Posted by rfathers on March 8, 2010
The New Generation of Fighting Army will fight only God’s Anointed Battles which means two primary things: (1) the men in the army will be Godly men, serving God and obedient to His call, and (2) God is with them.
We cite three examples to demonstrate what is meant by God’s Anointed Battles:
First, as discussed previously, the Old Generation of Fighting Men were disobedient and lacked faith in God. God told them that the Promised Land was theirs. But, because they were in disbelief, they preferred to go back to slavery in Egypt.
After God pronounced that they were condemned to die in the desert, they decided to fight those who occupied the Promised Land. Moses told them not to go:
Do not go up, because the LORD is not with you. You will be defeated by your enemies … Because you have turned away from the LORD, he will not be with you and you will fall by the sword. (Numbers 14:42-43 NIV)
Well, as we know the men were overwhelmingly defeated – because God was not with them. But, if they had obeyed God and followed in the footsteps of Moses, Joshua and Caleb, then the Lord would have made away for them to possess the land. They would not have been condemned and they would not have been defeated.
Second, 38 years later, after all the old generation had died out and the Lord was ready for the Israelites to cross the Jordan into the Promised Land, He started them out with the defeat of the Sihon King at Keshbon:
Set out now and cross the Arnon Gorge. See, I have given into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his country. Begin to take possession of it and engage him in battle. This very day I will begin to put the terror and fear of you on all the nations under heaven. They will hear reports of you and will tremble and be in anguish because of you. (Deuteronomy 2: 24-25 NIV)
Notice that God said all the nations under heaven … will tremble … because of you. The reality is that they trembled because of God’s anointing on Israel’s army. They could not be defeated with God’s anointing on them.
Third, here is an example of where God withheld His anointing on a battle and then, because of a change in Israel, He gave His anointing. At the first Battle of Ai Israel was resoundingly defeated. The roots of that defeat were sown when Israel defeated the town of Jericho.
The Lord had specifically instructed Israel about what to do with the plunder that they got from Jericho. But, one man, Achan disobeyed and kept some sacred things for himself. Thus, the Lord’s anger burned against Israel and he withheld His anointing on the first Battle of Ai (Joshua 6 &7).
Once Joshua and the Elders of Israel prayed before the Lord, Joshua received instructions to consecrate all the people. Joshua was able to discover the sin of Achan – and to root it out (Joshua 7). Next, the Lord told Joshua to prepare for the Second Battle of Ai:
Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Take the whole army with you, and go up and attack Ai. For I have delivered into your hands the king of Ai, his people, his city and his land. You shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king … (Joshua 8:1-2 NIV)
These two attempts to take Ai show clearly that it is not the enemy that determines whether the army of God wins or not, it is God’s anointing on the army which is the determining factor. Stay with God, eliminate sin from within your ranks and the army of God is insured of success in its battles.
In our next post we will discuss how the God Goes Before New Fighting Army.
Please tell others about this important series on God Is Calling for a New Generation of Fighting Men.
Posted by rfathers on February 27, 2010
The New Fighting Army must be an Army of Valiant Men. Throughout the Old Testament Valiant Men or Men of Valour are described with such terms as men who were able to bear buckler and sword, and to shoot with bow, and skilful in war (1 Chronicles 5:18).
However, we find that it is not enough to have the ability to fight. The Old Generation of Fighting Men had the ability to fight – but they did not have the will to fight. Fighting men must be courageous.
Valiant men have also been described in the Old Testament as having the heart of a lion (2 Samuel 17:10). However, that also is not enough. Valiant men today must have the knowledge of God that gives them the conviction to fight for the right things. They need to be like the valiant men who where with Saul when he first became king. They were men whose hearts God had touched (1 Samuel 10:26).
Our example is the fighting men who most notable distinguished themselves in the Bible, known as the Men of Issachar. These were brave men whose actions helped to propel the Nation of Israel into a time of unity and peace in one of its most crucial times in history after the death of King Saul.
