HE TRAINS OUR HANDS FOR WAR, OUR FINGERS FOR BATTLE – NAT TAYLOR
Scriptures:
Psalm 144:1 NIV
Psalm 18:34 ESV
Psalm 18:33 AMP
Esther 4:2-3 MSG
Esther 4:4-5 MSG
Gen 49:22-24 AMP
Isaiah 41:10 AMP
Zech 9:13 ESV
Psalm 66:10-12 MSG
Psalm 144:1 NIV
“Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle.”
Psalm 18:34 ESV
“He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.”
Psalm 18:33 AMP
“He makes my feet like hinds’ feet [able to stand firmly and tread safely on paths of testing and trouble];
He sets me [securely] upon my high places.”
We ascend and occupy the high places because we are trained and conditioned. We advance in life because we are trained and conditioned to ascend and occupy the high places.
He allows us to be tempered by hardship to condition our resolve. The Lord needs the bride of Christ to be resolute and steadfast like a stake in the ground, not like a reed blowing in the wind according to every ideology and pressure that comes. He is bringing internal fortitude and clarity.
We have been led from the war room to the throne room and back again for conditioning.
War room preparation is strategy and focus. It’s collaborative. It’s cultivating humility. It’s sharing insights. It’s coming into agreement. It’s about going out to address and disarm the enemy’s schemes according to what the Lord reveals in that war room round table. And there is pressure and there’s weight and it’s forming. And it’s forging and it’s fashioning like the iron rod in the fire being beaten by the blacksmith. God is conditioning our resolve so we won’t bend when we’re not meant to bend. So we won’t bow when we’re not meant to bow.
The conditioning of the war room grafts the grit for the grace for the throne room.
The throne room is holy ground. It’s entirely Jesus focused. He is the great I am. And we are eclipsed. This is the nature of the throne room: reverence before the Lord. We are only permitted to enter and exist because he qualifies us, because he’s marked us.
What’s permitted in the war room is not permitted in the throne room (Esther 4:2 -3).
Gen 49:22-24 AMP – Joseph is a fruitful bough
The father conditions us to prepare us for the future, so we hold ground. When opposition comes, the enemy is trying to get us to let go of the future. Rhe beauty of the high winds is that the old falls away. All that can’t remain blows away. The future, however, holds fast because wind can’t reach seeds. Buried, awaiting the day to erupt through the soil. When we walk through a fire, we’ll walk out freer.
“Blessed be the Lord, my God. Who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle.”
All we need is the Word of God and the Spirit of God.
“For I have bent Judah as my bow; I have made Ephraim its arrow. I will stir up your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece, and wield you like a warrior ‘s sword” Zech 9:13 ESV
Key Takeaways:
- God allows us to be tempered by hardship to condition our resolve and prepare us for spiritual battles.
- We are called to move between the “war room” (strategy and focus) and the “throne room” (worship and reverence) as we grow spiritually.
- Humility and surrender are foundational to our walk with Christ, even as we are clothed in His glory and authority.
- God is calling us to be people of clarity, conviction, and character.
- We can hold onto the God’s promises, even in difficult times.
Discussion Questions
1. The message mentions being “tempered by hardship.” Can you share an experience where a difficult situation ultimately strengthened your faith?
2. In what ways can we balance the ‘war room’ mentality of strategy and focus with the ‘throne room’ attitude of reverence and worship in our spiritual practices?
3. What does it mean to ‘travel light’ spiritually, and how can we prioritize the Word of God and the Spirit of God in our daily lives?
4. How can we remain steadfast in our faith and purpose, even when facing strong opposition or challenges, as exemplified by Queen Esther and David Beckham?
5. What does it mean to be ‘tempering us in his hand’ as described in Zechariah 9:13, and how can we submit to this process in our spiritual growth?
Prayer: Heavenly Father, we thank You for being our Rock and our Fortress. We praise You for training our hands for war and our fingers for battle, equipping us with the strength and resolve we need to stand firm in the face of adversity. As we walk through the trials and challenges that condition us, we ask for Your grace to navigate both the war room and the throne room with humility, clarity, and unwavering faith. Help us to hold fast to Your promises, knowing that You are shaping us for a purpose far greater than we can imagine. May we be people of conviction, character, and courage, fully surrendered to Your will and anchored in Your Word. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
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