July 3

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Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands. 1 Samuel 17:47

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🔊 Goliath, the giant Philistine, invaded the territory of Judah and challenged the armies of Israel.  No-one was able to stand against him.  At last David appeared and, dressed as a mere shepherd, he challenged and attacked Goliath without a sword in his hand.  He beheaded Goliath and led Israel in a tremendous victory.  This is a picture of the cross – it tells us what the cross looked like in spiritual terms.  All the hosts of darkness were arrayed against the human race, and no human being was strong enough to fight the devil.  But Jesus came and led the fight, absorbing all the power of evil in Himself and destroying the devil in His mighty grip, motivated by purest love.  Jesus did not use the weapons of the flesh; He used the power of love for lost sinners to destroy the devil.  The devil’s power was broken – he suffered total defeat at the cross.  Now he has no grounds to work in the human heart, and because of this, whoever believes in Jesus can experience immediate deliverance.  We as believers need no carnal weapons to overcome the powers of darkness – we need only to receive the love of God in Christ.  No word of warfare came from Christ’s lips as He hung on the cross, only words of love, except for His last cry.  At the end He cried, “It is finished”; this is what the last standing gladiator would cry in the Roman arena.  Christ has loved us to the end.  Put on the garments of love and follow in this battle.