In 2 Samuel 23, we see a prototype of these spiritual warriors in the stories of David’s mighty men. Long before he was King, David had lived in caves and fought skirmishes against all types of enemies. Along the way, key men joined his cause. Some were mercenaries, others were outcasts. Most just loved a good fight. There were 30 ancient superheroes, gladiators who could win a battle. Their stories, handed down through history in Scripture, are awe- inspiring.
Three of them in particular had great renown personally but joined together to serve a higher cause in their own anointing and expertise.
Adino, Eliezer, and Shammah clearly love David and feared nothing. All David had to do was dream of something, and these three mighty men went on and made it happen.
2 Samuel 23:14 – David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. 15 And David said with longing, “Oh, that someone would give me a drink of the water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!” 16 So the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David. Nevertheless he would not drink it, but poured it out to the LORD. 17 And he said, “Far be it from me, O LORD, that I should do this! Is this not the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?” Therefore, he would not drink it.
David had a urge that he wanted to drink from the same well as he did when he was a young boy. Unfortunately, the Philistines controlled that part of the country. did that stop these mighty men? No! They broke through the line, got the water, and brought it back to their leader. David was so humbled, so awed, by their act that he would not drink it. It was too good for anyone but the Lord himself.
These three inspired others to fight on. When warriors joined together, they become greater than the sum of their individuality. There is a far superior power released through warriors cooperating in the kingdom. Unity releases exponential anointing and power.
Before that can occur, each individual warrior must eventually prove who they are to principalities and powers. Initially we must prove to ourselves also that we belong at this level. The first stage of warfare is concerned with overcoming yourself. We do battle with our flesh when we develop personal disciplines in the spirit.
Proverbs 16:32 – he is slow to anger is better than the mighty. And he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city.
This is why endurance is required. Some breakthroughs take longer than others. A bad habit can take weeks to break and be reformed. We fight two battles over the same issue or problem. The Initial battle is to get free; and the second battle, is to stay free. The second battle is always to establish the victory of the first encounter. We establish victory when we replace old habits with new ones. We install the new man to replace the old nature. There can be no breakthrough without follow-through.
We’ve all known people who have won the battle to get free but lost the battle to stay free. The second battle was lost because they did not develop a new life, a new persona, or new disciplines. New never replaced old, which left a vacuum; so, the old nature could reassert itself.
Paul said, “in me first”- 1 Timothy 1:16. This is a good principle for life in the spirit. There are current breakthroughs that we must receive. To Break out of something is the first battle. To break into something is the second. We carry into our corporate warfare the victories we have won personally over ourselves; otherwise, we can be a liability in the larger conflict and may even be a door through which the enemy can attack the corporate body of Christ.
We see this in the story of Achan, in Joshua chapter 7. There were certain things that the soldiers were not allowed to take as spoil. All the gold, silver, and articles of bronze were to be put into the temple treasury. Achan stole silver and gold and hid it under the floor of his tent.
In Israel’s next conflict, which should have been an easy straightforward win over a small village, they were soundly beaten and humiliated. The Lord’s assessment was:
Joshua 7; 11 Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. For they have even taken some of the accursed things, and have both stolen and deceived; and they have also put it among their own stuff. 12 Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they have become doomed to destruction. Neither will I be with you anymore, unless you destroy the accursed from among you. 13 Get up, sanctify the people, and say, ‘Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, because thus says the LORD God of Israel: “There is an accursed thing in your midst, O Israel; you cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the accursed thing from among you.”
Personal breakthrough cannot occur without an act of repentance and consecration. If we carry deliberate sin into a corporate battle, we will lose the fight. One of the major keys of the kingdom is that we cannot take ground from the enemy if he has ground in us. Sin gives him a legal right over us until we renounce it and are cleansed. The matter with Achan had to be settled before Israel could recapture the anointing of previous conflicts.
In cases of protracted difficulty, when a church is facing ongoing defeat, we may need to call a solemn assembly. This is for the purpose of presenting ourselves to the Lord as a corporate body. As part of the preparation for that, each individual must do what is necessary to put things right with God. There is plenty of precedents for this in Scripture, notably Nehemiah 9:1 – 3
Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, in sackcloth, and with dust on their heads. 2 Then those of Israelite lineage separated themselves from all foreigners; and they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. 3 And they stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for one-fourth of the day; and for another fourth they confessed and worshiped the LORD their God.
Then some of the key people began to recite the history of the journey of Israel with God from the time of Abram to the present day. This assembly culminated in the writing of another covenant before the Lord. Chapter 10 details the names of the people who signed it and the conditions that were required from everyone to fulfill it.
In the Scripture we see that personal sanctification is important for the increase and blessing of the corporate man. The same is true of the family home and business. What blessings are being held up by the enemy because of practiced sin? This is why churches that are judgmental and harsh towards others, seldom grow to the level of their perceived destiny. It is the role of the apostolic in good local leaders to make sure that certain things are not present in the local body. There are several injunctions; here are two which need no further comment:
Ephesians 5:1 – Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
3 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; 4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them.
Colossians 3:1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. 5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. 8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, 11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all. 12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
We are created to destroy the works of the devil by learning to live in Christ – 1 John 3:8. The enemy has come to destroy us by stealing our inheritance and killing our relationships, especially with God – John 10:10.
Who is destroying who in your life? If abundance is lacking, we must ask, what is being destroyed?
The point of all our development is to produce sons who can glorify God (Hebrews 2:10) and establish the kingdom. Our personal development is vital. There are certain provisions and inheritance that can only come to us on a particular level. There is a level of faithfulness in the S+
pirit where we are entrusted with key revelation and anointing – 2 Timothy 2:2. We are learning to trust the Lord in life and acquiring the capacity to be trusted by him.
Warriors are breakthrough people. They interrupt the continuity of current events. They disrupt the enemy, and make sure there is a disconnect between him and the local body. They disturb the religious, and mess with traditions that keep people away from encountering the Lord.
Warriors break the power the enemy in the situation; they render his power inoperative. They create openings for people to upgrade their experience of the Lord Jesus. They crush controlling spirits (whether human or demonic) and set people free to make decisions for themselves. Warriors force entry into a new dimension of the Spirit.
The present-day church must advance. We must excel in Christ and exceed the early church in signs, wonders, and the presence of God. People must discover who God really is for them. They must exalt in his power over the enemy.
Luke 10:17 Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” 18 And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”
Warrior’s love beating the enemy! We need men and women of testimony. People who are proving God joyfully and talking about it. There is so much improvement we need to make in order to progress to a place of real power and breakthrough. We are never going to be short of real opportunities both personally and corporately to destroy the works of the enemy and discover the upgrade that the father has set aside for us.
We are in a season where we need to reinvent ourselves in the Spirit. Call a halt to mediocrity, cast off the role of inferiority, and rise up to occupy the place of promise that is rightfully ours in Christ.
What are your current areas of breakthrough that you need to make in life and relationships? How do you plan to reinvent the parts of your life that are below the level of anointing and fullness that the father wants you to possess?
What type of breakthrough does your family, business, ministry, church need at this time? What is your part in that upgrade? What particular works of the enemy are you created to destroy?