I can not imagine what it must feel like to go to war, to physically enter a combat zone, flying full force into enemy fire. I do know what it feels like to go into a spiritual battle. At times the enemy of fear surrounds me. When it was confirmed that we would be moving 13 hours from everything comfortable and familiar, the enemy pressed in, looking for an opening in which to infiltrate my soul. Fear of: the unknown, “what if”, how it was all going to come together, and being away from family and friends who happened to be the greatest support a mom of four could ever have. Enemy artillery surrounded me from every side.
There have been countless times God has used my love for music to speak scripture into my heart. Every time I am walking through dire circumstances, God creates a “playlist” of songs that breathe scripture over me. During our preparations to move, Chris Tomlin’s song Whom Shall I Fear brought me to my knees every time it was on the radio or sung in worship.
I know who goes before me
I know who stands behind
The God of angel armies
Is always by my side
His lyrics come from Deuteronomy 31. Moses is speaking to Joshua and the Israelites about crossing the Jordan River and heading into the promised land, the home they had been anxiously waiting to enter for 40 years. God said to Moses, “The Lord your God himself will cross over ahead of you. He will destroy these nations before you, and will take possession of their land.”
I am sure the Israelites feared numerous foes. They considered the “hows” and the “what ifs”, but God was going before them. He was crossing the river first, to prepare the way for them to enter and not be defeated.
God went before our family as we prepared to enter the Bayou. He made a way for us to come here and not be defeated. I am sure He will reveal to me countless ways he prepared our path, but already I have seen evidence of his hand and his angel armies that had gone ahead.
Two weeks before we were to move, we had a change of housing. The original rental home to which we were assigned was not to be. We had circulated the address and had friends send us pictures of this home. The school system within the district was a concern, so we went through the arduous process to secure alternative schooling. We made many accommodations to live in this house. For whatever reason at the time, we were moved to a second rental house 10 miles away from the first.
Three days after moving in, our alternative schooling option fell through. We made the choice to place our kids in the public schools. Originally, this would not have been an option, but the second house happened to be in a better school district, one of the best in the area. Despite the new curriculum, school, rules, and location our children are excelling.
A few days later, after the flood, we drove through the neighborhood of the original rental and saw piles of debris from flooded homes. Had God’s army of angels not moved us to a different location, we would have been flood victims. The debris would be our belongings and would have added a whole new level of stress to our already crazy situation.
The God of Angel Armies went before us and prepared a way for our family not be defeated. He placed us precisely in the house and location we needed to be in, for our family to thrive.
Are you about to cross the Jordan River into an unknown place or circumstance? Does fear envelope your every thought? If we were sitting down together, having coffee, I would look you in the eyes and tell you, without a doubt, that the God of Angel Armies has already crossed over ahead of you. He is preparing the way and you will not be defeated.
Leah Lively 