You Again?
Do you ever feel like you’re fighting the same battle over and over again? Maybe it’s that last ten pounds you’ve been trying to lose for the past ten years. Or maybe it’s that negative thought pattern that keeps popping up at the most inopportune times. Or perhaps it’s that nasty habit you thought you’d finally gotten rid of. Try as you might, you just can’t seem to shake that tenacious enemy. It follows you throughout your days. It haunts you at night. It steals your song, raises your blood pressure, and infuriates you to no end.
If you know what I’m talking about, you can rest assured that David understood as well. While he had multiple enemies during his lifetime, it doesn’t take much study of the Scripture to find one particular name popping up over and over: the Philistines. We’ve been studying about their attack on Israel following David’s coronation, but I want you to notice what happened next in the story. When we left off a couple of days ago, the Philistine army had been defeated, leaving their gods behind for David’s army to collect and burn. You would think they learned their lesson, right? Think again.
“And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.”
Seriously? What’s up with these guys? I don’t know how much time passed between their first and second attack, but it doesn’t seem like much. Who’s idea was it to go out and fight the same army on the same battlefield. . .again? Maybe they went out in a greater number or took more weapons or changed their attack patterns. I have no idea. But what I do know is this—the enemy doesn’t give in easily. They are relentless.
I don’t know about you, but I’d love it if life’s battles were a “one and done” kind of thing. Battling anxiety? I conquered that. What’s next? Battling self-defeating thoughts? I beat that last year. Anything else?
But, no, it’s not that simple. “One and done” doesn’t apply to life’s battles. Do you remember when Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness? Did he stop after one thwarted attempt? Nope. He came back again and again. That’s just the way the enemy is. Most days, getting through is not a matter of conquering a new enemy. It’s about defeating the same enemy one more time.
I’ll be honest. It gets old. It gets tedious. When I find myself eyeing down the same enemy I’ve faced (and thought I had defeated for good), I become frustrated. “What’s the use?” I cry. “Even if I defeat you again today, you’ll just show back up tomorrow. Why should I bother?”
David could have asked the same question, but he already knew the answer. The Philistines were coming. He could fight them off or allow them to have the victory. And what would that cost him? His life, perhaps. The life of his people? His kingdom? His peace? Sure, the enemy would likely return another day, but if he could defeat them this time, he would at least hold them at bay. Not to mention that each time the enemy attacked, they lost soldiers, weapons, and more. While David may not have been able to defeat them with one fatal blow, he was chipping away at their army while helping his army grow their confidence in the Lord’s provision.
Maybe that’s why we have to fight the same battles and face the same enemy time and time again. God wants us to chip away at those things with which we struggle, and with each victory, to gain greater confidence in His goodness, protection, and provision. Does that bring us comfort? Maybe. Maybe not. But how about this? Sure, we may have to face the same enemy and fight the same battle, but we also can be helped by the same God. He’s with us every time an attack comes. He’s there to offer strength and wisdom. He’s on our side and will fight for us. It doesn’t matter how many times the enemy attacks; God will still be there. Fighting with us. Fighting for us. And ensuring we know that we are not alone.
“Ye shall not fear them: for the Lord your God he shall fight for you.”
“All nations compassed me about: but in the name of the Lord will I destroy them. They compassed me about; yea, they compassed me about: but in the name of the Lord I will destroy them. They compassed me about like bees: they are quenched as the fire of thorns: for in the name of the Lord I will destroy them. Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall: but the Lord helped me. The Lord is my strength and song, and is become my salvation. The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly. The right hand of the Lord is exalted: the right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly. I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.”