God’s Mighty Warriors

2 Samuel 23:20–23 KJV 1900

20 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow: 21 And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and slew him with his own spear. 22 These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men. 23 He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And David set him over his guard.

2 Samuel 23:20-23

Michelangelo came one day into the studio of Raphael and looked at one of Raphael's early drawings. Then he took a piece of chalk and wrote across the drawing "Amplius," which means "greater," "larger." Raphael's plan was too cramped and narrow. God looks down on our plan of life today, and knowing what is in man, writes over that plan "Amplius"— Greater! Larger!

http://www.moreillustrations.com/Illustrations/life%201.html

God had bigger plans for us than we do.

Did Benaiah wake up one day and say “I will be a mighty warrior today”. No, he did not. It took time. Time to learn and train.

Have you ever heard of the Marvel Comics Avengers. I am sure you have or at least seen a commercial for one of their many movies. My teenage boys are slightly interested in the avengers. They involve numerous characters. None of them are real. They are all stories about fictitious characters who do some amazing things. They are self-sacrificing and concerned about the greater good. These stories can be exciting. But they are still not real.

If you want to read about a true Avenger then turn no farther than the Bible. Here in are the first Avenger’s. They are referred to as “David’s Mighty Men”. They did such deeds as to rival those of Marvel Comics Avengers. And they were all true. Adina, Eleazer, and Shammah were the top three. Adina killed 800 in one encounter. Eleazer stood up for battle against the Philistines. The rest of the army fled and he stood alone. He stood firm. His hand clung to the sword and it could not be removed. Shammah was in the middle of a field of lentils. The Philistines came attacking and the rest of the people fled. But Shammah defended the field and the Lord brought a great victory.

Benaiah was more honorable than the 30. He was a descendent of the of the line of Aaron, the first high priest. His father was a priest who organized 3,700 men to support David as he was on his way to be crowned king. He killed 2 very warrior-like men also termed as ferocious men of Moab. He killed a lion in a pit. He also killed an Egyptian.

This was not just any Egyptian, according , this Egyptian was 7 feet tall and held a spear like a weavers beam. It would have been 14 feet long, 2 ½ inches in diameter, and weighed 16 pounds. To put this in comparison, Benaiah would have gone up against him with 6 foot, 1 ½ inches in diameter, 4 pound spear. He somehow took the beam out of his hand and killed him with it.

And he was most honorable and King David made him in charge of his guard. We can learn a lot from this mighty men. We can see how important it is to be honorable.

Romans 12:10 ESV

10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

Romans 10:12 ESV

12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.

We now live in the dispensation of grace. We do not take a spear or sword to our co-worker or family member even though we may want to.

Romans 12:12 KJV 1900

12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

2 Corinthians 10:4 ESV

4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.

2 corinthians 10:

Our weapons are the Word of God which is sharper and any 2-edged sword rightly dividing the word of truth. We need to make sure we put on our armour on. We make sure we have the helmet of salvation, the sword of the spirit, the shield of faith, and the shoes with the gospel of peace, but we need to make sure we put on the belt of truth. The truth of who we are in Christ.

• I am a child of God.

But to all who have received him--those who believe in his name--he has given the right to become God's children … ().

I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener. I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me--and I in him--bears much fruit, because apart from me you can accomplish nothing (, ).

• I am a friend of Jesus.

I no longer call you slaves, because the slave does not understand what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because I have revealed to you everything I heard from my Father ().

• I have been justified and redeemed.

But they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus ().

• My old self was crucified with Christ, and I am no longer a slave to sin.

We know that our old man was crucified with him so that the body of sin would no longer dominate us, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin ().

• I will not be condemned by God.

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus ().

• I have been set free from the law of sin and death.

For the law of the life-giving Spirit in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death ().

• As a child of God, I am a fellow heir with Christ.

And if children, then heirs (namely, heirs of God and also fellow heirs with Christ)--if indeed we suffer with him so we may also be glorified with him ().

Receive one another, then, just as Christ also received you, to God's glory ().

• I have been called to be a saint.

… To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, and called to be saints, with all those in every place who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours (). (See also , , and .)

• In Christ Jesus, I have wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.

He is the reason you have a relationship with Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption … ().

• My body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who dwells in me.

Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you ()?

But the one united with the Lord is one spirit with him ().

• God leads me in the triumph and knowledge of Christ.

But thanks be to God who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and who makes known through us the fragrance that consists of the knowledge of him in every place ().

• The hardening of my mind has been removed in Christ.

But their minds were closed. For to this very day, the same veil remains when they hear the old covenant read./netbible2/index.php?header=&book=2co&chapter=3 It has not been removed because only in Christ is it taken away ().

• I am a new creature in Christ.

So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away--look, what is new has come ()!

• I have become the righteousness of God in Christ.

God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we would become the righteousness of God ().

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female--for all of you are one in Christ Jesus ().

So you are no longer a slave but a son, and if you are a son, then you are also an heir through God ().

• I have been set free in Christ.

For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be subject again to the yoke of slavery ().

• I have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.

Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ ().

• I am chosen, holy, and blameless before God.

For he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world that we may be holy and unblemished in his sight in love ().

• I am redeemed and forgiven by the grace of Christ.

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace ().

• I have been predestined by God to obtain an inheritance.

In Christ we too have been claimed as God's own possession, since we were predestined according to the one purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to the counsel of his will ().

• I have been sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.

And when you heard the word of truth (the gospel of your salvation)--when you believed in Christ--you were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit ().

• Because of God’s mercy and love, I have been made alive with Christ.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, even though we were dead in transgressions, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you are saved ()!

… And he raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus … ().

• I am God’s workmanship created to produce good works.

For we are his workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we may do them ().

We all have the opportunity to be the real avengers in the army of God. Not avengers as we are going to avenge ourselves. But to avenge what the enemy is trying to do. All the lies he has told. All the families he has destroyed. We are going to avenge those who are kidnapped royalty and do not even know it yet. We do not do this via physical weapons but through the gospel of Jesus Christ. The life changing and resurrecting power that gives hope. It gives a future. It gives reconciliation. We need to understand how God sees us. That we are worth Him sending His son to die a cruel death. We also need to see that this is how He feels about the world also.

But now in Christ Jesus you who used to be far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ ().

2 Peter 3:9 ESV

9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

romans 10

• I am a member of Christ’s body and a partaker of His promise.

Romans 10:10 ESV

10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

… The Gentiles are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus (). (See also .)

• I have boldness and confident access to God through faith in Christ.

… In whom we have boldness and confident access to God because of Christ's faithfulness ().

• My new self is righteous and holy.

… Put on the new man who has been created in God's image--in righteousness and holiness that comes from truth ().

• I was formerly darkness, but now I am light in the Lord.

… For you were at one time darkness, but now you are/netbible2/index.php?header=&book=eph&chapter=5 light in the Lord. Walk as children of the light ().

• I am a citizen of heaven.

But our citizenship is in heaven--and we also await a savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ … ().

• The peace of God guards my heart and mind.

And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus ().

• God supplies all my needs.

And my God will supply your every need according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus ().

• I have been made complete in Christ.

… You have been filled in him, who is the head over every ruler and authority ().

• I have been raised up with Christ.

Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God ().

• My life is hidden with Christ in God.

… For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God ().

• Christ is my life, and I will be revealed with Him in glory.

When Christ (who is your life) appears, then you too will be revealed in glory with him ().

• I have been chosen of God, and I am holy and beloved.

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with a heart of mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience … ().

• God loves me and has chosen me.