I Have Not Yet Begun to Fight!

Scripture:

Mic 7:7 ¶ Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me. 8 Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me.

 

2Cor. 4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

John Paul Jones

Considered by many as the “Father of the American Navy” Captain John Paul Jones fought his most notable battle on the night of September 23, 1779. he engaged H.M.S. ‘Serapis’ and the ‘Countess of Scarborough’ off the coast of England.

The ‘Serapis’ had superior fire power and Jones had to maneuver skillfully to bring his ship alongside and lash her to the ‘Serapis’. During the dreadful 3 1/2 hour fight on a millpond sea, the ‘Alliance’, part of Jones’ squadron, fired at the ‘Bonhomme Richard,’ holing her so badly that she later sank. Over half of the crews of the two ships, including Jones himself, were either killed or wounded and many men were horribly burned. After the Bonhomme Richard began taking on water and fires broke out on board, the British commander asked Jones if he had struck his flag. Jones replied, “I have not yet begun to fight!” In the end, it was the British commander who surrendered. Jones had to transfer his crew to the ‘Serapis’ and together with her sister ship the ‘Pallas’ which had captured the ‘Scarborough’ he sailed to the Texel in Holland with over 500 prisoners.

Standing just 5 foot 5 inches tall, Jones is remembered for his indomitable will, his unwillingness to consider surrender when the slightest hope of victory still burned. Throughout his naval career Jones promoted professional standards and training. Sailors of the United States Navy can do no better than to emulate the spirit behind John Paul Jones’s stirring declaration: “I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast, for I intend to go in harm’s way.”

The Bean Field

2Sa 23:8-12 ¶ These be the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite: he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time.

 9 And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away:

 10 He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil.

 11 And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines.

 12 But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory.

After all of the Israelites had fled into the hillside, Shammah, literally stood his ground.

I can envision a man that would have at that very point raised high his sword and said the words, “I have not yet begun to fight…BRING IT!”

Defiance of the Enemy

Some of us, when the first defiance or opposition arises, we feel we are out of the Will of God. But we are in a Battle!

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Eph. 6:12)

Opposition is going to happen, Offenses are going to happen, but as Jesus said, Woe unto them from whom offenses come! (Matt. 18:7)

In other words…Look out, we have not yet begun to fight!

Determination Not Enough

What I’m saying today goes beyond mere determination and self-will, I’m talking about involving the Divine Power of God in your situation. As powerful a victory as Shammah would have had, the scripture stated, “And the Lord wrought a great victory!”

If you feel like you’re on the losing side, maybe you are! We need to make sure we have God’s blessing and sanctioning in our battles.

Simply go to God and say, God, I need your intervention in my situation. I can’t face this battle alone.

When God’s divine hand shows up, you will without a doubt feel the emboldened power of the Holy Ghost come upon you and you will be able to say with confidence…I have not yet begun to fight.

Our Best Battles are NOT Behind Us

We need to lose the mindset that we have done all we can do.

In your heart of hearts can you honestly say you’ve done all you can do?

Can you say, like Paul, I have fought a good fight, I have kept the faith, I have finished my course?

If you’re still breathing, if you’re still struggling…then YOU HAVE NOT YET BEGUN TO FIGHT!

Generations to Come

Your best days and best battles are not behind you. You have an enemy that is not content to destroy just you but he wants to destroy generations of Apostolics to come!

We need moms and dads, grandpas and grandmas to once again pick up their spears, their bows and arrows, pick up their sword and shield and let the battle cry go forth…I HAVE NOT YET BEGUN TO FIGHT!

Future generations are relying on us to stay on the field until the very last enemy falls.

See tomorrow’s posting for the rest of this message…