Day Twenty-Five: Unexpected Weapons

It was your right hand and strong arm and
the blinding light from your face that helped them,
for you loved them.
You are my King and my God…
You are the one who gives us victory over our enemies.
 Psa. 44:4, 7, NLT

Usually, battles are won or lost through strategic warfare, the quantity and skill of the soldiers, sheer physical strength, or advanced weaponry. Sometimes the weather and even the shape of the land decides who wins or loses. Spiritual battles are a little different. As 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 says, the soldiers of God do not fight with the weapons of this world, and neither does the God we serve. 

God is strong; there’s no question about that. His power is unlimited, except the one area He has restricted himself by giving us free will to choose to love or reject Him. Whenever God’s right hand or right arm is mentioned in scripture, it refers to God’s superior strength and dexterity, like a warrior using his dominant arm.

The other two weapons mentioned here are a bit of a surprise though. Verse four says that the blinding light of God’s face helped His people win the victory. When God showed His radiance during a battle between the Israelites and their enemies it would have blinded, confused, and terrified them so much they would have dropped their swords and ran. This can apply to the spiritual battles we face every day as well.

Our God is radiant with glory and our enemy is terrified of the light! If we stay in God’s presence and walk in His light, He will illuminate our way and defeat the enemy, just by being who He is – the light of the world. The more we hang out with Him, the more He can fill us with light and shine through us.

The second unexpected war strategy God uses is Love. God is love; God loves people. He doesn’t desire our victory over fear, doubt, pride, deceitfulness, greed, or any of our other enemies because we deserve His help. Not because we’re from His favorite country or wear the right clothes.  He loves us because He is our Creator and chooses to love us. He fights for our victory so we can enjoy abundant life with Him here and spend eternity together in heaven.

Satan hates us because of this. He cannot defeat love – not God’s love for us, our love for God, or the love God gives us for others. Love is an unexpectedly powerful weapon indeed.

Who would have thought of these weapons for a surefire victory? Radiant light and unfailing love. Only God.