BATTLES
During the 1800s, the French General George Muller Massena who took orders from Napoleon, arrived at a quaint and militarily important Austrian town. His 18,000 soldiers were gearing up for their invasion, as the stunned Austrian citizens were lifeless and terrified. Knowing they were about to beaten, killed, sold into slavery, or worse, they laid down plans for the counter attack.
What did they do? Since it was Easter Sunday and their upcoming deaths were imminent regardless of their defensive positionings, they went to church. Figuring their only defense was direct intervention from their Maker, they rang the church bells, put on their Sunday’s best, and worshipped the Lord.
When services ended, the Austrian prayer warriors opened the church doors to find out that the entire French battalion had vacated. It turns out that the French General Massena incorrectly confused the ringing of the church bells for Easter service with what he thought was the announcement of the arrival of the entire Austrian army. The city was saved, and Christ was glorified.
Isn’t it amazing what battles are won when we give glory first to the Lord by seeking His will and His mighty hand. A similar story of God coming to the rescue takes place in the Bible in First Kings chapters 18 and 19. In these passages, the people of God led by their holy leader King Hezekiah are anguishing in fear over the imminent, civilization-shattering deathblow at the hands of the evil ruler named Sennacherib. While Sennacherib has his forces mounted, assembled, and in line for a massive victory, King Hezekiah, like the people in Austria, go to the Lord to pray. Hezekiah asks the Lord to rescue his people from the onslaught, in order for all the kingdoms of the earth to know the Lord.
After praying, 1 Kings 19:32-35 states, “So this is what the LORD says about the king of Assyria:
‘He will not enter this city, nor will he shoot an arrow here. He will not attack it with his shield-carrying warriors, nor will he build siege works against it. He will go back the way he came. He will not enter this city,’ says the LORD. I will shield this city and rescue it for the sake of my reputation and because of my promise to David my servant.’” That very night the LORD’s messenger went out and killed 185,000 men in the Assyrian camp. When they got up early the next morning, there were all the corpses.”
Unbelievable! God saved the men and women of God with direct intervention by ending the lives of a whole army, all done through just “one messenger.” You read that right, just one angel against 185,000 men, and the men didn’t have a chance! Our God is really that powerful!
Friends, we have battles, we all have battles. Let us seek out the one who can win them, rather than going at them alone. Amen.