Adversity

Somewhere in life, you're going to have to take a stand, and face all obstacles and difficulties. You cannot live a life where you're constantly running and hiding from your enemies...sooner or later, you're gonna have to face them.

Pastor Campbell said years ago, 'You cannot conquer what you refuse to confront.' This is very true in our walks with Christ, if we are to maintain victory and dominion in our lives. Everyone has a Goliath, a Sennacherib, a Chedorlaomer, etc...we're going to have face them in order to defeat them.

2nd Samuel 23: 11 - 12, "And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines had gathered together in a troop where there was a piece of ground full of lentils. So the people fled from the Philistines. But he stationed himself in the middle of the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. So the Lord brought about a great victory."

Many of us live right here. That is, the enemy will come in numbers that are usually greater than our own; they bring with them the swagger and the intimidation necessary to cause people to flee and / or quit...just like the text said.

Now, a troop usually carries between 3 to 5 platoons; this is about 50 soldiers per platoon, meaning, Shammah went up against 250 soldiers, easily...However, Shammah, stationed himself. In other words, he said to himself, 'This is it!' I'm not running anymore - it's put up or shut up time now!!

God gets involved whenever we resolve to give Him everything we've got and stand for what's right. The text says that the Lord brought about a great victory, not Shammah - this means that God did all the work! We need to bring the faith of a mustard seed...glory!