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 prowess.
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 in Bethlehem. And David said with longing, old, that someone would give me a drink of the water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate! So the 3 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. For he said, far be it from me, O Lord, that I should do this! Is this not the blood of the man who went in jeopardy of their lives? Therefore he would not drink it.
David had a whim 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 parts. 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 was slow to anger is better than the mighty. And he who rules his spirit, and he who captures 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, to get free; and the second battle, 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 we 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 the 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 man.
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 sin, and they’ve also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them. They’ve even taken some of the things under the ban and have both stolen and deceived. Moreover, they have also put them among their own things. Therefore the sons of Israel cannot stand before their enemies; they turn their backs before their enemies, for they have become accursed. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy the things under the ban from your mitts. Rise up! Consecrate the people and say, consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, for thus the Lord, the God of Israel, has said, there are things under the band in your mitts, O Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies into you have removed the things under the band from your midst.
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 24th day of this month the sons of Israel assembled with fasting, and sackcloth and with dirt upon them. The descendents of Israel separate themselves from all foreigners, and stood and confess their sins and iniquities of their fathers. While they stood in their place, they read from the book of the law of the Lord their God for a 4th of the day; and for another 4th they confessed in worship the Lord your 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 a new 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 beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave himself up for us, an offering in a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. But in morality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or course jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know what certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them.
Colossians 3:1 – therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keeps taking the things above, were Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth, for you have died in your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory. Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dad to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also once walk, when you were living in them. But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Not lie to one another, since you lay it aside the old self with its evil practices, and it put on the new self was being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the one who created him – renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all. So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as Lord forgive you, so also shoot you. Jan all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. But the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and a managing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with Thanksgiving in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the father.
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 spirit 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 – 70 return with joy, saying, Lord, even this demons are subject to us in your name. He said to them, I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightening. Behold, I’ve given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power the enemy, and nothing will injure you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.
Warriors love beating the enemy! We need men and women of testimony. People who are proving God joyfully and talking about it. Thankfully 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, castoff the role of inferiority, and rise up to occupy the place of promise that is rightfully ours in Christ.
Assignment – 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?
Commission – what type of breakthrough is 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?