Day 3 - “Strengthen Us By Your Spirit”
For Christians: Rededicating Ourselves to Divine Strategies
Today we will be lighting the 4th candle.
Judah would have to make do with modified farm implements until up-to-date weapons could be captured. If early battles could be won, he reasoned, the enemies’ swords, armor, catapults, spears, javelins, bows, slings, shields, and battering rams would be a windfall. Until then, Judah realized, he would have to move carefully and slowly. And that’s what he did.
He had his steadily growing forces ambush and annihilate Seleucid patrols, amassing a new arsenal in the process. He also spent a great deal of time with his lieutenants, formulating unconventional tactics for which his dogmatic opponents would be unprepared. The Maccabees’ hit-and-run tactics increased their fighting strength and kept the Seleucids befuddled, off balance, and generally in retreat. Slowly but surely, the surrounding countryside slowly came under Jewish control. The Syrian garrison in Jerusalem found itself isolated and in danger of being overwhelmed or simply starved into submission. When word of the grave situation reached Antiochus’s trusted general, Apollonius, at his headquarters in neighboring Samaria, he moved to intervene.
What an important takeaway for us to ponder today. Coming up with a strategy to take back ground. When Alexander the Great conquered much of the then known world by the age of 33, including the land of Israel, he was known as a ruthless soldier but also a “wise” diplomat. He
understood that in order to create a united Kingdom he would have to instill a universal culture: people that spoke the same language, learned the same philosophies, experienced the same pleasures, and worshipped the same gods. This is where the term Hellenization came in. Does this sound a bit familiar today?
We are in a battle in which we must move carefully, thoughtfully, and strategically. The battle we are up against is spiritual in nature, therefore, we need to pray for wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and great discernment to navigate properly through in this unfamiliar territory.
The same spirit that was at work then is still at work today as we are all strongly influenced to move to a universal, global mindset. The ultimate showdown at the end of the age will involve another figure like Antiochus, only this time it will be the antichrist. He too will try to exercise his strength and power against the Living God, to create a universal culture, a new way of living, and thinking that will be in subjection to him. It will be time of tremendous testing and pressure for the God’s people as Satan and an his unholy alliance between the antichrist and the false prophet will deceive the world with power, signs, and lying wonders. Even Jesus himself said, “Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8) After times of such hardship will Jesus still find faithful ones when He returns for us one day?
Judah was patient. He worked thoughtfully, patiently, and reverently towards His God in order to be prepared for his enemy. Are you prepared for an attack from the enemy of our souls? We don’t wrestle with flesh and blood but with principalities, powers, rulers of darkness and spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places (Ephesian 6). Knowing this, what is our strategy? What does our prayer life look like? Have we repented of any unconfessed sins? Are we holding on to unforgiveness?
Take a moment to light your next candle, beginning of course with the Shammash and then light the 4 to the right of the Shammash. Today, take some time for silence. Reflect on where you are in your steadfastness to Christ. Take a true evaluation of your faith. Now, pray. Pray and ask God to give you a divine strategy. Rededicate your life to Him in the way of patient endurance. Ask Him to do a strengthening within you with all of the power that comes from His glorious might in order to be able to withstand in the evil day, and above all - to stand!
God Bless You.
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