Let Nothing Hold You Back

Deuteronomy 20
Moses is about to die and is addressing the Israelites before they cross the Jordan river and begin the assault on the people of Canaan to posses the land God had promised them.  He's talking about a whole bunch of important issues and how they are to be handled by people who follow the One True God.  He's talked of their Holy Days and how they are to worship.  And in the previous chapter he reminded them about the Cities of Refuge.  Now he deals with the subject of war.
The Nation of Israel was constantly at war.  Everything from full-out call all the troops, to little skirmishes that only took a division.  Somebody was always messing with them.  That somebody was Satan.  Satan owned the people in the neighboring cities and he is always looking to take out some of God's people.  There were periods of less peace and more peace or less war and more war, but it never completely came to an end.  Satan doesn't give up that easily.
So why do I fuss about the battles in my own life?  Satan never left the Israelites alone, why should he leave me alone?  I feel like I am constantly at war, even today, during a fast that is supposed to draw me closer to God I find that Satan is constantly trying to distract me.  He uses things that make me angry to get me angry.  He uses things that make me frustrated to frustrate me.  He uses this pretty severe hunger pain as a way to tell me, you're too weak, you can't do it and God doesn't care anyway.  I find myself wondering and asking, "God, where are You?  I'm struggling here where are you?"
Take a look at what the priests - God's spokesmen - are supposed to announce to the entire army of Israel as they line up and prepare for battle.

"Attention, Israel.
In a few minutes you are going to do battle with your enemies.
Don't waver in resolve.
Don't fear.
Don't hesitate.
Don't panic.
God, your God, is right there with you, fighting with you against your enemies.
Fighting to win."

When Satan comes after me he often tries to get me to weasel out of whatever I've told God I would do.  Like this fast, I really want to eat but I've resolved to finish out the day and break this three day fast at dinner tonight.  But a whole bunch of times I have almost had something to eat and thrown in the towel.
He also says the craziest stuff to us about what "might" happen.  He plays on our fears constantly especially the fear of the unknown.  What happens if I can't make my car payment or rent this month I'll get kicked out of my house and then what will I do?  Where will my next meal come from?  What if, what if, what if... all fears that Satan throws at us to try and get us to conclude that the risk is just to much greater than the reward.
And because he is so good at what he does we often hesitate and you know what happens then... yep.  It's all over.  So often I tell myself, get up now cause if you hesitate you won't do it.  When we hesitate it gives us the opportunity to quite and lets the enemy advance against us unchecked.
And finally he wants us to panic.  I've panicked before.  You freeze.  Unable to move.  You can't think straight and you become a very easy target.

The priest of God would cover it all - all the tricks of Satan, every angle that he uses to get us to withdraw and hide and freeze and fear and wait.  But God wants you to know something.

He's right there with you.  Fighting against the same enemy you are!  And He's not fighting a loosing battle, no he fights to win!  If God is for us, who can be against us?  No weapon that is fashioned against us shall stand!  Put on the full armor of God so that you can "take your stand" against the Devil's schemes.  I will not be afraid because YOU are with me, Your rod and staff they comfort me.

Jesus said, I will be with you always, even to the end of the age.  Let's stop standing on the battle lines and get in the fight, God is on our side, whom shall we fear?!