Fighting the Right Battles
“The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had valiant men who carried shield and sword, and drew the bow, expert in war, 44,760, able to go to war. They waged war against the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab. And when they prevailed over them, the Hagrites and all who were with them were given into their hands, for they cried out to God in the battle, and he granted their urgent plea because they trusted in him…For many fell, because the war was of God. And they lived in their place until the exile.” 1 Chronicles 5:18-22
In the pages of Israel’s history, we see a people called by God to defend their inheritance and execute His judgments on surrounding nations. These tribes east of the Jordan—Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh—were warriors, skilled and numerous, yet their victory over the Hagrites wasn’t ultimately due to their military prowess.
The text makes it clear: they cried out to God in the midst of battle, trusting Him, and “the war was of God.” This divine orchestration led to triumph, but it also foreshadowed deeper truths about dependence on the Lord in conflict.
As we view this through the lens of the New Covenant, we must discern what carries over to the church today. Israel was a theocratic nation with physical borders to protect and enemies to conquer as part of God’s redemptive plan. The church, however, is a spiritual family scattered across nations, not defined by territory or ethnicity but by faith in Christ (Ephesians 2:19-22). Our battles aren’t against flesh and blood, as Paul reminds us in Ephesians 6:12, but against spiritual forces of evil. Our weapons aren’t swords or bows but prayer, the Word of God, faith, and the power of the Holy Spirit—mighty for pulling down strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:4).
What shines through from this Old Testament account is the timeless principle of crying out to God in trust. These tribes didn’t presume victory even though the battle was God’s; they prayed urgently, demonstrating reliance on Him.
In our New Covenant reality, Jesus has already won the ultimate victory over sin, death, and the devil through His cross and resurrection (Colossians 2:15), yet we still face opposition in fulfilling our mission: to seek and save the lost, just as Christ did (Luke 19:10). This rescue operation—sharing the gospel, making disciples—will encounter resistance from the enemy, who seeks to devour (1 Peter 5:8).
When a church or believer gets serious about prayer and mission, as my mentor Daniel Henderson says, we pick a fight with the devil at a whole new level. Discouragement, division, or outright persecution may arise, but these are signs we’re advancing God’s kingdom, not reasons to retreat.
Consider how this applies to our view of “enemies.” In Israel’s day, pagan nations like the Hagrites were often under God’s judgment. But under the New Covenant, people in false religions—whether our Muslim neighbors, atheists at work, or anyone ensnared by deception—are not our foes but our mission field. Jesus calls us to love them, pray for them, and gently share truth, as Paul instructs Timothy: “The Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil” (2 Timothy 2:24-26).
Even when they oppose us, we see them through Jesus’ eyes—with compassion, not combativeness. Our prayers aren’t for their defeat but for their deliverance, pleaded with anguish rather than anger.
This principle extends beyond evangelism to the battles in our relationships. Not every conflict is a “war of God”—some are of our own making, born from pride or misplaced priorities. As the saying goes, not every hill is worth dying on. In marriage, for instance, conflicts are inevitable between two imperfect sinners, but thriving couples fight for the marriage, not against each other. Your spouse isn’t the enemy; the real threats are selfishness, unforgiveness, or external pressures amplified by spiritual forces. Attack the problem with spiritual weapons: love, truth, humility, and prayer. Focus on your responsibilities rather than demanding rights, as Paul urges: “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all… Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:18, 21). The same holds in families, churches, and workplaces—pursue unity rooted in love and truth, empowered by the Spirit.
So, what battles are you facing today? Are they God’s, or self-imposed? Pause and ask: Am I fighting the right enemy with the right weapons? Cry out to God in the thick of it, trusting that if He’s leading the charge, victory is assured—not always in the way we expect, but in ways that advance His glory and our good (Romans 8:28, 31). Press deeper into prayer when resistance mounts; it’s confirmation you’re on kingdom ground.
