PRAYERS OF THE BIBLE SERIES: THE BOOK OF NUMBERS #1

LET THE LORD DEFEAT YOUR GIANTS

35 Whenever the ark set out, Moses said, Rise up, Lord; let Your enemies be scattered; and let those who hate You flee before You.  And when it rested, he said, Return, O Lord, to the ten thousand thousands in Israel. (Numbers 10:35-36)
This great prayer of the Warrior Moses could be one used by God's generals today - those who are in spiritual battle on all fronts, all across the world. Three things are happening which we need to take a note of, since it has relevance to us, in these last days.

In the first place, we see the Ark of the Covenant, signifying the Presence of Holy God and its foremost place leading the people of God. Secondly, we see this same Ark, coming to a resting place - a stop - showing the people of God where they should make their stand and stand their ground.

Third, Moses is praying for the following: that the Lord takes on all who hate His Words, Commands and ordinances and worship pagan gods and for their complete annihilation and dispersion in the atmosphere.  Then he wants the Lord to again favor His wayward people.

There are parallels here to 2 Chronicles 7:14 (if My people who are called by My Name...").  In 2 Chronicles 7:14, God is laying down the conditions for Him to heal, bless and favor. These conditions have a foundation of true repentance BEFORE God will do what He says He would do. In this prayer of Moses from Numbers 10:35-36 we see the symbols of the actual Presence of God right before millions of people's  eyes  creating the environment for Moses to go boldly before the Throne of Grace and make His request.

For us, the lessons are for the defeat of the giants and enemies in our lives - whether they be circumstances like depression, hopelessness or doubt....or worse - is to KNOW that GOD is with us. We, who are Christians, already have the same Spirit Who raised Jesus from the dead. He - the Holy Spirit - is the symbolic Ark of the Covenant. The Presence of the Holy Spirit in the Christian is proof that God is with us, even unto the ends of the earth, meaning until we go to be with Him.

The second lesson is this - God, in the form of the Spirit, has gone before us and fought our battles if we have turned from our wicked ways (2 Chronicles 7:14) and surrendered all our evil circumstances and giants to Him. We must commit our ways unto the Lord for Him to handle. By doing this, the "return of the Lord" which Moses prayed for in verse 36 will be realized by the ocean of peace we experience because He has caused all His (thus our) enemies to scatter.  This peace from the Lord dealing with these giants who persecute us, can only come about if we do what Psalm 46:10 says "cease striving (be still) and know that I AM GOD"!