We are soldiers in God’s army! 2 Timothy 2:3-4 says, “You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him.”

The affairs of this life are aptly described in James 4:4 says, “Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”

Wow. What a line of demarcation! When we are entangled in the godless systems of this world, we cannot effectively fight in God’s kingdom. Nor, according to Hebrews 12:1, can we run with the kind of endurance we need to resist the magnetic pull of the world’s entrapments.

Here is my personal illustration of entanglements. Several years ago I was walking towards the house from my garden. My arms were loaded with veggies. I took a step off the lawn onto the cement walkway that leads to the stairs. As I stepped down, I felt something around my ankle. I looked down. Remember I don’t DO snakes. There was a snake right where I stepped (it wasn’t in my sight as I approached the house). I was instantly entangled. I worked frantically to get away from it as much as it worked to get away from me.

What has entangled you? What are you trapped in emotionally? What do you turn to when you are stressed? In the wee hours of this morning I had a great experience. I think I was awake, but I might have been dreaming. I rode on waves of His love as I sang His character to Him. It wasn’t me. I was being led by the Holy Spirit. The whole experience caused my body to relax in a deeper way, without me doing anything.

That is the power of being still in His Presence. I want to encourage you (and me) that the next time we feel stressed, we stop and acknowledge He is there. Right now our nation is in danger. We are soldiers, so this is a call to arms. Our greatest weapon is through ambush praying. I invite you to join me and countless others who are praying 2 Chronicles 7:14 at 7:14 PM. That is a strategic ambush.

Joshua 8 is the fall of the city Ai. How did it happen? Joshua, their commanding officer, sent 30,000 mighty men of valor to lie in ambush. They had to be very attentive. They could not afford to be distracted by anything that would entangle them. They had to be ready to move out at Joshua’s silent signal. Can you just imagine their attentiveness? 

Verse 18 the Lord told Joshua to stretch out his spear toward Ai. The second he did that, verse 19 says, “So those in ambush arose quickly out of their place…” They entered Ai, took it, and set it on fire. Note that they were watching their leader for when to act, so that they could carry out the assignment he gave them.

We have a strategic assignment. 2 Timothy 4:2 says, “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season…” We are in a season of unprecedented war. The only hope of this nation is through the gospel. Pray for opportunities to share the truth of the cross. Pray for revival, not only for our nation but worldwide. 

Nahum 2:1 says, “He who scatters has come up before your face. Man the fort! Watch the road! Strengthen your flanks! Fortify your power mightily.” Our fortifying strength comes from our intimate communion with the Lord. It is in our quiet time that He speaks to our heart. He reveals our hidden entanglements so that we can be free to serve our Commanding Officer.