There had been many years of intense division and fighting in Israel between the house of Saul and the house of David. Once David had established himself in Hebron, many of the fighting men of the Nation came to honor David and pledge their allegiance to him. The Men of Issachar were in that number:
And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment. (1 Chronicles 12:32 KJV)
These men who came to honor David were distinguished by seven points – that are also relevant for today:
- they understood the challenges that Israel was experiencing,
- they knew what needed to be done,
- they had the courage to act on their convictions,
- they were leaders who brought others with them,
- they acted in faith and purpose,
- they were mighty men of war, and
- they put their personal agendas aside.
Today, my brothers, the Fighting Army for the 21st century follows in the footsteps of the Men of Issachar.
As we said earlier, it is not enough to be able to fight or even to have the will to fight. The New Generation of Fighting Men must know why we fight – and this conviction must come from within. The New Generation of Fighting Army is an Army of God, a spiritual army that is prepared to fight and is prepared to win.
In our next post we will discuss how the New Fighting Army will only Fight God’s Anointed Battles.
Please tell others about this important series on God Is Calling for a New Generation of Fighting Men.
Posted by rfathers on January 27, 2010
One of Moses’ last acts was to assign land east of the Jordan River to the Reubenites, Gadites and the half tribe of Manasseh (Numbers 34:14-15). This was their portion of the inheritance of the Promised Land.
However, the Israelites had not yet taken possession of the entire land. Moses commanded that the men who had already received their allotment to help the rest of the tribes seize and occupy the land west of the Jordan River. In fact, Moses said they must go first:
The LORD your God has given you this land to take possession of it. But all your able-bodied men, armed for battle, must cross over ahead of your brother Israelites.
However, your wives, your children and your livestock (I know you have much livestock) may stay in the towns I have given you, until the LORD gives rest to your brothers as he has to you, and they too have taken over the land that the LORD your God is giving them, across the Jordan. After that, each of you may go back to the possession I have given you. (Deuteronomy 18-20 NIV)
God intends that the men who have not yet gotten settled in their lives – be helped by those men who are settled and more mature in the Lord.
This is am important principle for the army because it should be the responsibility of the New Generation of Fighting Army to oversee this process for the fighting men.
This is consistent with at least two other references in the Bible that we list here:
Iron Sharpens Iron
As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17 NIV)
This well-known scripture speaks to the need for men to help each other by helping and challenging each other to be better men.
Engaged and Newly-Wed Men Do Not Serve in the Army
Has anyone here just become engaged to a woman but not yet married her? Well, you may go home and get married! You might die in the battle, and someone else would marry her. (Deuteronomy 20:7 NLT)
This principle serves the needs of family more so than just the individual man. But that is the role of men, husbands and fathers – to serve the needs of the entire family. When the Army also recognizes the needs of families and then seeks to address them – we have an Army that expects to win.
Keep in mind that this Army fights a different kind of battle to defeat a spiritual enemy (primarily) not a physical enemy. Thus, the building of the Army is concerned chiefly with making its members strong in the Lord. Thus, special attention should go to those who are young in the spirit and are in the process of establishing themselves.
Seasoned Christians will thus sow into the lives of younger Christians with the purpose of helping them to become stronger and more mature. This converts to spiritual help, Biblical lessons, economic help, educational and training help, mentoring, relationship counseling, fatherhood training, prayer support and so on.
Can you see yourself being helped in this way? Can you see yourself giving support to younger Christian men?
Let us know how this post impacts you. Please give us your comments below.
In our next post in this Characteristics of the Fighting Army series we will continue with #3 – Men of Valour.
Please tell others about this important series on God Is Calling for a New Generation of Fighting Men.
Posted by rfathers on January 22, 2010
Now that we have finished the series of seven entries on The New Generation of Fight Men, we move on to the Characteristics of the Fight Army. The series on the Fighting Men dealt with the characteristics that each individual man should strive for while the Characteristics of the Fighting Army deals with the institution of the Army and how it helps to prepare each man and the nation.
The first in this new series is New Godly Leadership. The Fighting Army needs New Leadership. That does not necessarily mean that current leadership of men needs to change, but it does mean that some of the approaches and standards can be improved.
Biblical history shows that Israel had at least three changes in leadership that are important to note in relationship to the new generation of fighting men.
