Victory from God

"But the Lord said to me, 'Do not fear him, for I have delivered him and all his people and his land into your hand; and you shall do to him just as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon.' So the Lord our God delivered Og also, king of Bashan, with all his people into our hand, and we smote them until no survivor was left. We captured all his cities at that time; there was not a city which we did not take from them: sixty cities, all the region of Argob, the kingdom of Og in Bashan. All these were cities fortified with high walls, gates and bars, besides a great many unwalled towns. We utterly destroyed them, as we did to Sihon king of Heshbon, utterly destroying the men, women and children of every city. But all the animals and the spoil of the cities we took as our booty." -Deuteronomy 3.2-7

As Moses recounts the wilderness journey, not only does he remind the people of the blessings God has provided in the wilderness, but also about the victories that God gave them. As they journeyed they faced rival nations who attacked Israel, seeking to destroy them, but each time God was with His people, and each time He gave them victory in battle.

Moses reminds the people that the victories came from God. It was not from the size of their army, the skill of their warriors, or the genius of their general. The victories in the wilderness came from God. The spoils of war were a result of God's presence with His people. There was no need to fear any enemy because God was with them, and so credit must be given to Him.

Men, who gets the credit for the victories in your life? Do you receive praise for your skill, knowledge, or determination? Or do you give the raise to God with the realization that none of that matters if victory, or success, isn't part of His plan? The victories in our life are only possible because God is with us, and if we stop giving Him the glory and credit that He deserves, the victories may very well end.

Let us always give praise to God for victory, and let us always remember them. The battles of the past are over, but they are not the last battles we will face. Let us remember how God has come through for us in the past, and let us trust Him to fight for us again in the future.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor