I was reading in 1 Kings the other day and came across a verse that is in my opinion the ultimate chirp (if you don't know what 'chirp' means ask a hockey player). It is found in 1 Kings 20:11 when Ahab King of Israel responds to Ben-Hadad King of Aram, "One who puts on his armor should not boast like one who takes it off." Ben-Hadad had just sent Ahab a message that not only was he going to attack the King of Israel but that he was going to destroy the city so severely that 'enough dust will remain to give each of his men a handful.' Ahab responded with such confidence because he knows that the Lord fights for Israel. In fact, it is recorded in 1 Kings 20:29-30 that Ahab's army inflicted over a hundred thousand casualties in one day. Talk about not being able to back up your words...
This happens a lot today especially in the sports world. Guys talk a big game or put out 'guaranteed wins' in the media before the game is played. Then when their teams lose, they look like idiots. This boasting before battle got me thinking about the Christian perspective on life. Many times, believers in Jesus will take the exact opposite approach in life. For some reason, we are scared to go into battle or stick up for our beliefs because we forget that we have already won the war...or maybe we just lack faith. Jesus has already risen from the grave and defeated death and sin, but why don't we act like it more? Why do we allow ourselves to be enslaved to sin? (2 Peter 2:19 says, "People are slaves to whatever has mastered them.") Why do we get so scared of the devil? (Romans 8:31 says, "If God is for us, who can be against us?") ... If the devil is the defeated enemy, then why does he have so much victory in our lives? It's time for us to boast in our King!
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