The First Change in Leadership
In the early posts on the old generation of fighting men we showed that this generation had its origin and initial development in the post-Joseph era, after he and his brothers had died.
The Second Change in Leadership
Moses assumed the leadership of Israel after 40 years of preparation in the dessert of Midian under the tutelage of his father-in-law, the Midian priest Jethro, and the Holy Spirit.
Moses leadership was first of all spiritual leadership. His role was to oversee the exodus from slavery in Egypt and the transitional phase in the dessert that prepared Israel to enter the Promised Land.
The Second Change in Leadership
Joshua succeeded Moses as the spiritual leader of Israel. Joshua studied for forty years under Moses in the dessert. His role was to lead the people into the Promised Land and then to guide them as they established the nation of Israel in the Promised Land.
New Godly Leadership Today
We want to highlight seven points of necessity for new leadership today. But, first off, new leadership does not mean that today’s leaders need to be replaced. On the contrary, new leadership means new (or improved) approaches – where applicable. It means being led by God in all things.
- The Leader Follows God (Deuteronomy 34:9) – The Leader is chosen by God, receives the vision from God and is empowered by God. The Leader is submitted to God and makes sure that where he leads the people is where God intends for them to go (Habakkuk 2:1-3). His strength comes from God and not from himself (Joshua 3:7-8).
- The Leader Is A Godly Man In Public and In Private (Joshua 24:15) – The Godly leader does not have a double-standard, one for himself and one for the people – or one for his public life and one for his private life. If the leader has anything un-Godly hidden in his private life, it must be rooted out (Proverbs 6:27-28).
- The Leader Goes Before the People (Deuteronomy 3:28) – The Leader leads the people to accomplish what God has said. The Leader does not follow the people. He leads even when what God has said is unpopular with the people (Judges 6:22-34).
- A Good Leader Motivates and Teaches the People (Joshua 3:9-13) – A leader must teach and motivate, not just lead. In fact, teaching and motivating is part of leading. A leader should not just tell the people what to do, he must explain the vision he received from God and demonstrate to them so that their understanding is constantly improving. It is much easier to lead a knowledgeable people than to drag along a reluctant and uninformed people.
- The Leader Challenges the People to Be Holy (Joshua 7:16-20) – A Godly leader can not stand by and allow sin to corrupt the people. He must work to root it out by challenging the people to identify corruption amongst themselves and eliminate it.
- The Godly Leader Bounces Back From Defeat (Joshua 7:11-12; 8:1-2) – Even the best of leaders will fail (or have setbacks) from time-to-time because they are human and imperfect. However, the question is not whether one fails or not – but rather how one deals with defeat. A good leader will bounce back from defeat – not wallow in it.
- A Leader Has Faith and Conviction (Numbers 14:6-9) – A leader cannot effectively lead unless they believe what the Lord has said and they are steadfast in their attempt to get it done. Halfway measures will not suffice in the face of stiff opposition like what Joshua and Caleb faced when they returned from spying on the Promised Land.
Are you a Godly leader of people or even just in your home or of yourself?
Let us know how this post impacts you. Please give us your comments below.
This is the first of seven post in the series: The Characteristics of the Fighting Army
In our next post in this Characteristics of the Fighting Army series we will continue with #2 – Those Settled Help Those Not Settled.
Please tell others about this important series on God Is Calling for a New Generation of Fighting Men.
Posted by rfathers on January 20, 2010
As Joshua prepared the people of Israel for his own death, he brought them together to recount to them the goodness of God and how God had kept them over the years. He charged the people to make a deliberate decision to serve the Lord. Joshua gave them a choice to serve the gods of Abraham’s ancestors, the gods of Egypt, the gods of the Amorites or the one true God Jehovah.
Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.
But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living.
But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:14-15 NIV)
Joshua spoke on behalf of his household as leader and priest of his family. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD. Every man, husband and father needs to make this same declaration today – if you have not done so already – that your household will serve the Lord.
Apparently, even at the point when Joshua was near his own end, about 50 years after coming into the Promised Land there was still a problem with false gods in Israel. In verse 23 of Joshua 24, He told the people to put away … the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the LORD God of Israel.
