Trained for War: Why God Allows Battles in the Life of a Believer

Everywhere you turn there’s talk about war, tension between nations, rumors of conflict, and uncertainty about what may happen next and when it will happen. So, it’s interesting that I would be writing this blog.

But if you are a believer, this should not surprise you. Scripture already told us in the last days there would be rumors of wars and conflicts around the world. Jesus said this in Matthew 24:6 (KJV) “And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.” So when we see these things happening, it should not bring fear. It should bring awareness of our Lord’s return. And while I am excited for the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, my heart still aches. Time is running out and so many of us are not ready. If you know your life is not right with God, do not ignore that conviction. Send us an email and I would love to walk you through the repentance prayer and help you begin your journey with Christ.

With that said, let me get to what has been on my heart this week. My friend Grace, who is more like an older sister to me, and I have been partnering in prayer for a few years now. This year we challenged ourselves to meditate on the Word daily. We have already gone through and completed a few books of the Bible together and we recently completed the book of Judges.

While going through Judges, there was one passage which grabbed my attention. It was Judges 3:1 to 2 (NIV) that says “These are the nations the Lord left to test all those Israelites who had not experienced any of the wars in Canaan (he did this only to teach warfare to the descendants of the Israelites who had not had previous battle experience).” In these verses we see  the Lord allowed certain nations to remain in the land so the generations of Israel who had not experienced battle would learn warfare.

When I read that, the scripture brought awareness and revelation regarding spiritual warfare.

But before we even get to the spiritual warfare aspect, we have to understand what was happening leading up to Judges chapter 3. God left the Canaanite nations in the land because Israel had not been faithful in driving them out. Their disobedience played a role, but it was also something God used for His purpose. In other words, what looked like unfinished business became a training ground. God certainly had the power to remove those hostile pagan nations Himself without Israel lifting a finger. But He allowed their presence for a reason. A new generation had risen that had not experienced war. If they were going to survive and carry out the commands of the Lord, they had to learn how to fight.

And when you look at the bigger picture geographically, it makes even more sense. Israel was surrounded by powerful nations Lebanon to the north, Syria to the east, Egypt their former enslaver to the south, and the Philistine territories nearby. Whether they liked it or not, conflict was part of their reality. If they were going to keep the land God gave them, they had to learn how to defend it.

In other words, they had to learn how to war.

Now when we apply this to our own lives, the same principle shows up in spiritual warfare. God is more than capable of fixing every situation in our lives instantly. He can defend every blessing He gives us. But if we are made in His image and likeness, and if our Father is a warrior, then there are seasons where we must learn how to fight in partnership with Him.

Trials and opposition are not always punishment. Sometimes they are training.

Think about soldiers for a moment. No one becomes a seasoned veteran without first going through battle. Training prepares them, but experience sharpens them. The same thing happens spiritually. The first time you face certain attacks it may feel overwhelming. But as you learn to pray, stand on the Word, fast, and trust God in the middle of it, change and victory is inevitable. Your spiritual muscles grow stronger. And this is exactly how believers learn spiritual warfare. God has not left us without tools, and neither has He left us defenseless. Scripture tells us that He gave us the armor of God “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” (Ephesians 6:11, NIV) because He knew the adversary would come. Prayer is how we communicate with Him and invite His power into our situations. The Word of God becomes our weapon, what Scripture calls “the sword of the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:17). Fasting strengthens our spirit and weakens the grip of the flesh. Faith anchors us when circumstances try to shake us. These are not religious routines. These are spiritual weapons that train us to stand when battles come.

Scripture confirms this idea throughout the Bible. Psalm 144:1 says, “Blessed be the Lord my strength, which teaches my hands to war and my fingers to fight.” Even David understood that God Himself trains His people for battle.

So when trials show up, when opposition rises, and when the enemy tries to intimidate us, our response should not be panic. It should be readiness. Because what we are facing may very well be part of God teaching us how to fight. And that right there is something we as believers need to understand.

We serve Jehovah Nissi, the Lord our Banner, the God who fights for His people. When Moses built the altar in Exodus 17:15 and called it Jehovah Nissi, it was a declaration that the Lord Himself was Israel’s banner in battle. Their victory did not come from their own strength. It came from the God who went before them.

But Scripture does not stop there.

He is also Jehovah Sabaoth, the Lord of hosts, the God of angel armies. This name reveals God as the commander of the armies of heaven. When we read the Bible and see angelic hosts moving at His command, we are reminded that the battles we face are never fought alone.

