The LORD says: Prepare for War!

A Word of Peraration for Today by Barbara Donithan

“Proclaim this among the nations:
‘Prepare for war!  Rouse the warriors!
Let all the fighting men approach and attack.’
Hammer your plow-blades into swords and your pruning-knives into spears.
Let the weak say, ‘I am strong,'”    Joel 3:9-10.

Recently the words “Prepare for War” rang clearly in my heart and mind, so clear I could almost hear it with my ears.

I will prepare for war.  The first thing I am doing to prepare for war is to see YOU, Yeshua, Father – Prince of Peace – the Bright Morning Star – Alef and Tav – King of Kings, LORD of Lords – as my leader and Commander in Chief.  It does not matter who is in office in any country.  You are our King.

If I’m preparing for war it is as one who is under the leadership of the winning forces.  You are the victor, and through you, under your care, I too am victorious.

Here is what the LORD gave me in my heart on how to prepare for war.

1. Attempt to make peace first.
   “When you advance on a town to attack it, first offer it terms for peace.  If it accepts the terms for peace and opens its gates to you, then all the people there are to be put to forced labor and work for you.  However, if they refuse to make peace with you but prefer to make war against you, you are to put it under siege.  When ADONAI your God hands it over to you, you are to put every male to the sword,”   Deuteronomy 20:10-13.
2. Count your assets and your enemy’s assets, too.
   “Or again, suppose one king is going out to wage war with another king.  Doesn’t he first sit down and consider whether he, with his ten thousand troops, has enough strength to meet the other one, who is coming against him with twenty thousand?  If he hasn’t, then while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation to inquire about terms for peace,”   Luke 14:31-32.
3. Set a watchman on the wall to watch for the approach of the enemy.
   “For this is what Adonai said to me: For this is what Adonai said to me: “Go, post a watchman to report what he sees!   If he sees the cavalry, horsemen in pairs, riders on donkeys, riders on camels, he must be on alert, on full alert,”   Isaiah 21:6.
4. Gather supplies – water, food, anything needed like batteries, tools, prepare for the lights to go out and to hide quietly from the enemy.
   “You who are living under the siege, gather your belongings off the ground,  for here is what ADONAI says: “At this time I am slinging away the inhabitants of the land; I will distress them, so that they will feel it,”   Jeremiah 10:17.
   “Draw water for the siege!  Strengthen your fortifications,”   Nahum 3:14.
5. Send scouts to reconnoiter the enemy territory and camps.
   “Y’hoshua the son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Sheetim with these instructions:  “Go, inspect the land and Yericho,”   Joshua 2:1.
   “Moshe sent them to reconnoiter the land of Kena’an, instructing them, “Go on up to the Negev and into the hills, and see what the land is like.  Notice the people living there, whether they are strong or weak, few or many; and what kind of country they live in, whether it is good or bad; and what kind of cities they live in, open or fortified.  See whether the land is fertile or unproductive and whether there is wood in it or not.  Finally, be bold enough to bring back some of the fruit of the land,”   Numbers 13:17-20b.
6. Fast and pray.
   “Yet even now,” says ADONAI, “turn to me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping and lamenting.”  Tear your heart, not your garments; and turn to ADONAI your God.  For he is merciful and compassionate, slow to anger, rich in grace, and willing to change his mind about disaster.  Who knows?  He may turn, change his mind and leave a blessing behind him, [enough for] grain offerings and drink offerings to present to ADONAI your God.  “Blow the shofar in Tziyon! Proclaim a holy fast, call for a solemn assembly,”   Joel 2:12-15.
7. Praise and pray “Hodu L’Adonai ki tov, ki l’olam chasdo!  Give thanks to the LORD for He is good, His loving kindness endures forever.
   “After consulting with the people, he appointed those who would sing to ADONAI and praise the splendor of his holiness as they went out ahead of the army, saying, “Give thanks to ADONAI, for his grace continues forever.”  Then, during the time when they were singing and praising, ADONAI brought a surprise attack against the people of ‘Amon, Mo’av and Mount Se’ir who had come to fight Y’hudah; and they were defeated,”   2 Chronicles 20:21-22.
8. Put on your armor and take up your weapons.
   “Finally, grow powerful in union with the LORD, in union with his mighty strength!  Use all the armor and weaponry that God provides, so that you will be able to stand against the deceptive tactics of the Adversary.  For we are not struggling against human beings, but against the rulers, authorities and cosmic powers governing this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm.  So take up every piece of war equipment God provides; so that when the evil day comes, you will be able to resist; and when the battle is won, you will still be standing.  Therefore, stand!  Have the belt of truth buckled around your waist, put on righteousness for a breastplate, and wear on your feet the readiness that comes from the Good News of shalom.  Always carry the shield of trust, with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the Evil One.  And take the helmet of deliverance; along with the sword given by the Spirit, that is, the Word of God; as you pray at all times, with all kinds of prayers and requests, in the Spirit, vigilantly and persistently, for all God’s people,”   Ephesians 6:10-18.
