The Battle Is the Lord'sSample

Spiritual battles and earthly battles

Ever since sin entered the world, people have been fighting. Adam and Eve’s firstborn killed his own brother, and since then the scale of killing and making war has only increased. Jesus has told his disciples that “nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom”, and history provides countless examples. Making war is a clear expression of human sin.

But there is more to it. The Bible is clear about the spiritual battle going on between God and Satan, and this spiritual dimension influences what is going on here on earth. We should be careful not to oversimplify things, or to claim that we are God’s people and thus everybody who opposes us must be influenced by Satan. We can’t judge present-day conflicts along these lines. But the Bible offers several examples of battles where God was at work.

These stories remind us that we only have a limited view of reality. We can only see what is visible with our human eyes. But there is more going on in the heavenly realms. God is the ultimate Ruler of the world, and sometimes He uses human battles to achieve his goals.

Can you mention a Biblical example of a battle that was influenced by the Lord?