Because sometimes we really do forget.

We forget that the God we serve is not weak. He is not passive. He is not intimidated by darkness, demons, or opposition. The Bible consistently reveals Him as a warrior who fights for His people. Exodus 15:3 says, “The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is his name.” (KJV)

So if our Father is a God who fights, and we are made in His image and likeness (Genesis 1:26), then it should not surprise us that His children are called to learn how to fight too.

Not with fists.

Not with anger.

But in the Spirit.

That means prayer.That means fasting.That means standing on the Word of God when everything around us is shaking.

And this is exactly why the concept of spiritual warfare is not optional for believers. It is part of the training ground of faith.

Writing this right now makes me feel so encouraged, so powerful, it’s like I almost  forgot the kind of God that I serve.

Hold on…

Okay I’m back.

As believers we have a warfare makeupWhen I say we have a warfare makeup, I mean  as believers we are spiritually wired to stand, resist, and fight the battles that come against our faith.

The moment we become followers of Christ, we enter a spiritual reality that Scripture talks about very clearly. The Bible tells us in Ephesians 6:12 (NIV): “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

In other words, the life of a believer is not passive. It is not simply about going to church, reading Scripture, and hoping everything goes smoothly. There is an active resistance that takes place between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness.

Having a warfare makeup means we are built to engage that reality with God.

It means when opposition rises, we do not crumble.When the enemy lies, we answer with truth.When attacks come against our faith, our family, or our peace, we do not surrender. We fight back using the tools God has given us which I mentioned earlier in addition to obedience.

We ARE NOT  defenseless. God has equipped us for the battles we face. So having that warfare makeup does not mean we enjoy conflict or walk around looking for battles. It means when the fight comes, we understand that God has trained us, equipped us, and called us to stand firm.

Just like Israel had to learn how to fight in order to possess the land God promised them, believers today must learn how to stand spiritually in order to walk in everything God has prepared for them. Here is something David Guzik points out in his commentary on this passage, he writes “No one enjoys the struggle against sin, but the battle is actually good for us. The symbol of Christianity is a cross, not a feather bed.”

Think about that, and let me make this personal for a moment.

I have fought many battles since entering covenant with Christ. Battles of infirmity, rejection, depression and so on.... I hated every single one of them while I was in them. But the season I am in now has given me a gratitude for those battles because I can finally see what they were.

They were training.

Because the truth is, I AM AT WAR.

Now don’t get me wrong, I am winning. But winning requires something from me. It means I have to remain at the feet of Jesus with my full armor on, praying without ceasing. And sometimes those prayers get violent. Not physically violent, but spiritually violent.

Because God’s Word says, “The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.” (Matthew 11:12, KJV).

So yes, I get spiritually violent with those fami“LIAR” spirits that still try to show up from time to time. You know the ones that whisper fear, insecurity, doubt, and discouragement. The ones that try to attack your home, your marriage, your children, and your mind.

But they picked the wrong one.

Because I know how to fight now.

Oh my God… I am literally in tears writing this. But praise God from whom all blessings flow. He is Jesus, the author of my story, and He promised me an expected end. “For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off” (Proverbs 23:18)  And because of that promise, I will never leave His feet.

And maybe that is the real lesson in all of this.

Some of the battles we face are not just attacks from the enemy. Sometimes God is training us. Training our faith. Training our endurance. Training our spiritual reflexes so  when opposition comes, we do not collapse under the pressure.

Because the reality is this: a generation that has never fought will not know how to stand.

Judges 3:2 tells us God allowed certain nations to remain so that the generations who had not known war could learn it. In the same way, some of the challenges we face are shaping us into believers who know how to pray, how to stand on the Word, how to resist the enemy, and how to remain anchored in Christ no matter what comes.

And when we begin to see our battles through that lens, everything shifts.

We stop asking, “Why is this happening to me?”

And we start asking, “Lord, what are You teaching me through this?”

Because the same God who trains our hands to war (Psalm 144:1) also promises that the victory ultimately belongs to Him.

So if you are in a battle right now, do not lose heart.

Stay at His feet.Keep your armor on.Stand on His Word.Pray without ceasing.

Because the believer who learns how to fight with God will never fights alone.

And when God trains your hands for war, every battle becomes preparation for the victory He has already written into your story. With Love and Prayers Ketisha

This blog was prayerfully written using Scripture from the Holy Bible (NIV and KJV), with additional insight drawn from David Guzik’s Bible Commentary via Blue Letter Bible. Study references also include Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance.