Assess Strategize Be strong Trust 1Ch 19:9 The Ammonites came out and drew up in battle formation at the entrance to their city, while the kings who had come were by themselves in the open country. 10 Joab saw that there were battle lines in front of him and behind him; so he selected some of the best troops in Israel and deployed them against the Arameans. 11 He put the rest of the men under the command of Abishai his brother, and they were deployed against the Ammonites. 12 Joab said, "If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you are to rescue me; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will rescue you. 13 Be strong and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The LORD will do what is good in his sight." I love this attitude! Surrounded by an enemy, he was not sure he could defeat, Joab assesses the situation, strategizes and communicates a plan to the troops and then commands “Be strong!” to fill the men’s hearts with vigour. And then Joab puts the whole outcome in God’s hand, recognizing it may cost him his life. That’s how to fight. We have an enemy who is allowed to cause us great harm. 1Pe 5:8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Re 2:10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. We need to assess our enemy and plan for victory but then we must determine to trust God before we enter into the battle knowing, “The battle belongs to the lord” We could be afraid, but we will have lost ground to the enemy already if we are. The choice of attitude lies before us. We can fear, but our enemy lies defeated, his weapon of fear, impotent. Heb 2:14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. May our attitude be like Esther’s Es 4:16 "Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish." Assess. Strategize. Be strong. Trust Christ, regardless of the outcome.