The Muster

“The Lord Almighty is mustering an army for war.”  

Isaiah 13:4

Stories of individual accomplishments, fictional or true, whether in battle or against seemingly overwhelming odds, have a way of thrilling and inspiring us like nothing else. Who doesn’t enjoy John Rambo wreaking havoc on the Vietnamese captors of American P.O.W.s or John McClain, of Die Hard fame, single-handedly taking on an international gang on Christmas Eve? And the Bible provides us with so many stories that show us what God can do through one man or woman willing to trust the Lord and step out in faith.  From the lesser known stories like that of Shammah, who took his stand alone in the middle of a field of lentils and won an incredible victory, to that of David who as a teenage boy was unafraid to stand toe to toe with the giant Goliath, we find courage in the heroics of others.

But the reality is that, no matter how strong their faith, how deep their commitment or how courageous they might be, the job can’t always get done by one person standing and fighting alone.  Sometimes it takes an army. In fact, more often than not, when we talk warfare, we’re talking gathering an army to engage an enemy force in battle. It’s been a week since the phrase from Isaiah, taken out of context, jumped off the pages of my Bible, “The Lord Almighty is mustering an army for war!” To be honest, I couldn’t read any further; God was shouting something and He wanted my attention. God was going to gather an army of believers, an army of what David Ireland called “Kneeling Warriors”, and use that army to fight battles too big for any one man or woman. And with me, as with you, He is calling us to be a part of that muster.

Joshua mustered his army for battle because there was a stronghold standing in the way of God’s people. David mustered his troops for battle when an enemy threatened the inheritance God had given His people. And God, in our day, in our generation, is mustering an army. There are strongholds in so many lives that need to be brought down, strongholds that keep good, sincere, God fearing men and women from all that God has purposed for their lives. In our churches, in our cities and around the world, we have husbands and wives, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters under prolonged attack from the enemy. Will we answer God’s muster? Will we say like Aragorn, as he faced the gates of Mordor, “This day we fight!” and be a part of loved ones near and far experiencing the long fought victories they have so desired? I hope so!

God Bless
Pastor Joe
Gateway Church