Rise Up You Mighty Man!

Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, who performed great exploits. He struck down two of Moab’s best men.  — 1 Chronicles 11:22

Here I come, I’m bout to rise up — Disciple

Benaiah, to me, is the baddest dude (other than Jesus) in the Bible.  The first great exploit that King David gave him credit for was striking down two of Moab’s best men.  Undoubtedly, when Benaiah was younger, he saw a young David rise up and slay Goliath in the name of God.  I can only imagine how this stirred his soul.  If there was a God that would do that kind of thing for people who would truly make a stand in His name, Benaiah was all in.

Benaiah didn’t want to simply go out and slay a mighty warrior as David did.  He wanted more.  When it comes time to fight the Moabites, Benaiah said “Don’t just send one, send two!  In the name of the God of Israel, I will fight your two best men and God will give me the victory!”

This brings about two questions.  Who are the mighty men that you pattern your life after?  Also, what are the giants you need to go after and slay?

One of the first mighty men in my life was a man named Jimmy Boggs.  He was a pastor at Open Door Baptist church.  He had to be the busiest dude on the planet.  Yet, he still took a college student who was all over the place spiritually, sat him down, and taught him how to read and interpret the Word of God.  He taught me that real men love God.  Mighty men do His will.  Mighty men love one woman in marriage as Christ loves the Church.  Real men hunger and thirst for righteousness and forsake the things of this world.  I will forever be grateful for this man of God who is still making disciples today.  I’ll never forget kneeling by my bed and telling God that I’m sorry for being a hypocrite.  I finally put on the armor of God and told Him I was ready to fight for what is right.

Lately, I have been weighed down.  This semester, I have to take 3 graduate level courses and take a Praxis test (the test that you have to pass to be a teacher) even though I’ve been a teacher for 15 years.  I get to do this on top of all of my teaching, coaching, and family responsibilities.  I have to admit, up until today, all of this has defeated me.  It has deflated me spiritually.  I absolutely hate having all 168 hours of the week filled with something to do or somewhere to be.  This is kind of ironic, because up until a few years ago, this was all I knew.  Yes, I have giants in my own life.  But Benaiah teaches me that I can rise up.  I just need to pattern my life after people who have the victory, not losers who bow down to the ways of this world.  I am a mighty man of God!  I can let the world defeat me, or I can overcome the world.  Philippians 4:13 is still in the Word of God…

I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength!

Later

Adam