In Deuteronomy 20 as the Lord prepared Israel to take the promised land he told them when they went into battle against the enemies and when they see the horses and the chariots and you see how outnumbered you are – “be not afraid of them: for the Lord thy God is with thee.” He then reminds them of how he had already done great things for them – bringing them up out of Egypt.
There is a great war being waged for the souls of men, women, boys and girls. It is a spiritual war. (Ephesians 6:12) Everyday the Enemy of souls defends his strongholds and everyday he charges to take over new territory. Someone has to engage in the conflict. Not everyone can sit on the sidelines and watch the battle from a safe distance. Some have to suck up the courage to go and fight and die if necessary or souls are doomed to eternal captivity in Hell.
Who will “be not afraid?” Who will go to battle? It is interesting in Deuteronomy 20 that God tells the priest to go and speak to the people and tell them the Lord is with you, to fight for you against your enemies. Kind of sounds like Matthew 28:20. But then he starts going down a list of those who would be exempted from the battle. Several exemptions were included in this passage for some who were not required to go and fight. Perhaps there is some great spiritual application to be made concerning these exemptions. Perhaps some could say – “I can’t go because ….” and then give their reason or excuse for not participating. But the one that stood out so vividly to me of all of them was the exemption for those who were cowards. All those who were fearful and fainthearted were exempted. They did not want the contagion of cowardice to spread and touch others who were facing the enemy. I am afraid that many of our churches have already been infected with this cowardice. If this is not the reason so few go to battle – what is the reason? Parents are afraid their children will enter the ministry. Some who have children in the ministry are afraid they will go off to the mission field. Some pastors are afraid they will loose their best members. Some Christians are afraid of absolute surrender. Will you opt out of the battle with your exemption?
It seems for many today that the slightest thing causes Christians to feel they are exempt from joining the battle. Yet what is more important than breaking through the enemy lines with the Good News of salvation for lost souls? What do we fear? The Lord has promised to be with us. Even when we are outnumbered He fights for us. I am so proud and thankful for those, though they be not many, who will not take any exemption. They go forth daily fighting the good fight of faith. They go faithfully with the Gospel. They face the Enemy of souls with the Word of God. They go into the slums and inner cities. They go into the rich, gated communities. They go to the hard places. They go to the dangerous fields. They work in the “closed” countries faithfully fighting the battle for souls. They go knowing God has said “BE NOT AFRAID – lo I am with you always, even to the end of the world. Amen.
