OVERCOMING 

 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” Exodus 13:17 NIV.

 1Now these are the nations which the Lord left, that He might test Israel by them, that is,all who had not [a]known any of the wars in Canaan 2(this was only so that the generations of the children of Israel might be taught to know war, at least those who had not formerly known it),  3namely, five lords of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites Judges 3:1–3 NKV

Now the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and an evil ^a spirit from the Lord tormented him. 15Saul’s attendants said to him, “See, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you. 16Let our lord command his servants here to search for someone who can play the lyre. He will play when the evil spirit from God comes on you, and you will feel better.” So Saul said to his attendants, “Find someone who plays well and bring him to me.” 18One of the servants answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the lyre. He is a brave man and a warrior. He speaks well and is a fine-looking man. And the Lord is with him.” I Samuel 16:14-18 NIV

You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. Hebrews 5:12 NLT.

 This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah, doing what was good and right and faithful before the Lord his God. 21In everything that he undertook in the service of God’s temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered.II Chronicles 31:20–21, NIV.

After all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah. He laid siege to the fortified cities, thinking to conquer them for himself. 2When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and that he intended to wage war against Jerusalem, 3he consulted with his officials and military staff about blocking off the water from the springs outside the city, and they helped him. 4They gathered a large group of people who blocked all the springs and the stream that flowed through the land. “Why should the kings ^a of Assyria come and find plenty of water?” they said. 5Then he worked hard repairing all the broken sections of the wall and building towers on it. He built another wall outside that one and reinforced the terraces ^b of the City of David. He also made large numbers of weapons and shields.

6He appointed military officers over the people and assembled them before him in the square at the city gate and encouraged them with these words: 7“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. 8With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said. II Chronicles 32: 1–8, ESV

 That night the angel of the Lord went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning—there were all the dead bodies! 36So Sennacherib king of Assyria broke camp and withdrew. II Kings 19:35-36 NIV 

 I.  HE SEES AN ENEMY

 After all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah.

 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went out to meet them. I Chronicles 14:8 NIV

 Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and that he intended to wage war against Jerusalem, Vs 2

 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. I Peter 5:8 ESV

 II.  HE STOP THE STREAMS

 They gathered a large group of people who blocked all the springs and the stream that flowed through the land. Vs 4

 …they stopped all the springs and the brook that flowed through the land, Vs 4

 Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the Lordblessed him.  13The man began to prosper, and continued prospering until he became very prosperous;  14for he had possessions of flocks and possessions of herds and a great number of servants. So the Philistines envied him.  15Now the Philistines had stopped up all the wells which his father’s servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father, and they had filled them with earth. Genesis. 26:12–15 NKJ.

Do not give the devil a foothold. Ephesians 4:27. BSB.

 you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26)“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27and do not give the devil a foothold. 

 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. Isaiah 59:2.NIV 

 Deuteronomy 31:17,18 
Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall befall them; so that they will say in that day, Are not these evils come upon us, because our God is not among us?

 I do not want you to be participants with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons. I Corinthians 10:20-21 NIV

 the ruler of the world (Satan) is coming. And he has no claim on Me [no power over Me nor anything that he can use against Me]; John 14:30 AMP

 

 III. HE BUILD WALLS AND TOWERS

 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.

29Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

 30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:28-32 NIV

Like a city that is broken into and without walls Is a man who has no control (Self-control) over his spirit. Proverbs 25:28 NASB 

 3For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler.  Psalm 91:3 ESV

 13You will tread on the lion and the adder; the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot. 14“Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name. 15When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble;I will rescue him and honor him. 16With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.” Psalm 91:13– 16, ESV.

  

IV. HE MAKES WEAPONS AND SHIELDS

 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.13Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, Ephesians 6:10-18 ESV

 The sum of your word is truth, Psalm 119:160 ESV

 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. James 5:16 NIV

 God made him who had no sin to be sin ^b for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. I Corinthians 5:21 NIV

 Therefore, as one trespass^f led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness^g leads to justification and life for all men. 19For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. Romans 5:18-19 ESV

 

* God is my defense.

 I was pushed back and about to fall, but the Lord helped me. 14The Lord is my strength and my defense ^a ;

he has become my salvation 15Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous: “The Lord’s right hand has done mighty things! 16The Lord’s right hand is lifted high; the Lord’s right hand has done mighty things! 17I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the Lord has done. 18The Lord has chastened me severely, but he has not given me over to death. 19Open for me the gates of the righteous; I will enter and give thanks to the Lord. Psalm 118:13-18 NIV

 * My children will be blessed.

 Blessed are those who fear the Lord, who find great delight in his commands. 2Their children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. 3Wealth and riches are in their houses, and their righteousness endures forever. 4Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous. 5Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely, who conduct their affairs with justice. 6Surely the righteous will never be shaken; They will be remembered forever. 7They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord. Psalm 112:1-7 NIV

*He listens to my prayers.

 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to blot out their name from the earth. 17The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.19The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all; Psalm 34:15-19 NIV

 * He provides for me.

 I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.

26They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be a blessing. 27Turn from evil and do good;

then you will dwell in the land forever. 28For the Lord loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. Psalm 37:25-28 NIV

 * He shows me favor.

 Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield. Psalm 5:12 NIV

 

V. HE ENCOURAGES 

 And he set combat commanders over the people and gathered them together to him in the square at the gate of the city and spoke encouragingly to them, saying, 7“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or dismayed before the king of Assyria and all the horde that is with him, for there are more with us than with him. 8With him is an arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God, to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people took confidence from the words of Hezekiah king of Judah. Vs 6-8

 When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours, do not be afraid of them, because the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with you. 2When you are about to go into battle, the priest shall come forward and address the army. 3He shall say: “Hear, Israel: Today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not panic or be terrified by them. 4For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.” Deuteronomy 20:1-4 NIV

 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. Romans 15:4 NIV