"When the Battle Belongs to the Lord" by Neal Pollard

The books of Chronicles are a little different from the Kings because they

are dedicated to focusing on the southern kingdom

after the kingdom divides, and that's the kingdom of Judah.

And it focuses on their history, and that's important because out

of their descendants would come the Messiah. And so there's a focused history

on the ones that God worked through to bring us our Savior.

But you might wonder why when you look in 1 Chronicles 5:18-22,

1 Chronicles 5:18–22

that God spends so much time looking at this one battle

that was fought during the reign of King Saul, the first king of Israel.

It involved, as you'll notice, the tribes of Gad and Reuben and the

half-tribe of Manasseh. They were going into battle and they

were fighting to take the possession that God had promised them. We read that

in verse 18. And the people who were living in that land

turned out to be those that are identified for us as the Hagrites

and those who are of Jether and Napish and Nodab.

Many people who believe that they look— when they look at the Hagrites,

think that they are descended from Hagar and

Ishmael. When we read about this battle, it seems very clear

that the Israelites, they rout, they win.

They win in terms of spoil and in terms of casualties,

verse 21 and verse 22. We see

that they fought a battle in order to win an inheritance that God had promised

to give them, and they are able to stay there until the exile many

hundreds of years later. You know, the Bible describes our

life, as we saw even this morning, in a different way, as a

battle. It is not a battle according to the flesh,

and yet it is still intense in its nature. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5,

2 Corinthians 10:3–5

Paul calls it fighting the good fight of faith. 1 Timothy 1:12,

1 Timothy 1:12

in verse 18. We are fighting against the world and

a spiritual darkness in heavenly places, and so God

supplies us with his armor. Ephesians chapter 6, verse 10

Ephesians 6:10

through verse 18. Our— sometimes our foe seems to

make us so we feel overwhelmed and overmatched, but I see

some statements that are made in 1 Chronicles 5:18-22

1 Chronicles 5:18–22

that can help us when we go into our battles

this week. First of all, we see as we look at this

text that we should cry out to God for

help. Call out to God for help.

We see that they do this very thing. They call out to God, and it

is implied that their help comes from above.

So often we are tempted to fight according to the world's rules, and what God

reminds us is that He wants us to call to him, and he

promises that when we call to him, he will answer us.

Matthew 7 and verse 7 is a powerful promise for somebody

who's not in the body of Christ, but it's also a powerful promise for you

and me. Ask and it shall be given unto you.

Matthew chapter 7 and verse 7.

Matthew 7 · chapter mention

And God gives graciously,

generously, and gently. In James

James 1:5

1:5, he says, if any of you lacks

wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men liberally,

and it shall be given unto him. He doesn't upbraid. He doesn't

admonish. He spells the difference in the battles

that we will face. And so, we are told to call out

to him for help. But then second,

as we look at this text, we see that we should cry out to God

in the midst of the battle. When we see this fight

that's going on, we realize that if we are engaged, we're going to be in

a spiritual battle. I love the way that Paul says it to the

church at Philippi. He says, be anxious for

nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving,

let your requests be made known unto God, and the peace of God that passes

all understanding shall guard your hearts and your mind in Christ

Jesus. Philippians 4, verse 6 and verse 7.

Philippians 4:6

After telling us about that armor that he has supplied us with to

help us in the battle, and just look at each of the pieces that make

it up in Ephesians chapter 6, verse 10 through verse 16, he says that

Ephesians 6:10

be engaged in petition and prayer at all times.

But then third, as we look in this text, we will see that God

answers those who put their trust in him.

One of the most beautiful aspects of what takes place in 1 Chronicles chapter

1 Chronicles 5 · chapter mention

5 is of what happens when an army united bows their knee

in prayer asking for God's help.

I have no idea what the current statistics are in our U.S.

armed forces, but I know that there are a great many men and women of

faith who fight in the different branches of the service. And isn't it a beautiful

thought to think of the men and women who fight for our freedom who

are on their knees in prayer to God.

But better than that is the thought of those who make up God's

holy nation, 1 Peter 2:9, as they bow their

1 Peter 2:9

knees and their hearts to God for the battle and the victory that

we are seeking. One of the most beautiful pictures

in Revelation is in Revelation 8 where the Bible describes those who

are bringing their prayers to God, the saints,

and what God does with those prayers prayers that come before his throne.

He says they're like sweet-smelling incense.

To know that God values our prayers that much when

we find ourselves in the midst of our spiritual battles,

to know that God answers the prayers of those who trust in him.

And then you'll notice at the very end of that text another important

principle for us, and that, that is that the war is

of God. To know we sometimes sing, I don't think we

sang it tonight, but the battle belongs to the Lord. To know

that the victory is assured. We couldn't win without him, and yet with him,

1 John 4:4 and 1 John 5:4, through him

1 John 4:4 1 John 5:4

we are proclaimed to be the victors. To know that he

is in control, that he's going to win, but there's a reminder that there are

some battles that are not honorable and that we must avoid.

We need to avoid the battle of speculations,

2 Timothy 2:23. We need to avoid the battles

2 Timothy 2:23

of embroiling ourselves in controversy, Titus 3:9,

Titus 3:9

and to avoid the battles that are fought to fulfill the desires of our

flesh, James 4:1, and yet to

James 4:1

realize that God wins the battle and that we,

if we're on the winning side, will join him.

You know, sometimes we also sing, faith is the victory

that overcomes the world. The church has some Hagrites

to fight. You and I have some Hagrites to fight

in our own individual lives. God grants the victory to

those who cry out to him for help,

to those who realize that God gives the answer to those who trust

in him, and the war is of God, and we

will overcome through him. Faith is the victory that

overcomes the world, 1 John 5:4. But what kind of faith?

1 John 5:4

James says it's a faith that obeys, not just a faith that acknowledges,

but a faith that does what God says. And a faith that does what God

says does what's necessary to get into the body of Christ.

Someone who has never had their sins washed away according to Scripture

acts in faith, repents of sins, Acts 2:38,

Acts 2:38

confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, Romans 10:10, and is

Romans 10:10

baptized to have those sins washed away, Acts 22:16.

Acts 22:16

And as children of God, we continue to walk in the light, and his blood

cleanses us from all unrighteousness, 1 John 1:7 and

1 John 1:7

9. And when we stumble and fall short, we can come confessing

those faults, James 5:16, knowing that God desires

James 5:16

to forgive us. He is faithful and just to do so.

And so perhaps it is tonight that you find yourself engaging in a war

that you are losing because you have not petitioned God's help.

But we have that opportunity to do that as we go out this week to

remember those who fought the Hagrites and to realize that our

battle is won through Jesus Christ. If you need

to respond to this invitation, we would urge you to come right now as we

stand and sing.