Strong Support

When I was a Police Officer, there were some life and death codes that were engraved on my mind and on the minds of all officers. One of those essential codes was that you never leave you partner alone. Another vital code was, when an officer needs help or calls for back up, you drop whatever you’re doing and you go. Knowing, that as a Police Officer, you would receive strong support in the performance of your duties, made all the difference in the world.  

Similarly, to be a healthy church and fulfill Christ’s mission, we need to wholeheartedly embrace the biblical principle of giving and receiving strong support (Gal. 6:2). Notice what the bible says concerning King David who was called by God to shepherd His people: “Now these are the chiefs of David's mighty men, who gave him strong support in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the Lord concerning Israel.” (1 Chronicles 11:10).

As many of us know, David was one of the greatest leaders of the nation of Israel, the people of God. He was a great leader because first and foremost, he was a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22). But it’s important to note also that David wasn’t a one-man army. Yes, there were exceptional times when David took a stand for God alone, like when he faced Goliath. But when it came to shepherding God’s people, the bible is clear that David received strong and strategic support from mighty men and the general support of all of Israel. Concerning the mighty men, we read in 1 Chronicles 11:16-18a:

“David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem. And David said longingly, “Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!” Then the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate and took it and brought it to David." (1 Chronicles 11:16-18a).

Notice that in wartime, when David was extremely thirsty and probably dehydrated, he wished that someone would give him water to drink from a well that was behind enemy lines. Knowing that David needed water, 3 mighty men, broke through those enemy lines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem, and brought it to David.

These mighty men gave such strong support to David that they were willing to risk their own lives to provide for the God-appointed shepherd of Israel. But notice also the heart of David toward these men. After they brought him the water he longed for, the bible says, “But David would not drink it. He poured it out to the Lord and said, “Far be it from me before my God that I should do this. Shall I drink the lifeblood of these men? For at the risk of their lives they brought it.” Therefore he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men” (1 Chronicles 11:18b-19).

King David did not lead Israel like a prima donna. He needed and appreciated the strong support that he received, but he didn’t demand it or feel worthy of it. He himself was a servant leader that had demonstrated time and time again that he was willing to risk own his life to shepherd God’s people. It’s this kind of mutual and loving support that is to characterize the church of God today. Jesus said, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12). To be a healthy church and advance the kingdom of Christ, we must in the power of the Holy Spirit give strong support to each other, and build up one another in love. We must support one another to be all that God called us to be (Ephesians 4:15-16).  

Now notice that the same phrase, “strong support” is also used in 2 Chronicles 16:9. King Asa, who like David before him, also began by relying on the help and support of God to lead His people, but had become self-reliant. Rather than looking to God in a time of war, he began to trust in the prosperity of the kingdom to solicit the support of other pagan nations. Because of this, the prophet Hanani came to him and said:
       
“Because you relied on the king of Syria, and did not rely on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Syria has escaped you. Were not the Ethiopians and the Libyans a huge army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet because you relied on the Lord, he gave them into your hand. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him. You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars” (2 Chronicles 16:7-9).

Earlier I mentioned that knowing, as a Police Officer, that I had back up and support in the performance of my duties, made all the difference in the world. Now one of the key ways that we called for backup and support was through our police radios, which were monitored by the 911 emergency center 24/7. These radios are assigned to law enforcement officials only and can only be used in the fulfillment of police assignments, which includes calling for back up.

Similarly, God has given His gospel agents on earth access to His throne room in heaven through prayer by which we can call on Him for divine support 24/7. As John Piper has noted:

“Prayer is a war-time walkie-talkie, not a domestic intercom for ringing up the butler to change the thermostat. It is a war-time walkie-talkie to call in firepower because the enemy is greater than we are. If you try to turn this into a domestic intercom to bring another pillow, it malfunctions, and you wonder why. It’s not made to be an intercom. It’s made to be a war-time walkie-talkie.”

O brothers and sisters, God is waiting to give strong support to those whose hearts are devoted to Him and His mission to spread the fame of Jesus (Matthew 28:18-20). He will back up His gospel agents with all the support that only Heaven can give and nothing in this world can overcome. Jesus gave His back to be scourged and went to a cross so that we can trust that He will forgive our sin and have our backs forevermore. May His love compel us to live on mission for Him, and to give strong support to one another, to be all that He called us to be to the glory of Christ our King.

Blessings,
Pastor Marco