This shows that idolatry was still an issue among the Israelites even years after leaving Egypt and after the old generation of fighting men had been consumed in the dessert. Was this a prime reason why the old generation of fighting men refused to take the Promised Land that God had promised them? Were they powerless to fight because they were not serving the Lord?
Idolatry never stops being an issue because the enemy never stops trying to separate us from God. But also, as long as we are in the world we will have outside influences that help to make false gods look attractive. That is why God had laws against the marrying non-believers (Deuteronomy 7:3; 2 Kings 11:2) because they could entice us to follow other gods. And that is why the Apostle Paul told us:
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? (2 Corinthians 6:14 KJV)
We must protect what God has given to us and be sure not to entertain that which can set us against God.
There are still false gods – even among Christians today – that need to be weeded out. That is why every man needs to be a priest in their own household and proclaim that as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.
What is the Role of a Priest In the Home?
- First off the man in responsible for his own salvation. That is, he is responsible to submit to God and to serve God.
- Second, the man, husband, father is responsible to lead the members of his household in receiving the Lord the Jesus Christ as their personal savior. Yes, only the Holy Spirit can do the saving – but, the man, husband, father must follow the Lord and create an atmosphere where each individual has the opportunity to come to the Lord.
- Third, the man, husband, father is responsible for creating the atmosphere where everyone has the opportunity to develop in their walk with the Lord. Yes, everyone is responsible for their own submission to the Lord, but the man should set the tone. Active family involvement in prayer and the study of God’s word is only the first step. This must be followed by careful regulation of outside and un-Godly influences being present in the home. Jesus made it clear, either you serve God – or you don’t (Matthew 6:24).
Are you a priest in your home? If not, are you ready to move to that level?
Let us know how this post impacts you. Please give us your comments below.
This is the last of seven posts on the Characteristics of the New Generation of Fighting Men.
In our next post we will begin a new series of seven entries on the Characteristics of the Fighting Army. You might ask, “What is the difference?” In the first series on the Fight Men we looked at what each man is individually responsible for while the series on the Fighting Army will talk about the structure, organization and approach of the Army as a whole – as an institution – and how it facilitates for the development of the men and the nation.
Please tell others about this important series on God Is Calling for a New Generation of Fighting Men.
Posted by rfathers on January 15, 2010
The men in the new generation of fighting men are soldiers. We are under the authority of Christ our Commander and Chief. When the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy to encourage him, to fight the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 6:12), he compared Timothy’s work to that of a soldier.
You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus . . . Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs—he wants to please his commanding officer. (2 Timothy 2:1, 3-4 NIV)
Paul delineated four principles for being a soldier for Christ:
- God Is Our Strength
… be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus – or as the Contemporary English Version of the Bible says it: Christ Jesus is kind, and you must let him make you strong (2 Timothy 2:1 CEV).
A soldier is made strong through his relationship with the Lord. If we try to fight the enemy in our own strength then we are doomed to failure. But, in God’s strength we are guaranteed the victory.
- Endure Hardship
What is hardship? According to the Strong’s Concordance, the original Greek word, Kakopatheo (#G2553), means to suffer (endure) evils (hardships, troubles) to be afflicted. This is similar to what we talked about in the previous section on Overcoming. Jesus told us:
In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. (John 16:33 KJV)
First we get our strength from God, then we can endure hardships in the course of carrying out our assignment.
- Focus on our Task in the Army
Paul said No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs. We are to focus on our calling for Christ, not the issues of life which we leave behind. The civilian affairs could mean “worldly” matters that can side-track us from our mission. We must focus on what God has called us to.
In 1 John 2 we are given a good explanation of the potential trouble for a man that puts too much focus on the things of the world:
I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. (1 John 2:14-17 KJV)
Our focus must be on the Lord if we intend to serve Him. Our reward is also in him as we are told that if we endure, we will also reign with him (2 Timothy 2:12 NIV).
- Please Our Commanding Officer
Jesus is our commanding officer. Everything we do in the steps above is to please Him. This is an issue of faith and of obedience.
… without faith it is impossible to please him … (Hebrews 11:6 KJV)
The bottom line is that a Christian soldier obeys uncompromisingly when he has faith in Our God and His promises. Our faith is developed through knowing God and through the study of His Word (Romans 10:17).
