No Harbor

“And it shall be, if it make thee answer of peace, and open unto thee, then it shall be, that all the people that is found therein shall be tributaries unto thee, and they shall serve thee.” (De 20:11 AV)

What God demanded of the enemies of Israel, He demands of the enemies of the saint.  The LORD is not interested in a truce.  He demands surrender.  When Israel conquered Canaan, the inhabitants had only two choices.  They could either surrender and become servants, or die in their efforts of resistance.  Before we get a bit too empathetic towards the inhabitants of the land, they were described as devil worshipers in the previous chapters.  Regardless of the fact of who was there first, the fact of the matter is, the land belongs to God.  Period.  He has the right to evict anyone whom He pleases.  But I digress.  God is not interested in maintaining the status quo.  He is not interested in an amiable agreement.  Those who are His enemies must be in subjection to those who are not.  There is no other way.

We have three enemies.  We have the world, the devil, and the flesh.  These three enemies war against our spirit as we seek to walk with God.  They are God’s enemies as well.  We are not to pacify them. We are not to be amiable with them.  When the word of God and their values or desires conflict, then it is the enemies of God that must be in subjection as far as our own heart goes.  There is no middle ground.  There is no agreement or referendum of understanding.  God’s law and God’s way must rule.  The devil is a no-brainer.  We can understand that and war accordingly.  He has nothing to bring to the table of which we might feel we need or desire.  The world and the flesh are different.  There are things of value which each brings to our existence.  The world provides the means of living.  The flesh lives.  These two are always in a state of mutual relationship.  But that does not mean we are required to placate their demands.

It amazes me how much the people of God have given up their true liberty.  The freedom to determine for self that self will walk with God and need not be in subjection to any and all that which would hinder that goal.  We readily take the position of subjection when it comes to the world and the flesh.  “Live free or die” was the cry of our nation’s birth.  This should be the same for the believer.  Better off to bring the enemy into subjection.  If not, we become the slave.