- Mar 5, 2024
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Like War Horses They Will Run, Part 3
Returning once more to the passage for this series of devotionals:
As the dawn is spread over the mountains, so there is a great and mighty army coming. There has never been anything like it, nor will there be again after it unto the years of many generations. A fire consumes before them, and behind them a flame burns. The land is like the garden of Eden before them, but a desolate wilderness behind them, and nothing at all escapes them. Their appearance is like the appearance of horses, and like war horses so they run. (Joel 2:1-4, NASB)
As stated, the primary point in comparing the end-time army of God was that they would be quite literally unstoppable, and as such would strike great fear in the enemy. Soldiers on foot would not be able to withstand them nor outrun them, hence the comment "and nothing at all escapes them."
But war horses had to endure the afflictions of war, such as sword wounds, spear wounds, arrows and other weapons of war. They were trained to keep coming, however, and not allow their will to in any way be changed on the battlefield. They had one job, and that was to obey the orders of their rider.
The will of end-time soldiers in the army of God will likewise need to be trained to be absolute, so that NOTHING will be any means deter them from carrying out the will of God. Examples of this can be seen in the leadership of the apostle Paul, who no matter how any times they scourged him, kept going right back to preaching the gospel of Christ in keeping with the orders he was receiving from God. As he told the Thessalonians:
2 For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming unto you was not in vain. 2 But even after we had suffered beforehand and were spitefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we were [nevertheless] bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God amidst much contention.
Jesus displayed the same determination of will in not being deterred from going to the cross, telling the Father, "If it be your will, let this cup pass. Nevertheless, not My will but Your will be done" He knew the sufferings He was about to endure, and the mockery and ridicule he would encounter from the kingdom of darkness, as men spit on Him, slapped Him in the face, and asked Him, "Prophesy, who hit you?" And it was because He knew how incredibly horrible the demonic attacks that were coming would be that scripture says:
43 An angel appeared to Him from Heaven, strengthening Him. 44 And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. (Luke 22:43-44)
As our example, Christ's will was trained to be obedient to the Father, even to the point of enduring crucifixion. But New Testament believers were to follow in His footsteps and do likewise, as taught in Hebrews:
1 Therefore... let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is [now] sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself lest you become weary and faint in your souls. (Hebrews 12:1-3)
Job had similar experiences, and therefore served as our example. Satan specifically targeted him to destroy everything he had, yet Job's mindset was, "Though He slay me, yet will I hope in him." (Job 13:15). He had all his wealth destroyed, his children killed, his friends all accuse him of sin, and his wife tell him to curse God and die, but the man disciplined his will, so that Satan could not gain any victories over him.
So, too, will solders in the end-time army be required to become equally disciplined. Like warhorses, they will be trained to discipline their wills, so that no matter the cost they will obey the orders of their master.
Returning once more to the passage for this series of devotionals:
As the dawn is spread over the mountains, so there is a great and mighty army coming. There has never been anything like it, nor will there be again after it unto the years of many generations. A fire consumes before them, and behind them a flame burns. The land is like the garden of Eden before them, but a desolate wilderness behind them, and nothing at all escapes them. Their appearance is like the appearance of horses, and like war horses so they run. (Joel 2:1-4, NASB)
As stated, the primary point in comparing the end-time army of God was that they would be quite literally unstoppable, and as such would strike great fear in the enemy. Soldiers on foot would not be able to withstand them nor outrun them, hence the comment "and nothing at all escapes them."
But war horses had to endure the afflictions of war, such as sword wounds, spear wounds, arrows and other weapons of war. They were trained to keep coming, however, and not allow their will to in any way be changed on the battlefield. They had one job, and that was to obey the orders of their rider.
The will of end-time soldiers in the army of God will likewise need to be trained to be absolute, so that NOTHING will be any means deter them from carrying out the will of God. Examples of this can be seen in the leadership of the apostle Paul, who no matter how any times they scourged him, kept going right back to preaching the gospel of Christ in keeping with the orders he was receiving from God. As he told the Thessalonians:
2 For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming unto you was not in vain. 2 But even after we had suffered beforehand and were spitefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we were [nevertheless] bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God amidst much contention.
Jesus displayed the same determination of will in not being deterred from going to the cross, telling the Father, "If it be your will, let this cup pass. Nevertheless, not My will but Your will be done" He knew the sufferings He was about to endure, and the mockery and ridicule he would encounter from the kingdom of darkness, as men spit on Him, slapped Him in the face, and asked Him, "Prophesy, who hit you?" And it was because He knew how incredibly horrible the demonic attacks that were coming would be that scripture says:
43 An angel appeared to Him from Heaven, strengthening Him. 44 And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. (Luke 22:43-44)
As our example, Christ's will was trained to be obedient to the Father, even to the point of enduring crucifixion. But New Testament believers were to follow in His footsteps and do likewise, as taught in Hebrews:
1 Therefore... let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is [now] sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself lest you become weary and faint in your souls. (Hebrews 12:1-3)
Job had similar experiences, and therefore served as our example. Satan specifically targeted him to destroy everything he had, yet Job's mindset was, "Though He slay me, yet will I hope in him." (Job 13:15). He had all his wealth destroyed, his children killed, his friends all accuse him of sin, and his wife tell him to curse God and die, but the man disciplined his will, so that Satan could not gain any victories over him.
So, too, will solders in the end-time army be required to become equally disciplined. Like warhorses, they will be trained to discipline their wills, so that no matter the cost they will obey the orders of their master.
