In Exodus 13:17, God would not leave His people near the land of the Philistines, “Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and they
return to Egypt” (NKJV).
Like the children of Israel, many believers today prefer to remain in captivity rather than face the responsibility and demands of battle. Sadly, too many
Christians are losing battles to someone who has already been defeated. Satan was crushed in Christ’s victory. Our enemy cannot defeat us. He can only
make us quit.
When we come to the end of our strength, and we are on the threshold of fainting, we can stir up the deposit of God within us. Notice Isaiah 40:29-31:
“He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly
fall, but those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they
shall walk and not faint” (NKJV).
Strength will increase as we wait on the Lord. To wait does not mean to remain passive until God moves. It means to bind ourselves together with Him, joining
ourselves closely to Him in a confident and expectant way. As we do, our strength is renewed.
The actual implication is that we will exchange our weakness for His strength. Now in the strength of the Lord, we stand strong in the day Satan challenges
us. We are solidly founded in the Lord. Fearlessly, we draw upon the resources of heaven, confident that in the authority of Jesus’ Name we can command
every attack of darkness to flee from us.
James 4:7 says, “Be subject with implicit obedience to God at once and once for all. Stand immovable against the onset of the devil and he will flee from
you” (Wuest).
First we must set our faces toward God, filling ourselves with His Word and His presence. Then refuse to move toward any desire, thought, or action which
would be unwelcome in His presence. Satan’s pressure cannot prevail against that solid stand. Instead, he will flee from us.
The strong defense of our current position is vital, but it is not the total picture. We have been created for advancement. We all have a desire for increase.
God never intended for us to hold our position without taking new ground. He has placed within each of us the spirit of a conqueror.
The cry deep within us is that our union with Christ will draw us deeper into an intimate fellowship with Him. The Word of God within us hungers for victory and advancement. It takes an offensive to advance. Notice Romans 12:21 from the
Phillips: “Don’t allow yourself to be overpowered by evil. Take the offensive: overcome evil with good!”
