God Plans to Attack
God’s Zeal and Determination
Every single word that comes from God will come true (Num 11:23). God's word doesn't depend on what we do. He is faithful and His plan will be accomplished on earth. If God's love is so great that He gave His one and only Son to die in our place (John 3:16), and if that same love is what drives Him to accomplish His plan with such great zeal and determination, then what or who can stop God almighty to accomplish His plan and promises. (Is 43:13)
The Church’s Calling
If God promises that He is with us, and asks us "who can be against us?" (Rom 8:31), then how confident should we be in Him? With what kind of determination and zeal should we be living our spiritual lives and carrying out our ministry on earth? In Proverbs 28:1, God’s word declares that we are to be as bold as lions.
If our Lord Jesus' blood has been shed and He has triumphed over Satan and his dominion has been put to an end (Col 2:15), and if all doors are now open for us (Acts 5:19, 16:26), then what other thing than conquering this earth for Jesus is left for us to do?
Jesus in the Great Commission calls the entire Church into evangelization and ministry (Mk 16:15). Jesus' words are clear and have a 'releasing' nature. It is as if Jesus gives the permission and makes it possible for believers to be 'unleashed' upon the face of the earth to set it on fire with God's word for the salvation of souls.
In the book of Judges, we read how Samson ties up three hundred foxes tail to tail in pairs and fastens a torch to every pair of tails, lights the torches and lets the foxes loose in the standing grain of the Philistines (Judges 15:4-5). This is an early example of what was to happen to Jesus' disciples after the day of Pentecost when they received fire from above and were released with such great force into all the earth to carry out the great commission (Acts 2).
God’s Plan
God had expressed his will and plan from early times. We read the following in the prophecy of Zechariah:
I will bend Judah as I bend my bow
and fill it with Ephraim.
I will rouse your sons, O Zion,
against your sons, O Greece,
and make you like a warrior's sword. (Zech 9:13)
God has taken a position. He has a Plan. He is determined and organized in achieving His goal.
We observe 3 steps with which God plans on declaring His attack.
•God plans on bending Judah as a bow. Meaning, tightening and stretching. The Church when in preparations for an attack is found to be in this state of tension.
•Then God plans on filling His bow with us as arrows; arrows that are sharpened and made straight with His word, able to travel fast and penetrate into the enemy’s camp and in the hearts of lost souls.
•This will be made obvious by a clear separation and opposition. God will put His Church against the world, as an army against an army. God will sharpen the Church as a warrior’s sword, in need of continuous maintenance and care before every battle.
The Lord has designed the Church to be a warrior's sword, an arrow in his bow and why not a bullet in his gun.
Then the LORD will appear over them;
his arrow will flash like lightning.
The Sovereign LORD will sound the trumpet;
he will march in the storms of the south, (Zech 9:14)
As a result, God's presence and glory is made known and visible to men. The Church flashes like lightning. God's supernatural power is manifested through the activated Church who waits upon a command from the Lord; like an army ready to attack waiting for the sound of the trumpet.
and the LORD Almighty will shield them.
They will destroy
and overcome with sling stones. (Zech 9:15a)
God's Church is protected/shielded and fully equipped with God’s Word as its weapon. Just like young David, it is with ‘stones’ of faith that believers defeat the enemy (1 Sam 17:49).
They will drink and roar as with wine;
they will be full like a bowl
used for sprinkling the corners of the altar. (Zech 9:15b)
The Spirit of the Lord flows into believers giving them strength and joy. They will have enough anointing to consecrate the things of this world for God's work and return to God what is rightfully His.
The LORD their God will save them on that day
as the flock of his people.
They will sparkle in his land
like jewels in a crown.
How attractive and beautiful they will be!
Grain will make the young men thrive,
and new wine the young women. (Zech 9:16-17)
God's people will shine like jewels with the glory of God just as light and salt shine to give color, taste and brightness to the world (Mt 5:13-14).
Ask the LORD for rain in the springtime;
it is the LORD who makes the storm clouds.
He gives showers of rain to men,
and plants of the field to everyone. (Zech 10:1)
God expects us to ask for rain when it seems impossible according to the laws of this world. God not only wants us to be prepared for rain in springtime but expects us to ask for it. When everything in the world tells us that it is impossible, we are to believe in God's word and surrender to His plan of Salvation and cry out to Him for rain to fall on the field for harvest.
Respond to God’s Calling
It is an honor and great joy to be part of this incredible plan, to be a sword in the hand of the Lord and to be an instrument of His love of fire set loose in the fields of this dark world.