On the question of obedience, I like the way the Centurion described being a soldier when he implored Jesus to heal his servant. He said:
“Lord, … just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, “I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. (Matthew 8:8-10 NIV)
The Centurion gave us a great example of faith and obedience. He understood God’s relationship to everything around Him: that we (and all the spirits) are all under His authority. He used the example of his position in the Army and the soldiers and servant under him to explain His faith in Jesus and how his servant would be healed when Jesus commanded it to be so.
A Christian soldier’s commanding officer is Jesus. His word is gold and must be obeyed at all cost. The only question is: Are you a soldier under authority?
Please give us your comments below.
Let us know how this post impacts you. In the next post we will cover Characteristic #7: Be a Priest In Your Home.
Please tell others about this important series on God Is Calling for a New Generation of Fighting Men.
Posted by rfathers on January 11, 2010
After Israel had been in the desert for forty years Joshua succeeded Moses as the leader and the Lord miraculously moved the people across the Jordan River in preparation to enter the Promised Land.
Then God told Joshua to circumcise all the males.
Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time. (Joshua 5:2 KJV)
All the men who were previously circumcised in Egypt had died off and no one was circumcised while they were in the dessert. As the men healed, the Lord spoke to Joshua:
… This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you. (Joshua 5:9 KJV)
The circumcision ritual symbolized the renewing of the covenant that God originally made with Abraham that was to be carried down from generation to generation through the men.
The Dessert (Wilderness) Was a Transitional Period
Israel’s time in the dessert (wilderness) was a transitional period from their enslavement in Egypt – to a renewed covenant and a dependence on God. The circumcision ritual marked the end of that transition and a new beginning for Israel. That is why God wanted this done for a “second time.”
As discussed in earlier posts, before God could allow Israel to enter the Promised Land He had to eliminate the old generation of fighting men and replace them with the new generation of fighting men. Only Joshua and Caleb from the old generation were allowed to enter the Promised Land. Thus He used the experience in the dessert to cleanse them from the reproach of Egypt (Joshua 5:9).
My first question is what does reproach mean? Reproach means shame or disgrace (Strong’s Concordance #H2781). The reproach of Egypt was their lack of faith in God that He could bring them out of slavery and into the Promised Land of milk and honey. This was the slave mentality that the old generation was stuck in and caused the men to shrink in fear when God sent the twelve men to spy on the land of milk and honey. They preferred the life of slavery in Egypt to a covenant with God.
So God had to remove the shame and disgrace of slavery from Israel before He could bring them into the Promised Land.
This theme of cleansing away bondage (slave mentality) is repeated in the New Testament in Romans:
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ . . .(Romans 8:15-17 KJV)
Today God is calling for a new generation of fighting men that has left the reproach of Egypt and its slave mentality behind.
Do you still have the reproach of Egypt on you or can you stand tall and cry Abba, Father, knowing that God is your provider and protector?
Please give us your comments below.
Let us know how this post impacts you. In the next post we will cover Characteristic #5: We Are OverComers.
Please tell others about this important series on God Is Calling for a New Generation of Fighting Men.
Posted by rfathers on January 8, 2010
In Exodus 34 the story is told of Moses returning from Mount Sinai after 40 days and nights fasting and in the presence of the Lord. His face glowed so brightly that he had to wear a veil over his face when he spoke to the people (Exodus 34:27-35).
The original Hebrew word that described how Moses’ face shone is qaran (Strong’s Concordance, #7160) which means, to shine, to send out rays, to emit beams, to glow.
Why Was Moses’ Face So Radiant?
Moses face was radiant because he spent time in the presence of the Lord. However, his radiance was probably not just on the outside – on his face. The radiance was an outward sign of what was happening on the inside of Moses. The radiance that showed on Moses’ face was also manifested in his soul and in his spirit – which would have come from the time Moses spent in the presence of the Lord.
Moses time with God put him in much closer contact with God and God’s purpose. It would have given Moses a boldness in his walk with God. He would have gained clearer purpose of mind, divine wisdom in decision-making and leadership, holiness in his lifestyle and much, much more.
