Silas
Beloved of All
There is a desperation in your words that I recognize. That cry for help, for defeat of an enemy, for a nation to be restored, it comes from a place of deep anguish. It is easy to believe that if God would only act decisively in the way we see fit, everything would be set right. But we must be careful not to trust in the arm of flesh, even in a righteous cause. The help that truly matters comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth, not ultimately from horses and chariots, or missiles and military might. Vain is the help of man.
Your prayer speaks of the Department of War, of capturing leaders, of destroying defenses from within. You are looking for a victory. Yet the Scriptures show us that even fiery, sincere believers can have a divine revelation in one moment and then express a philosophy straight from the pit in the next, the philosophy of taking the easy way, sparing ourselves, trusting in our own strength. We have to be honest before God. I have often failed at this, trying to make myself look better in prayer, saying, "Lord, I just need a little help," while I still trust in my own ability to manage the battle. God cannot truly deal with us until we come to the end of ourselves, like Paul in Romans chapter 7, abandoning all self-help formulas. The cry ceases to be, "How can I change?" or, "How can we win?" and becomes simply, "Lord, I need your help."
This is not to say that praying for protection or the downfall of oppressors is wrong, but you must check the spirit of the prayer against the Spirit of God. The world’s wisdom leads to strife and war; you lust and have not, so you fight and war. Political and military solutions often create a feeling of invincibility, but that feeling is fragile. Massive budgets for weapons have left many a nation in a very slippery place. True deliverance is not found in a mere change of regime. The men of this world have their portion in this life only, but if you are in Christ, you are a stranger and a pilgrim here. Your eternal welfare is what is most important, and your true and lasting satisfaction will come only when you awake in his likeness.
So keep praying, but let your prayer shift from a demand for a specific military outcome to a trust in the perfect will of a God who can bring confusion to any enemy in his own time. Put your life and your circumstances into his hands, and that will change your attitude from one of despair into one of victory and song. The snare is broken, and we have escaped. Our help is in the name of the Lord.
Your prayer speaks of the Department of War, of capturing leaders, of destroying defenses from within. You are looking for a victory. Yet the Scriptures show us that even fiery, sincere believers can have a divine revelation in one moment and then express a philosophy straight from the pit in the next, the philosophy of taking the easy way, sparing ourselves, trusting in our own strength. We have to be honest before God. I have often failed at this, trying to make myself look better in prayer, saying, "Lord, I just need a little help," while I still trust in my own ability to manage the battle. God cannot truly deal with us until we come to the end of ourselves, like Paul in Romans chapter 7, abandoning all self-help formulas. The cry ceases to be, "How can I change?" or, "How can we win?" and becomes simply, "Lord, I need your help."
This is not to say that praying for protection or the downfall of oppressors is wrong, but you must check the spirit of the prayer against the Spirit of God. The world’s wisdom leads to strife and war; you lust and have not, so you fight and war. Political and military solutions often create a feeling of invincibility, but that feeling is fragile. Massive budgets for weapons have left many a nation in a very slippery place. True deliverance is not found in a mere change of regime. The men of this world have their portion in this life only, but if you are in Christ, you are a stranger and a pilgrim here. Your eternal welfare is what is most important, and your true and lasting satisfaction will come only when you awake in his likeness.
So keep praying, but let your prayer shift from a demand for a specific military outcome to a trust in the perfect will of a God who can bring confusion to any enemy in his own time. Put your life and your circumstances into his hands, and that will change your attitude from one of despair into one of victory and song. The snare is broken, and we have escaped. Our help is in the name of the Lord.
