(Psalms 18:34) “He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.”

The previous devotion, The Actions of God and the Results to Me – Part One, (which covered Psalms 18:32-33) introduced David’s comments on (Psalms 18:32-45). These verses give a detailed list of God’s actions of deliverance for His children. This post is Part Two of this series, covering (Psalms18:34).

Note the verbs, “teacheth,” and “broken.” The verbs in (Psalms 18:32-45) reveal the action of God, (Heb. Wd. is “EL”-which points to Jehovah as “Almighty”; see Strong’s # 410). The preeminence of these verbs is that the action originates and is performed by God – not man. David had no problem in giving God the honor and praise for God being the Origin and Performer of actions to him and through him. This must be mentioned, because the world today tries to give honor and praise to the believer for his success, based upon the believer’s obedience or upon the believer’s own merit; whether it be his intelligence, or his own good works, or because the believer willed it so.

Now to the second devotion in this series. David continues to manifest the Actions of God to the believers using pronouns and verbs. “He” being God; and the verbs revealing God’s action in and upon the believer; the results are: “teacheth my hands to war so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.”

Note, the following phrase of David:

(34) “He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.”

God had given David not only knowledge; but also, wisdom. Wisdom is putting knowledge to work; or what makes knowledge operational (Prov. 1:7; 8:13; 9:10). God gave David the know-how of war; that is the wisdom of the “how” to win the war. This is evidenced in how to train men to war; and the art of implementation of the armor, men and war devices to win the war.

Many people use this verse to misinterpret the Will of God concerning war among men. Make no mistake, God hates all sin. God is not only a God of love; but, God is a God of Wrath against all unrighteousness. David’s wars were with the people that knew not Jehovah; those who were idol worshippers, and hated the people of Israel and the God of Israel. All enemies of God will be destroyed now or at the Judgement of God. The beauty of this is that God provided a remedy against men and their evil, depraved ways.

In applying this in a spiritual sense, God – through His Written Word, as He enlightens the believer by the Holy Spirit – gives the individual believer wisdom in the war against the flesh, the world, and the devil (or sin). God has revealed the soldier’s spiritual armor (Eph. 6:12-18), and exactly how (or the skill) to defeat the enemy of the Cross; whereby, the good soldier of Jesus Christ will be counted as an “Overcomer.”

The world’s false teachers have implanted their false doctrines among the children of God in many churches today. This false doctrine is a “salvation by the works of men”; rather than a “Salvation by and Grace through the work of Jesus Christ for sinners, and in Him alone.” From this one seed of error has sprouted many, many more false doctrines that have led to the denial by many that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh; but rather, He is on equal ground with Mohammed, Joseph Smith, and the Pope. No, No, a thousand times No! none of the men mentioned above have the Holy Ghost without measure; none of these men are without sin; and none of these men are alive today. Jesus Christ claimed to be God in the flesh; He claimed to be the Father in the flesh (Jn. 14:7-11); and claimed to be God and the only begotten Son of God (Jn. 1:1-18); and proved His claim by coming forth from dead (Rom. 1:4). But, the Apostle John said:

(1Jn 2:22) “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.”

(1Jn 4:3) “And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.”

Those so-called believers, and all false prophets that have infected the churches with their false doctrines, will come to see they have lived and died in the deception of the devil; and will find themselves at the Great White Judgment of God (Rev. 20:11-15), where their works will be judged. But, it is not their works that will have sent them to the lake of fire; but that their names are not written the Lamb’s Book of Life.

The Remedy, praise God, is to confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus Christ. (Rom 10:9-10) “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  (10)  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

Reader, the Word of God is very plain that Salvation is of the Lord (Eph. 2:8-9); the sinner is brought in regeneration to confess by the mouth that Jesus is God (John 6:44-45, 65); and believe in the heart that God raised Jesus from dead; which means (Act 20:21) “Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” The Apostle John records the words of Christ that He is the only way to the Father (John 14:6) “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Praise God, Salvation is completely based upon the Eternal Purpose in Christ Jesus, and not of the works of man. Hallelujah!

The result will be, “that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.” Be assured, Child of God, when the believer reads and studies and assimilates the Word of God, the result will be Victory over any and all ideas, motives, desires, and well-laid schemes of the enemy, as a trap for the believer to get the believer to follow the flesh instead of the Spirit. David said, the enemies’ weapon is – not if, but is – “broken by mine arms.”

When David said, “…is broken by mine arms,” he brings to light that the believer is responsible to obey God and God’s plan for victory; for the believer must act and must walk by faith. God gives the believer the plan and the power to carry out the war; however, the believer must “Obey” – which means he must implement God’s Word, or he will not experience the Victory. The believer must not sit and expect Victory. The believer must never underestimate the power of his own flesh, and the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life that still remain in the believer, even after regeneration/conversion (Rom. 7:14-24). Be sure the enemy of God is stronger than the believer is in his own strength; therefore, the only path the believer has to overcome the enemy is in the Power of the Holy Spirit, and submission and obedience to that power to walk in faith, knowing (Phil. 2:13; 4:13, 19).