You too can be radiant like Moses.
How Can We Be Radiant Like Moses?
The simple answer is to do what Moses did. But of course the context is different today. We are not on Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments. However, being in the presence of the Lord in our own prayer closet and in our daily living can be just as powerful.
What Was Moses Doing While in the Presence of the Lord?
Scripture tells us in several placed what Moses did while in the presence of the Lord. Let us look at seven of them:
- Fasting: (Exodus 34:28) – As mentioned above, Moses was fasting. He was denying his body for a higher purpose of his spirit. Like Moses, today fasting should be done for specific purposes such as: to humble oneself, to get closer to God (consecrate oneself), to understand God’s Word better, to better hear from God (understand His Will and to get direction), to seek healing, to gain divine intervention (break yokes and lift burdens), and to intercede for others. Moses’ fast was a serious fast. He wanted to be right there with God so he was willing to go without food and drink to open the door for that to happen.
- Worship the Lord: (Exodus 24:1-5) – The Bible tells us that Moses led the people in worship. However, Moses fasting for 40 days and nights (Exodus 34:28) was also a form of worship. That is, when we submit our bodies to God for a higher purpose of the Spirit, that is a spiritual act of worship (Romans 12:1-2 NIV). Certainly forty days with the Lord as Moses was – will bring us to a state of worship. For us today, we need to keep in mind that worship is not just about singing songs and saying nice words – it is about lifestyle. We will explain more about this much later when we define the Characteristics of the Fighting Army.
- Pray Earnestly: (Deuteronomy 10:10) – Communication with God today is largely through prayer. That is how we speak to God. God reveals His will to us through our spirit. Any time someone is seeking the Lord and fasts like Moses did, there is most definitely sincere and purposeful prayer going on. If you have ever fasted seriously then you know it is a time for really seeking the Lord and His will for you (Psalm 63:1).
- Intercession: (Deuteronomy 10:10, Exodus 32:31-32) – Moses spent much time in intercession for Israel. Because of Moses’ intercession for Israel, they were saved from the Lord’s destruction (Number 14:10-38). Today, the Lord commands us to pray for each other (Ephesians 3:18: James 5:16).
- Seek Forgiveness: (Exodus 32:30) – Moses sought forgiveness on behalf of the people of Israel to help restore them into a right position with God. It is imperative that we repent from our own sins so that God can restore us to our right position with Him (Psalm 51).
- Experience the Glory of the Lord: (Exodus 24:15-18; 33:18) – Moses went up to the mountain to be with God. He left others behind and assigned Aaron and Hur to handle matters in his absence. When in the presence of the Lord our focus must be on Him. Too often we let the troubles of the day overshadow our time with God. This is a time of building faith and getting to know God better and better by experiencing Him. It is also a time for communion with God, a sweetness that surpasses all understanding.
- Receive Instructions from God: (Exodus 19:3-6) – Many times God gave Moses instructions on how to lead and what to say to Israel (including the Ten Commandments). Communion with God (prayer) is a two-way street. We talk to God. He talks to us through our spirit (1 Corinthians 2:14). God also instructs us through His Word (the Bible), thus we must study His Word. For anyone who wants to know the will and mind of God, His Word is the best place to start.
If you spend the kind of time with God that Moses did – then you too will shine from the Holy Spirit working inside of you. Are you ready to shine for God? You can be like what Jesus called a light of the world (Matthew 5:14)!
Pleae give us your comments on this post below. Let us know how it impacts you?
In the next post we will cover Characteristic #4: The Reproach of Egypt Is Gone.
Please tell others about this important series on God Is Calling For a New Generation of Fighting Men.
Posted by rfathers on December 18, 2009
Continuing in this series GOD IS CALLING FOR A NEW GENERATION OF FIGHTING MEN, This is the first of seven posts on the characteristics of a new generation of fighting men.
In Deuteronomy 2:16, right after the last man from the old generation of fighting men had perished – God told Moses to prepare to go into the Promised Land. This was based on God’s promise that none of the old generation of fighting men would see the land of milk and honey (Numbers 14:26-32).
