He Trains My Hands for War - Psalm 144:1-2

Do you ever feel like you're in the middle of a war? The Christian life isn't always a warm and fuzzy experience. Sometimes we find ourselves in a spiritual battle. It's easy to feel vulnerable and exposed at times like these. We must remember, however, we are not fighting these battles in our own strength. God offers security for his people.

God's Boot Camp

In Psalm 144:1-2, King David praised the Lord, recognizing that it was God who had enabled him to win the victory over his enemies. Moreover, the Lord had taught him how to fight and protected him in battle.

David used similar language in Psalm 18:

The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety ... He trains my hands for battle; he strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow. (Psalm 18:2, 34, (NLT)

What does God's boot camp entail? How does he train us for war? The term "trains" here refers to an exercise in learning. Consider this nugget of truth from the passage: you may not know why you're in a battle, but you can be sure God wants to teach you something. He's walking you through an exercise in learning. 

God's boot camp involves teaching us to depend on him. If we never faced a battle, we'd never learn to lean on God for strength and protection. From the moment we put our faith in God for salvation, we are to depend on him for everything:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. (Proverbs 3:5–6, ESV)

Spiritual battles teach us to pray:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6–7, NIV)

The Lord Is Your Rock

Don't let the battle shake you from your firm foundation in Jesus Christ. God wants to teach us that Jesus is our rock. The Hebrew word for "rock" used here is tsur. It highlights the stability and protection that God supplies whenever we are in the battle. God's got us solidly covered. He won't hesitate or weaken from one day to the next.

The word translated as "fortress" in the original language means "a fortified defensive structure." As our stronghold, God surrounds us like a heavily armed and fortified military camp. Nothing harmful can get through the high-walled fortress that God has built around us.

The Lord is loving, kind, and loyal; he will provide a fortress for us in the storms of life. He is our high tower, our deliverer, our shield, and our refuge.

God promises that he is the one who will subdue our enemies. The battle cannot be fought and won using flesh and blood weapons:

For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. (2 Corinthians 10:4, ESV)

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12, NLT)

In Ephesians 6:10-18, the Apostle Paul outlines a six-piece set of armor, our spiritual defense against the enemy of our souls. The armor of God may be invisible, but it's just as real as military equipment. When we use it properly and wear it daily, it provides solid protection against the enemy's onslaught.

Let God train your hands for war and you'll be supernaturally equipped with the only firepower needed against Satan's attacks. And remember, God is your protection and shield. Bless him and praise him! You don't have to fight the battle alone. ​