Victory Must Be Ours

Joab’s instruction in 2 Samuel 10:12  “Be strong! We must prove ourselves strong for our people and for the cities of our God. May the Lord’s will be done.”

Terry Tuley inspires us from this account from Civil War times. General Braxton Bragg, commander of the Army of Tennessee, was in the field at La Fayette, Georgia, on September 16, 1863.  Realizing the grave importance of winning that battle, Bragg sent a motivational speech to his men to inspire them to victory.

“Heretofore you have never failed to respond to your general when he has asked sacrifice at your hands. Relying on your gallentry and patriotism, he asks you to add the crowning glory to the wreath you wear. Our cause is in your keeping; your enemy boasts that you are demoralized and retreating before him. Having accomplished our object by driving back his flank movement, let us now turn on his main force and crush it in its fancied security. Your generals will lead you; you have but to respond to assure us a glorious triumph over an insolent foe. I know what your response will be. Trusting in God and the justice of our cause, and nerved by the love of the dear ones at home, failure is impossible and victory must be ours.”

Braxton Bragg, General, Commanding

Generals from both sides of the Civil War trusted in the providence of God.  They put their confidence in God for victory.  If the battle didn’t end in victory, they accepted it as God’s will.

Joab’s call (2Sam.10:12) to the Israelites was a rallying call to fight the enemy leaving the ultimate results up to God.  If we could believe that God had absolute control of every aspect of our battles, then even defeat would have significant spiritual meaning.

Pastor Larry

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