle; he is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me.”

THEME OF THE DAY: HE TRAINS US FOR WAR.    How deep is our understanding of God’s grace?  Does it go beyond simply saving grace?  It should. It must because there is so much more to know and experience about God’s grace.

In the Apostle Paul’s letter to Titus, he reminds him and us of the wonderful riches in God’s grace beyond salvation – For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works (Titus 2:11-14). What is revealed is the grace that saves is the grace that trains.  God’s grace trains us to renounce ungodliness, worldly passions, to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this world.  It also trains us to wait for the Coming of our Lord Jesus.

Though not explicitly stated, God’s training grace is present in today’s scripture too. It trains us for warfare, spiritual warfare, by not giving us a method to fight, but a reminder of who fights with us.  There are five aspects about our God that strengthen us against our spiritual foes.  It is by grasping and resting in them, we are equipped to fight the warfare God calls us to.  What is important is the pronoun “my” showing us the personal nature of who and what God is to us.  And the more we know those truths of Him in our relationship with Him, the more successful we shall be in our spiritual battles.  Here they are – God is the source of personal love. It is His love known and experienced that strengthens our resolve to fight. The only way to defeat affection for sin and the world is by the greater affection for the Lord, and that comes by knowing His love for us. He is also the place of personal security and protection –  my fortress, my stronghold, and my shield.  He protects us from the fiery darts of doubt and discouragement in those protective roles.

Yet, we must always remember, ultimate victory in our spiritual battles comes from the Lord.  The Psalmist reminds us that it is God who subdues a significant foe in our lives –  people. And people are often the tool of the devil seeking to take us away from Christ by alluring us into the world, giving us bad examples, and attacking our spiritual walk with the Lord.   As this unfolds, it is God who becomes our victor and brings about deliverance in His time and way.

The God of all grace. It is freeing and trains us.  May the Lord help us to know Him more and more that we may bring honor and praise to His name as He leads us into daily spiritual battles.

PRAYER: “Father, I praise You for not only sending me into battle but going with me.”

QUOTE: “God trains us for war by reminding us what He is toward us in the war.”

In the affection of Christ Jesus,

Pastor Jim