Victory, God-Style

1 Chronicles 18:1(NASB) Now after this it came about that David defeated the Philistines and subdued them and took Gath and its towns from the hand of the Philistines.

The enemy forces of the Philistines are persistent in opposing David and Israel (1 Chronicles 14:8-17). They lurk continually, looking for opportunity and inroads to access Israel in order to steal, kill, and destroy (1 Peter 5:8). But the text here reads, 

“David defeated AND subdued AND took…”

David not only defends what is Israel’s, but subdues these “uncircumcised Philistines,” and then goes further and takes ground from them!

This is what true victory from the Lord looks like. It is - well, I will call it ridiculous. The enemy of our souls attempts to steal from us, but then our God not only preserves our interests, but makes the enemy bow the knee to Him as we look on. Then, He goes further and gives us plunder from the enemy’s holdings. This is victory, God-style!

With this passage, oh, how the the Lord adjusts our thinking and renews our minds to be spiritual rather than carnal! He shows us His higher ways and higher thoughts in contrast to our lower, earthly ways and thoughts (Isaiah 55:11, 1 Corinthians 15:47-49, James 3:15). We see the Lord’s way of victory again in John 10:10: “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

Let’s look at the meaning of the word “abundantly.”  The Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (James Strong) gives us this definition:  “(4053) superabundant (in quantity) or superior (in quality); by implication, excessive; adverbially (with G1537) violently; neuter (as noun) preeminence.” The Lord’s way is superabundance, excessive victory, multiplication, extra. His God-style victory is ridiculous, almost laughable.

Why is the Church usually on the defensive, trying only to protect what is ours? Why are we running from the devil? Why are we ever trying to hide from the devil? Why are we like Gideon, cowering in the winepress? The enemy wants us to think carnally, having as our sole focus the preservation of self:  “You are just one, struggling believer. What can you do against demonic forces? Just maintain what is yours. Defend what is yours. You cannot win, so survive by making concessions. Skimp. Scrape. Finagle. Be extremely frugal. Keep to yourself, and protect yourself by refusing to challenge wrong.” These ways are not God’s ways.

So how would the Lord have us to operate as we face warfare from the forces of darkness? We are to believe the Lord for superabundance, plunder, spoil -  for ridiculous victory. So go ahead and believe God! Here’s what David did:

“I pursued my enemies and overtook them, And I did not turn back until they were consumed” (Psalm 18:37, NASB).

May we do the same:  Pursue. Overtake. Plunder.