You will be defeated

“Then you answered and said to me, ‘We have sinned against the Lord; we will go up and fight, just as the Lord our God commanded us.’ And when everyone of you had girded on his weapons of war, you were ready to go up into the mountain. “And the Lord said to me, ‘Tell them, “Do not go up nor fight, for I am not among you; lest you be defeated before your enemies.” ’ – Deuteronomy 1.41-42

I don’t think anybody likes to lose. I know I don’t. Our grandson AJ hates to lose. Here the stakes are low – but when it came to Israel’s battles and it comes to our spiritual battles the stakes are so much higher.

Moses had told the people what they were supposed to do. The people had their own plan and it seemed like a good one. ‘We have sinned and we will go up and fight.’ But their fighting was not God’s plan. It was God’s plan for Him to fight for them.

This somewhat reminds me of the battle of Ai. Joshua and his army surely thought they were doing the right thing when they attacked Ai after Jericho, but it was not God’s plan. Because they chose their way and not God’s way they failed.

God told the Israelites that if they did it their way and ignored Him they would be defeated.

I am the kind of guy who likes to do things my way. I like it when things go according to my plans. I guess that is okay, but often God’s way and my way are in conflict. Sometimes God wants to sort it for me and I get in the way.

Sometimes I need to ‘stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.’