Strategies and Tactics are similar though one involves planning and the other executing military operations.  Most Christians realize that they are in a warfare, and for a long time I thought the enemy’s attacks were random—I have been rethinking that lately…

As I have been reading and praying through the book of Judges, I’ve been tripping up on the ninth chapter.  It is so easy to think that these are interesting, if not difficult stories to read.  Yesterday and today I gained a different perspective.  This is my prayer:

Father, there are some violent, gruesome stories in this chapter!  Anoint my heart and my mind with your Holy Spirit; open my ears to hear the things that you are speaking to me through these verses.

In the New Testament you teach your people that we have an unseen enemy who seeks to kill, steal, and destroy.  Remind us, Lord, as we face each day and the battles before us, that we do not war against flesh and blood—instruct us how to arm ourselves and to fight strategically.

You expose some of the enemy’s tactics in this chapter:

• He appears to belong in our midst, one of our brothers—to be one of us or to use one of us, but he brings division and death.

Expose every divisive spirit that infiltrates your church, O God; give us eager hearts to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Eph. 4:3)

• The enemy is manipulative; he plays on our sense of loyalty to friends and family—he inspires a sense of indebtedness which undermines our first and only priority to the Lord, Jesus Christ.

Father, you have called your people to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God (Col. 1:10).  I want to be pleasing to you, Lord.  You call me to act and speak in a manner pleasing to you rather than man—you know my heart!  The enemy seems to have a strategy of taking your command, in love serve one another (Gal. 5:13), to spark a false sense of obligation.

So much tension between law and grace! —it is only in you we have freedom.  Give me; give all of your people discernment to recognize the lies and manipulations of the enemy.  Remind us in those tricky moments that satan used scripture in his attempts to derail our Savior from his purpose and destiny—we can expect no less from our adversary!

Just as Jotham spoke prophetically to the people of Shechem, giving clarity and proclaiming the outcome, I ask your Holy Spirit to speak prophetically into my life and the lives of my children and their families.  Give us clarity, I pray; reveal to our hearts the outcomes of our choices.  Give us wisdom and willing hearts to choose no other king, no other lord than you.  Teach us to live in good faith and integrity, O God!

• The enemy sets up an ambush—when we least expect it, when we may not see it coming, he brings situations into our lives to destroy us.

Give us eyes to see and hearts to perceive the enemy’s approach, Lord.  Give us understanding to recognize his lies—help us to not underestimate his strength; rather, teach us to be watchful for our adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8).

• Intimidation.

Lord, I recognize that the enemy cannot possibly know what I am thinking; however, he is quite knowledgeable about my weaknesses!  He sees my failures and he challenges my faith in you.  He seeks to undermine my God-given identity—I am completely and intimately loved by you, I am more than conqueror, and I am not condemned!

I am intrigued by verse 23 that records and God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem, and the leaders of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech.  There really is no unity in the enemy camp!  Help me to understand this verse, I pray; give me wisdom to see into the realm of the spiritual where your righteousness and goodness dwell hand in hand.  You are sovereign, O God; and all spirits, principalities and powers are subject to your will.  Even when I do not understand what in going on in the natural realm, there are things happening in the invisible that you cause to work out for good to those who love you—for me!

Today I choose to rest in your sovereignty, in your goodness, and in the victory I have through the redemptive work of my Savior.  In Jesus’ name, amen.