High Ground

High Ground

The Battle of Gettysburg, the key battle of the Civil War, was fought over a three day period in July of 1863. A total of 160,000 soldiers from the North and South fought in the battle, 10,000 died, 30,000 were wounded and another 10,000 were taken as prisoners

But the statistics weren’t what amazed me as the guide led us around the battlefield this afternoon. It was what they fought for, what mattered the most, what the key to winning the battle was that interested me the most. The turning point of the Civil War, the largest battle ever fought in the Western Hemisphere, hinged on who commanded the high ground. The names today were McPherson’s Ridge, Cemetery Ridge, Seminary Ridge and Little Round Top. Those were the names of the high ground which men fought and died for.

Have you ever heard the phrase “take the high road”? It’s used when someone says something about you that is unfair or treats you in a way that isn’t deserved or right. Taking the high road is not retaliating, not answering in a way that is beneath the values you have established in your life. Taking the high road is not stooping to the level of the person who attacked you.

In battle, the high ground offered a clear vantage point to watch the enemy’s movements. It also provided the upper hand in defending territory and made use of your weapons much more effective. As we toured today, the Lord spoke to me about the importance of taking the high ground in our walk with the Lord. I had just finished reading Genesis 48:22 where Jacob willed to Joseph the ridges of land, the high ground, he had captured from the Amorites. God’s people have to conquer the high ground.

The Lord wants us to take the high ground of right living, of right choices and of moral purity in our walk with the Lord. From there, we will have a clear advantage in the battles we face and from there we will find ourselves victorious over the enemy’s attacks. The North won the Battle of Gettysburg in large part because they won the battle for Little Round Top, the hill that overlooked the battlefield. There are battles for you to win but first you have to conquer the high ground in living for the Lord.



God Bless,
Pastor Joe
King’s Gate Church