Deuteronomy 20:8 (NIV) Then the officers shall add, “Is anyone afraid or fainthearted? Let him go home so that his fellow soldiers will not become disheartened too.”

Just before the Israelites were finally going to cross the Jordan River to begin to possess the Promised Land, they were given many instructions of what to do and what not to do once they entered the land. When it came time to give them instructions about going to war, there was a list of circumstances that would release some of the fighting men from having to go to battle. If someone had just built a home, they were allowed to go home instead of to war so that they wouldn't possibly die in battle without ever having lived in it. If someone had just planted a vineyard, they were allowed to go home so that they wouldn't possibly die in battle without having enjoyed it. If someone was engaged to be married, they were allowed to go home and marry their fiancée so that someone else wouldn't marry her if they died in battle (Deuteronomy 20:5-7). Those are all very considerate reasons to give men that were in those situations the opportunity to enjoy what they had or had planned before having to go to war.

While it seems considerate to take these circumstances into account, I believe that the main reason was that it wouldn't help Israel's cause if there were men fighting a war while having a divided focus. Everyone had to be laser-focused and battle-ready for the challenges ahead. But then there is the verse above that released the men for a different reason, and that was for being afraid and fainthearted. It would be better to go into battle with less men than with more men, if those more men were afraid to fight. Men like that have the potential to make matters worse on the battlefield because of the possibility of them making poor decisions and choices because of their fear. What would be worse would be that their fear and their lack of courage could spread like a cancer among the other troops. The army would be much better off sending these men home and fighting with less men.

Today, we are also in a battle. We are in the fight of our lives to continue to follow Jesus, to advance the Kingdom of God and to win as many souls for Christ as possible before He returns. The opposition is powerful and determined and much stronger than flesh and blood. We are fighting the rulers and the powers of this dark world and the spiritual forces in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:12). There would be much cause to be afraid if it wasn't for the fact that we are not fighting alone or in our own strength. But this is the wrong time to be fainthearted because the one whom the evil forces tremble and bow down to not only is with us but lives in us, and He is much greater than any evil power that we may face. The victory has already been secured, but we musn't be afraid or fainthearted. That attitude attracts the dark forces of this world and gives away the high ground that we have as the children of God. That attitude could infect others around you and dishearten them as well. The Word of God tells us that the Lord has not given us a spirit of fear but of power! Allow the power of Almighty God to flow through you as you seek and serve the Lord with all of your heart so that you won't have to be sent home from the battle because you didn't trust that the Lord would keep you and ensure the victory. Let's be all-in and ready and marching boldly ahead to whatever territory the Lord wants us to conquer, knowing that there is no way that we can lose.

Pastor Joey Vazquez