   “For although we do live in the world, we do not wage war in a worldly way; because the weapons we use to wage war are not worldly.  On the contrary, they have God’s power for demolishing strongholds.  We demolish arguments and every arrogance that raises itself up against the knowledge of God; we take every thought captive and make it obey the Messiah.  And when you have become completely obedient, then we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience,”   2 Corinthians 10:3-6.
9. Stand and see the victory of the LORD.
   “Moshe answered the people, “Stop being so fearful! Remain steady, and you will see how ADONAI is going to save you.  He will do it today- today you have seen the Egyptians, but you will never see them again! ADONAI will do battle for you.  Just calm yourselves down,”   Exodus 14:13-14.
10. Walk through the Red Sea when it opens up. Don’t stand there wondering what to do, take action to obey immediately!
    “Then the people of Isra’el went into the sea on the dry ground, with the water walled up for them on their right and on their left,”   Exodus 14:22.
11. FEAR NOT!
    (First mention of many) “Some time later the word of ADONAI came to Avram in a vision:  “Don’t be afraid, Avram.  I am your protector; your reward will be very great,”   Genesis 15:1
12. Even if you are taken into exile, never stop worshipping and praising Adonai.
    “On learning that the document had been signed, Dani’el went home.  The windows of his upstairs room were open in the direction of Yerushalayim; and there he kneeled down three times a day and prayed, giving thanks before his God, just as he had been doing before,”   Daniel 6:10.
13. Never Serve the gods of the enemy, be like Daniel and Mordechai.
    “You are to have no other gods before me.  You are not to make for yourselves a carved image or any kind of representation of anything in heaven above, on the earth beneath or in the water below the shoreline.  You are not to bow down to them or serve them; for I, ADONAI your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sins of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but displaying grace to the thousandth generation of those who love me and obey my mitzvot,”   Exodus 20:3-6 ב.
14. Become familiar with your enemy and his tactics.
    “Stay sober, stay alert!  Your enemy, the Adversary, stalks about like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour,”   1 Peter 5:8.
15. Even more important, get to know your KING – your Commander in Chief!
    “Who is he, this glorious king? ADONAI- Tzva’ot-he is the glorious king,”   Psalm 24:10.
    “His appearing will be brought about in its own time by the blessed and sole Sovereign, who is King of kings and LORD of lords, who alone is immortal, who dwells in unapproachable light that no human being has ever seen or can see- to him be honor and eternal power. Amen,”   1 Timothy 6:15-16.
    “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning.  All things came to be through him, and without him nothing made had being.  In him was life, and the life was the light of mankind.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not suppressed it..…  This was the true light,  which gives light to everyone entering the world,”   1 John 1:1-9.
16. Pray in the Spirit.
    “As you pray at all times, with all kinds of prayers and requests, in the Spirit, vigilantly and persistently, for all God’s people,”   Ephesians 6:18.
    “But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith, and pray in union with the Ruach HaKodesh.  Thus keep yourselves in God’s love, as you wait for our LORD Yeshua the Messiah to give you the mercy that leads to eternal life,”   Jude 1:20-21.
17. Learn to hear and listen to His voice – the still small voice.
    “After the earthquake, fire broke out; but ADONAI was not in the fire.  And after the fire came a quiet, subdued voice,”   1 Kings 19:12.
    “Therefore now, improve your ways and your doings; and listen to the voice of ADONAI your God; then ADONAI will relent from the disaster he has decreed against you,”   Jeremiah 26:13.
    “This happened because they did not heed the voice of ADONAI their God, but violated his covenant, everything that Moshe the servant of ADONAI had ordered them to do, and would neither hear it nor do it,”   2 Kings 18:12.
18. Stand up and fight when commanded – when to fight is not your choice, it is God’s timing! Do not fight if the order has not been given.
    “Moshe answered, “Why are you opposing what ADONAI said?  You won’t succeed!  Don’t go up there, because ADONAI  isn’t with you.  If you do, your enemies will defeat you,”   Numbers 14:41.
    “Then ADONAI said to Y’hoshua, “Point the spear in your hand toward ‘Ai, because I will hand it over to you.”  Y’hoshua pointed the spear in his hand toward the city.  The men in ambush jumped up quickly from their place; the moment he stretched out his hand, they ran, entered the city and captured it; and they hurried to set the city on fire,”   Joshua 8:18-19.

Of course there are probably hundreds of scriptures about preparing for war.  These are the ones I have found.

I believe the command to prepare for war is serious – more serious than any other Word we could hear today.  He promises to keep us in shelter of the Almighty, but we must use wisdom and above all, we must obey His commands.  If we disobey, we will not be protected.

Join me in prayer as we prepare for war.

Given with love, in the Name of Yeshua.
~ Barbara Donithan
April 2, 2016