End Times Witnessing: Can one not war?

The watchman asked the Lord whether he might stay away from engaging in spiritual warfare. Can he be allowed to remain in his comfort zone? He pleaded that he had to take care of his own people first and make sure they are protected.

Then he was asked to read the following psalm. There is really no option. (His notes are in bracket)

Psalm 144 Of David.

1 Praise be to the LORD my Rock,
who trains my hands for war,
my fingers for battle.

(The Lord trains us for battle and war. There is no reason that after training we can stay away from the spiritual battlefield. Jesus commanded His trained disciples in Matt.28:18-20, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” The Holy Spirit spoke through Paul, in 2 Timothy 2:2, “And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”)

2 He is my loving God and my fortress,
my stronghold and my deliverer,
my shield, in whom I take refuge,
who subdues peoples[a] under me.

(God provides the whole armor. In fact, He is the armor and protection: He is the fortress, stronghold and shield against the enemy.)

3 LORD, what are human beings that you care for them,
mere mortals that you think of them?
4 They are like a breath;
their days are like a fleeting shadow.

(He considers even the most insignificant human important enough to be protected by HIM.)

5 Part your heavens, LORD, and come down;
touch the mountains, so that they smoke.
6 Send forth lightning and scatter the enemy;
shoot your arrows and rout them.

(Spiritual weapons come from heaven: fire, lightning, arrows Prayers will bring forth these weapons, as illustrated in many Biblical examples.)

7 Reach down your hand from on high;
deliver me and rescue me

(God’s hand is the mighty weapon against the enemy’s hands. The hand of the Lord saves and delivers. The hand of the Lord upon Prophet Ezekiel signifies the Holy Spirit and His might.)

from the mighty waters,
from the hands of foreigners
8 whose mouths are full of lies,
whose right hands are deceitful.

(The enemy’s weapon is his deceitful mouth and right hand.The right hand is a place of honor (1 Kings 2:19; Psalm 45:9); because of this, it is raised in swearing (Galatians 2:9). The enemy swears falsely. Satan is the accuser of the brethren. Rev.12:10)

9 I will sing a new song to you, my God;
on the ten-stringed lyre I will make music to you,
10 to the One who gives victory to kings,
who delivers his servant David.

From the deadly sword 11 deliver me;
rescue me from the hands of foreigners
whose mouths are full of lies,
whose right hands are deceitful.

(When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard (the word of God) against him. Isaiah59:19 Praise and worship is an effective weapon and some kings like David, Jehoshaphat had used this weapon well. Instead of allowing the enemy to use our mouths to proclaim lies, we let the Holy Spirit use our mouths to proclaim Truth, the word of God. Truth sets captives free. His word is light and lamp. His word is life and Spirit.)

12 Then our sons in their youth
will be like well-nurtured plants,
and our daughters will be like pillars
carved to adorn a palace.

(Victory in spiritual wars will enable us to bring up our children well, godly and honorable.)

13 Our barns will be filled
with every kind of provision.
Our sheep will increase by thousands,
by tens of thousands in our fields;
14 our oxen will draw heavy loads.[b]

(Even our physical profession/business will do well in all our endeavors and have financial and material security and prosperity.)

There will be no breaching of walls,
no going into captivity,
no cry of distress in our streets.

(The enemy will not find any open door to enter to steal, kill and destroy, as the walls (protective hedges) will be well guarded and maintained. The enemy will have no power over us: body, soul and spirit.)

15 Blessed is the people of whom this is true;
blessed is the people whose God is the LORD.

(Summary: There is no need to fear spiritual wars. You will be blessed when you believe and practice the above, living the life of a citizen in the Kingdom of God, as a son of God, being led by the Holy Spirit, believing and living the word of God. You do not have any other option.)

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 144:2 Many manuscripts of the Masoretic Text, Dead Sea Scrolls, Aquila, Jerome and Syriac; most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text subdues my people
2. Psalm 144:14 Or our chieftains will be firmly established

_______________Bible verses on ongoing spiritual warfare

Ephesians 6:10-18(NKJV)

The Whole Armor of God

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—

(Note: The full armor of God is spiritual, and includes praying in the Spirit. This has often been overlooked by Christians. The word of God and praying in the Spirit are the only two offensive weapons here.)

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NKJV)

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

(The enemy sets up strongholds in the minds of men. The battlefield is in the mind -our thoughts and emotions.)

2 Corinthians 4:3-4 (NKJV)

3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.

(The enemy blinds the minds of human and thus prevents them from believing the Gospel of Jesus and accepting Jesus as their Savior and Lord and are thus saved and delivered from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light.)