In the book of Isaiah, the Lord gave a strong word of His interest and power to help.
Isaiah 59:1 HCSB Indeed, the Lord’s hand is not too short to save, and His ear is not too deaf to hear.
In the next 14 verses, the prophet Isaiah took note of all of the things that have happened as a result of our transgressions and sins. The image portrayed is one of utter despair. It appeared that there was no one that could help. In fact it looked like the enemy had an open door to do whatever he wanted. When God was looking at that flood of evil that was coming against us, He looked for someone to intercede for us. Having found no one that was able to help us, God provided a Savior.
Isaiah 59:16-17 HCSB He saw that there was no man— He was amazed that there was no one interceding; so His own arm brought salvation, and His own righteousness supported Him. He put on righteousness like a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on His head; He put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and He wrapped Himself in zeal as in a cloak.
God is not willing to have the enemy gain the upper-hand against His people. God is going to take every necessary step to bring salvation, deliverance and victory. He has set some things in motion that are going to happen whenever the enemy comes in.
Isaiah 59:19 NKJV So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun; When the enemy comes in…
Sometimes it appears that the enemy has an open door to attack and destroy. God has a word for you.
Isaiah 59:19-20 ESV So they shall fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun; for he will come like a rushing stream, which the wind of the Lord drives. And a Redeemer will come to Zion… declares the Lord.
King David faced many enemies and was engaged in many battles.
God had given him some mighty men that stood with him in the conflict.
2 Samuel 23:8-12 NKJV These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-Basshebeth the Tachmonite, chief among the captains. He was called Adino the Eznite, because he had killed eight hundred men at one time. And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel had retreated. He arose and attacked the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand stuck to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to plunder. And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines had gathered together into a troop where there was a piece of ground full of lentils. So the people fled from the Philistines. But he stationed himself in the middle of the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. So the Lord brought about a great victory.
This chapter contains the last words of King David.
In it he magnifies God. Then he lists the most valiant men who served with him and tells of some of their deeds.
Shammah was the third of David’s “mighty men.”
We really don’t know much about Shammah. We know he was not willing to give up his beans. There are several questions you must answer on your way to victory or defeat.
Have you reached that point with your battle that you have said, “I am not going to give another inch?”
Is anything in your life worth fighting for?
Some people allow Satan to steal them blind. When he comes in, they are not willing to take a stand. Do you have anything in your life worth fighting for? It was just a field of beans, but to Shammah it was much more.
In the 1930’s, John Dillinger was a notorious criminal in the country. His life would have been much different if some people had been more compassionate. As a boy, Dillinger was arrested for minor crimes and placed on probation. He was sent to church but the parents of other children protested and threatened to withdraw their children if this criminal remained. Johnny dropped out of church and never returned. About 20 years later he was the Number One most-wanted criminal in the United States. That church was the last opportunity to salvage his soul.
Shammah was making a stand in a field of lentils.
“Lentils” are beans. There is an old saying, “That’s not worth beans!” It means, “it’s not worth fighting over.”
A small field of beans may not be much to you.
They were precious to Shammah because they were his heritage from the Lord. They belonged to the Lord. The value of a thing is not always in its quantity or size. Diamonds are precious. Unborn babies are precious. That soul is precious.
Sometimes you are willing to pay a big price for just a few beans!
Esau is an example of this principle.
Genesis 25:30-34 NKJV And Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary.” Therefore his name was called Edom. But Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright as of this day.” And Esau said, “Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?” Then Jacob said, “Swear to me as of this day.” So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.
Did you hear that? Esau despised his birthright.
What does that mean? A bowl of beans was more valuable than everything Abraham had passed down. Esau could have been an heir of God’s promise to Abraham and Isaac.
At some point in life, you must decide if there are any things in your life that are worth fighting for?
Do you draw the line with your Family? Your Marriage? Your Children? Friends? Your Church? You may be willing to put up with the attack on some things in your life. When the Lord was looking down and found that no one was willing to intercede for His people, God drew a line! He said He was not willing to given an inch to the devil.
Tell Someone – Draw the line!!!
You need to draw the line down on your knees.
A lot of people want everything without a fight.
They are not willing to fight for their family. They are not willing to fight for their marriage. They are not willing to fight for their children. As soon as the first conflict comes, they give up.
You are not going to get by without a fight!
You can count on conflict!!! We all have an internal conflict with self. We face the external conflict with sin. There is the eternal conflict with Satan. Any fight worth fighting continues until there is a winner!
There are some battles that you cannot afford to lose.
Do you think you will go to heaven on a tie? Do you think your children will go to heaven on a compromise? Are you willing to fight to live? Are you willing to just lie down and die?
Will you be an Esau or a Shammah?
Both made a great decision over “lentils”- beans. If you are going to reclaim your family, you must prepare yourself to fight! If you are going to overcome that battle, you must fight! You need to get ready to take a stand. Make up your mind not to give in to Satan. Make up your mind not to surrender your family. Make up your mind not to give another inch.
When the enemy comes in… you need to muster all of the courage you can and take a stand. Do you have enough courage to take that first step?
Satan will not pause until you decide to take a bold stand. While you are busy waiting, the enemy will strip you of your most precious possessions! Jesus said the enemy comes to kill, steal and destroy. He is roaming around right now trying to destroy homes, marriages, and your children. He is trying to destroy your soul.
We don’t have to wait for more information. You have all of the information you need. Now is the time to take a bold stand! God is expecting YOU to take the next step!
What God wants you to do is not the “First Step.”
God has already done that. He has already said that He is coming to your aid like a rushing stream driven by the wind of the Lord. God has given you something and then He will multiply it when you give it back to Him!
If you will fight, God will give the victory!!!
There are some things that you need to take a stand for.
It may just be beans to someone else. It is the heritage that God has given you. It may be your children, your family, or your own soul. Are you willing to fight for that? Are you willing to fight for the church and for lost souls? Will you take a stand for the ground the enemy is attempting to steal from you? What has to happen before you get violent in prayer? What has to happen before you run to God and cry out in prayer? What will cause you to dig in and not give another inch?
I have wonderful news for you.
God is already ready to bring you the victory. His best is prepared. Isaiah said: “The Redeemer will come to Zion… to those who turn…”
When Esau determined that God’s heritage and best was not worth a bowl of beans, he lost God’s blessing. I am not willing to give another inch to the enemy. Shammah stationed himself in the middle of the thing God had given him and fought for the victory. The answer came because “the Lord brought about a great victory.”
