In the Bible we often read about the stunning victories of the people of God. Against seemingly, large, huge, insurmountable opposition and real threats they consistently overcame and won the right way. Oh for sure there were times when they were overcome, trodden over, defeated and devastated, but those times were the times when they set out to win the wrong way.
So we can see that there is a definitive principle of “winning the right way.” Wow! if would could just determine how to win the right way, then we could be so much more successful and take so much more control over all of the things that come against us. Today you have been blessed already if you are reading these very words because you are destined to learn about, “Winning The Right Way!”
In Psalm 44 we read about the great victories of God’s people against hoards of enemies. Such stunning victories against much larger and battle trained people who were dug in and many of whom had huge walled cities. How did Israel win the right way against them?
Psalm 44:1-8 Names of God Bible (NOG)
Psalm 44
For the choir director; a maskil by Korah’s descendants.
1 O Elohim,
we have heard it with our own ears.
Our ancestors have told us
about the miracle you performed in their day,
in days long ago.
2 By your power you forced nations out of the land,
but you planted our ancestors there.
You shattered many groups of people,
but you set our ancestors free.[a]
3 It was not with their swords that they took possession of the land.
They did not gain victory with their own strength.
It was your right hand, your arm,
and the light of your presence that did it,
because you were pleased with them.
4 You alone are my Melek, O Elohim.
You won those victories for Jacob.
5 With you we can walk over our enemies.
With your name we can trample those who attack us.
6 I do not rely on my bow,
and my sword will never save me.
7 But you saved us from our enemies.
You put to shame those who hate us.
8 All day long we praise our Elohim.
We give thanks to you forever. Selah
What we see clearly in this Psalm is a story of “Winning The Right Way!” When Israel relied upon God to save them, to defend them, to provide for them, to do battle for and with them then they were “winning the right way. Count how many times in those 8 short verses that the word “YOU” is used in reference to God taking action on behalf of His people:
- the miracle you performed
- By your power you forced
- you planted our ancestors
- You shattered many
- you set our ancestors free
- It was your right hand, your arm,
- the light of your presence that did it,
- because you were pleased with them.
- You won those victories
- With you we can walk over our enemies.
- With your name we can trample those who attack us.
- you saved us from our enemies.
- You put to shame those who hate us.
** You see the principle to “Winning The Right Way” is to understand that it’s not so much about how much, or what you can do for God – but rather how much and what God can do through you and for you. It’s not supposed to be all about you – but all about God.
The writer clearly says, “ I do not rely on my bow, and my sword will never save me.” Did that mean that he did not use his bow and his sword? Of course not! What it means is that he did not depend upon his bow, his sword or his own strength alone to win victories because he understood that winning the right way means a complete reliance upon God. The Hebrew word, or title name of God used the most in this passage is the title name, “Elohim.” Elohim essentially means “Creator God” – He who creates and can create for me whatever I need.
There was a time when the Israelites had won a great victory and then they were going to go up against a lesser group of troops so the commander requested a smaller number of Israeli troops to go and “handle” the battle. He said that it was not necessary to send all of the Israeli troops, but a contingent. In that battle Israel was resoundingly defeated and many troops of israel died. As the commanders and troops sought to understand why they had lost the battle against an inferior contingent in such a costly and dramatic way they came to the conclusion that they had not taken the “Ark of the Covenant” into battle with them and for this reason they had lost the battle and many troops had died.
They sent to fetch the Ark of the Covenant to take it into battle with them and they just knew without a doubt that they would be supremely victorious. The battle raged and blood flowed everywhere, dead bodies, defeated Israeli troops scattered the ground and then suddenly, dramatically and sadly the “Ark of the Covenant” was captured by the Philistines and carried off to distant lands.
The battle commanders and the leaders did not comprehend what had happened. How could God allow his people to lose against its arch enemies and how could God allow His own Ark of the Covenant to be captured and carted off to distant enemy lands? It was almost too much to bear, to much to try to comprehend – so much death and destruction, blood and loss…
In reading this story I asked Holy Spirit to reveal to me how it was that God would allow such a defeat against His people and how did He allow the capture of His Ark of the Covenant. This is what I heard clearly in my Spirit, “They didn’t take ME into battle with them! They took that box!” As I contemplated more on this and mediated on it the more clear it all became. They had arrived at a place of treating Elohim, God as a “Jack in the Box God.”
“God you just stay right there in that box and we will fight, but if we need you we will just crank on that little handle and pop – out you can come. But we will let you know if we need YOU or not.” The attitude was that they were sufficient in and of themselves to win the victories separate and apart from God was a nasty, foul, haughty and presumptuous attitude. When they lost the first battle and thousands of men they arrived at the conclusion that they needed that “wooden box” to go with them. They took the wooden box of God – but they did not take the God of the Ark of the Covenant. Hence God’s message by the Holy Spirit was absolutely correct, “They didn’t take ME into battle with them! They took that box!”
Psalm 44:3 is a key verse to understand the principle of winning the right way:
3 It was not with their swords that they took possession of the land.
They did not gain victory with their own strength.
It was your right hand, your arm,
and the light of your presence that did it,
because you were pleased with them.
The victories that you seek my friend, shall not come by your own strength, but by the strong right hand and arm of God and by the LIGHT of His presence with you and within you. Live your life in such a way that your ELOHIM is well pleased with you. Invite Him to battle for you. Invite the Light of His presence to radiate from you.
Winning the right way is easy so long as you get out of the way, while inviting God to do what only God can do.
Here are some questions to ponder:
- What battles do you need for God to win for you?
- Are you fighting in your own strength?
- Are you fully reliant upon God?
- Do you understand the difference between you doing in your own strength versus God doing things through you?
- Is God well pleased with you?
- Do you possess the light of God’s presence?
- Have you surrendered to God?
- Have you invited God to win the battle for you?
