Focus on the War and Not Just One Battle

“And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left. And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them.” Exodus 14:22, 28

Can you imagine what the Israelites were thinking the day the Red Sea was parted? All doubts were set aside, and they rested in the assurance of God’s presence and protection. He had brought mighty Egypt to her knees, destroying her herds and fields, taking her firstborns, plundering her wealth, and destroying her army. No longer would God’s chosen people bow as slaves, for Almighty God was with them and nothing could touch them.

Think about your own life. When have you felt the strength of God’s Spirit? Think about when you rested in the peace of knowing the Creator of the Universe had a plan and YOU were part of it. Grab onto your past excitement. Let the fires rekindle!

Now back to the Israelites. What happened to their passion and excitement? Why did the Israelites allow themselves to be separated from God? I think that the answer to these questions is really simple. The Israelites failed to fight the attacks of the prince of this world; they fell prey to Satan’s traps. They allowed themselves to get complacent with God’s miracles. They stopped seeking the Lord’s protection.

We’re in the same fight today. The battle lines are drawn, and there are only two sides: Satan’s and God’s. We have had victories and felt sure that nothing could touch us now. Do we recognize that the war goes on, despite the victory of a battle? Or do we simply think it’s over since God saved our souls? Are we going to fight or allow Satan the next victory?

The Bible says in I Peter 5:8, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour”. In this verse, we see two things very clearly. First, we need to remain alert and prepared for battle. Second, we see a reminder of what our enemy is doing, how he constantly searches for those he can destroy.

If we get too comfortable, like the Israelites, and turn our backs on the war, when will we fall? When will we let the devil unleash his greatest weapon, our very selves and our own indiffernce, into the war? What will he gain—our testimonies, our families, the delight in watching us suffer our own “40 years of wilderness wandering”?

Check back in tomorrow to read a follow-up article on resisting the attacks of the Devil.

In the meantime, have you grown complacent after winning one battle? How can you refocus on the war and take back ground?