What “battle” in your life needs a shift—from fighting people to fighting for them through prayer and the gospel? Take a moment to cry out to God about it today.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for the victory we have in Christ. Help us discern the battles You call us to—fighting for souls, marriages, and unity in Your power. Teach us to cry out in trust, wielding spiritual weapons with gentleness and love. When opposition comes, remind us the war is Yours, and if You are for us, none can stand against us. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
In the pages of Israel’s history, we see a people called by God to defend their inheritance and execute His judgments on surrounding nations. These tribes east of the Jordan—Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh—were warriors, skilled and numerous, yet their victory over the Hagrites wasn’t ultimately due to their military prowess.
The text makes it clear: they cried out to God in the midst of battle, trusting Him, and “the war was of God.” This divine orchestration led to triumph, but it also foreshadowed deeper truths about dependence on the Lord in conflict.
As we view this through the lens of the New Covenant, we must discern what carries over to the church today. Israel was a theocratic nation with physical borders to protect and enemies to conquer as part of God’s redemptive plan. The church, however, is a spiritual family scattered across nations, not defined by territory or ethnicity but by faith in Christ (Ephesians 2:19-22). Our battles aren’t against flesh and blood, as Paul reminds us in Ephesians 6:12, but against spiritual forces of evil. Our weapons aren’t swords or bows but prayer, the Word of God, faith, and the power of the Holy Spirit—mighty for pulling down strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:4).
What shines through from this Old Testament account is the timeless principle of crying out to God in trust. These tribes didn’t presume victory even though the battle was God’s; they prayed urgently, demonstrating reliance on Him.
In our New Covenant reality, Jesus has already won the ultimate victory over sin, death, and the devil through His cross and resurrection (Colossians 2:15), yet we still face opposition in fulfilling our mission: to seek and save the lost, just as Christ did (Luke 19:10). This rescue operation—sharing the gospel, making disciples—will encounter resistance from the enemy, who seeks to devour (1 Peter 5:8).
When a church or believer gets serious about prayer and mission, as my mentor Daniel Henderson says, we pick a fight with the devil at a whole new level. Discouragement, division, or outright persecution may arise, but these are signs we’re advancing God’s kingdom, not reasons to retreat.
Consider how this applies to our view of “enemies.” In Israel’s day, pagan nations like the Hagrites were often under God’s judgment. But under the New Covenant, people in false religions—whether our Muslim neighbors, atheists at work, or anyone ensnared by deception—are not our foes but our mission field. Jesus calls us to love them, pray for them, and gently share truth, as Paul instructs Timothy: “The Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil” (2 Timothy 2:24-26).
Even when they oppose us, we see them through Jesus’ eyes—with compassion, not combativeness. Our prayers aren’t for their defeat but for their deliverance, pleaded with anguish rather than anger.
This principle extends beyond evangelism to the battles in our relationships. Not every conflict is a “war of God”—some are of our own making, born from pride or misplaced priorities. As the saying goes, not every hill is worth dying on. In marriage, for instance, conflicts are inevitable between two imperfect sinners, but thriving couples fight for the marriage, not against each other. Your spouse isn’t the enemy; the real threats are selfishness, unforgiveness, or external pressures amplified by spiritual forces. Attack the problem with spiritual weapons: love, truth, humility, and prayer. Focus on your responsibilities rather than demanding rights, as Paul urges: “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all… Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:18, 21). The same holds in families, churches, and workplaces—pursue unity rooted in love and truth, empowered by the Spirit.
So, what battles are you facing today? Are they God’s, or self-imposed? Pause and ask: Am I fighting the right enemy with the right weapons? Cry out to God in the thick of it, trusting that if He’s leading the charge, victory is assured—not always in the way we expect, but in ways that advance His glory and our good (Romans 8:28, 31). Press deeper into prayer when resistance mounts; it’s confirmation you’re on kingdom ground.
What “battle” in your life needs a shift—from fighting people to fighting for them through prayer and the gospel? Take a moment to cry out to God about it today.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for the victory we have in Christ. Help us discern the battles You call us to—fighting for souls, marriages, and unity in Your power. Teach us to cry out in trust, wielding spiritual weapons with gentleness and love. When opposition comes, remind us the war is Yours, and if You are for us, none can stand against us. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.