In Deuteronomy 1:26-46 Moses recounted some of the history of Israel in the desert. In those verses he explained what the old generation of fighting men did wrong. Here is that list with other notes and the scripture verses for us to see what we need to leave behind in our walk with God as we become a NEW generation of fighting men. It is helpful to read the scripture to better understand the notes.
Seven Things We Need to Leave Behind –
(Deuteronomy 1:26-46)
- v. 26 – Rebellion
- v. 27 – Murmuring – tongue (Proverbs 18:21, James 3:3-12, Philippians 2:14)
- v. 28 –29 – Discouragement/Fear (1 Timothy 1:7, Romans 8:15)
- v. 32 – Unbelief – Lack of Faith
- v. 35 – Evil Generation – as explained in …
- 5 Sins of the Wilderness (1 Corinthians 10:6-10)
- v. 6 – lust
- v. 7 – idolatry
- v. 8 – fornication
- v. 9 – tempt Christ
- v. 10 – murmur
- They failed the test – serves as an example to us today (Hebrews 3:7-19) – Unbelief is a sin
- Could not Enter God’s Rest – Promised Land (1 Corinthians 10:5-6, 12; Hebrews 3:7-19; 4:1-11)
- v. 43 – Disobedience/Going before God (Number14:40-45)
- v. 37 – Moses Sin – Mementary Failure In Leadership (Numbers 20:1-12) v 12 – Moses and Aaron – leadership team from the beginning – burning bush
- Anger (Ephesians 4:26) – struck rock instead of speaking to it, blamed the people for him not being able to go into Promised Land (Deu 1:37)
- Contempt for the People – lost proper love for the people, spoke down to them (Num 20:10, Deu 1:37)
- disobedience – struck rock two times instead of speaking to the rock, public act of disobedience
- unbelief – did not trust/honor God “enough” (Num 20:12)
- pride – dishonored God: took credit for miracle of water (Num 20:10), public disobedience, mis-represented God to the people
Do you agree with this list? Are you in the new generation of fighting men? Give us your comment below.
In the next post we will look “Characteristics #2 – What We Need to Keep” – things that were pleasing to God in those same verses.
Posted by rfathers on December 15, 2009
Today’s new generation of fighting men will distinguish itself by its devotion and commitment to Our Lord Jesus Christ. In this, they will be unlike the old generation of fighting men who suffered from a slave mentality when they were in the desert with Moses.
Let us clearly define the old generation of fighting men that God would not let go into the Promised Land before we discuss the new generation of fighting men that we need today.
That old generation of fighting men had its origin in the post-Joseph era in Egypt when Pharaoh sought to enslave the Israelites (Exodus 2:6-22). The Bible does not record any specific activities of the men or any organized resistance to Egypt’s enslavement effort. It is significant that the resistance of the Israelite women (midwives who feared God) is well-documented as they refused the command of Pharaoh to kill all newborn baby boys (v. 15-22). Were the men as steadfast as the women?
Perhaps they had become complacent during the privileged and protected years under Joseph and afterwards. That complacency gave way to bitterness (Exodus 2: 14) which continued up into Israel’s time in the desert possibly leading to their own destruction (Number 1439 NIV).
Nonetheless, in the post-Joseph era the old generation of fighting men does not appear to have been doing much fighting – or at least not victoriously. By the time that Moses was prepared to lead them to take the Promised Land they had clearly lost the will to fight in spite of assurances that God would deliver the land into their hands. Instead, they wanted to return to Egypt where they had been slaves (Numbers 14:1-4).
This is why God did not let them go into the Promised Land. God said they had to die in the desert and that their children would take their place in the Promised Land (Numbers 14:29-32).
Today a new generation of fighting men is needed to address the current challenges that our families and nations face. Today men need to change – not be eliminated. This is a transformational process. Every man needs to eliminate from within himself any lingering characteristic or attributes that doomed the old generation of fighting men that was lost in the desert.
To this end we have constructed seven points that describes the characteristics of a new generation of fighting men to help ourselves prepare for the challenges at hand.
In the next post we will discuss the first of those seven points, the things we want to leave behind as explained by Moses in Deuteronomy 1:26-46.
Reconciled Fathers Network
Akili Kumasi, Founder
