Warfare Triggers

Warfare, actual warfare, begins when someone connects to what they were created for.

Do you realize that David had the favor of all as long as he had not started being what he was anointed for?

What do I mean?

He was precious in the king’s court when he was the court musician. Even the king loved him and asked that he stays in the palace permanently.

But what happens when he starts connecting to his anointing as king?

His brother starts berating him. The army starts discouraging him. The king gives him a reality check.

You see, the devil knows in a great way what will launch you into what people now call your purpose. And since it began with God he knows it is unstoppable. He will therefore start to dissuade and delay you from launching as that is the only chance he has of blocking the avalanche that God will release with and in you.

But if you are like David, you will press on anyway. And you will overcome and be released into prominence due to that breakthrough.

Then the tables will drastically turn from dissuasion to actual opposition.

You see, after killing Goliath he was launched into the kingdom in such a way that the rejected king was in no doubt that the youngster was the one Samuel had told him about in his rejection speech. And he was not through with being king. He simply did not want to agree with God that he was rejected.

The devil will never fight you if you do not pose any threat to his kingdom.

Do you know why you are enjoying your life without any challenges?

Chances are that the devil is comfortable with the way you are running it. You pose no challenge to his kingdom. If truth be told you are doing his biding however connected you may think you are to the divine.

You know, the devil is never threatened by your living right if it does not threaten his reign.

David could have played the harp before Saul for a hundred years without issues. He was then a treasured member of the court.

Living holy is the key to attracting opposition. Taking your assignment seriously is what the devil fears and will do everything to discourage it from all fronts.

And I can remember with my life the kind of opposition I have encountered when I decided to do what God orders.

Ask for a transfer to ‘nowhere’, leave a good job, write a book, give out your books, do not take ‘pay’ for ministry, etc.

You can be sure that you will never do it if you listen to reason, even spiritual reason as it all points to you being the idiot of the century like David appeared. Some of my most vehement critics are prominent ministers with titles that can fill a page.

But it always delivers because it stems from obedience. And that is what the devil is scared of.

But warfare does not stop when you obey. It actually intensifies. But at least then God has allowed you to taste victory.

Then he will take the frontal approach as he has been unable to stop you from the sidelines.

Everybody discouraged David from taking on the giant. But the king and his army resorted to looking to kill him when he succeeded because there was then no way of blocking his march.

Incidentally you even see Saul confessing that he knew that David would become king to the point of seeking protection from him for his descendants once it happened. Yet he continued looking to kill him!

Comfort could be a clear pointer that your life poses no threat to the enemy of souls.

Look also at Paul. He had everything going for him when he was serving the interests of the ecclesiastical leadership and their boss.

Yet see what happened when he connected to his identity in Christ?  2 Corinthians is a clear indicator of the kind of opposition he endured as he sought to obey that higher calling.

Of course even amidst that opposition there are moments of respite. We see Paul’s coming when he is taken to prison and David when he finally was able to bring down all his enemies.

But it is a lull as the enemy looks for another strategy. Or do you not read that the devil after failing to bring Jesus down left Him for a season?

He will still come, again and again.

It is therefore imperative that we internalize that reality as it will help us navigate this whole dynamic of spiritual warfare. Otherwise we will become like David when he remained home in the season kings go to war. 1 Corinthians 10:12 is instructive.

And all men of God went through that, from Joseph to Moses to the prophets to the apostles.

Have you never wondered why you might have been enjoying social media for years without any challenges but get blocked and have your posts blanked when you post what the Bible says about abominations?

You have just realized that God wants you to speak His language, a language that is diametrically opposed to what the god of this age stands for.

But many will chicken out to be able to enjoy the likes and views.

You cannot obey Christ and fail to offend the devil. And of course the devil will not stand back to allow you to bring down what he lives for.

The choice is yours; warfare or spiritual irrelevance amidst comfort.

But comfort is not the conclusion. It is an introduction to destruction that is the end game for those who choose to walk on the broad way.

You therefore get to choose to fight here and rest later or enjoy here and ‘fight’ later.

And that simply by choosing to listen and obey God and His word or choose relevance to the world.