The Battle is God’s, Not Yours

Wednesday Meeting, March 22, 2017
First Church of Christ, Scientist-Asheville

KJV Hosea 1:1 (to 1st ,), 7 1st ​

1 The word of the LORD that came unto Hosea,… 7 …I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the LORD their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen.

KJV Judges 7:2-7, 9, 16-21

2 And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. 3 Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand. 4 And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go. 5 So he brought down the people unto the water: and the LORD said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink. 6 And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water. 7 And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place. 9 And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand. 16 And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man’s hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers. 17 And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do. 18 When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon. 19 So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands. 20 And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon. 21 And they stood every man in his place round about the camp; and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.

KJV Ps 62:1, 2, 7, 11

1 Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. 2 He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved. 7 In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. 11 God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.

KJV Acts 12:1-3 (to .), 4 (to ;), 5-11

1 Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also….And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him;…Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison. And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision. When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him. And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.

KJV Ps 91:1-4, 9-11

1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. 3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. 4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. 9 Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; 10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. 11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

KJV I Sam 17:1-50

1 Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle,…2 And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and pitched by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines. 3 And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between them. 4 And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. 5 And he had an helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass. 10 And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together. 11 When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid. 32 And David said to Saul, Let no man’s heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine. 33 And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth. 34 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: 35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. 36 Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. 37…And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee. 40 And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine. 41 And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that bare the shield went before him. 42 And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance. 43 And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. 46 This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand;…47 And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give you into our hands. 48 And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came, and drew nigh to meet David, that David hastened, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. 49 And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth. 50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.

KJV Ps 18:32, 35 (to 1st ,), 39 (to 1st :), 46, 48-50 (to 1st he)

32 It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect. 35 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up,… 39 For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle:…46 The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted. 48 He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man. 49 Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name. 50 Great deliverance giveth he…

KJV Isaiah 45:5, 6, 22
5 I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: 6 That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else. 22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

KJV Romans 13:1

1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God:

S&H 203:17-18

We are prone to believe either in more than one Su-
preme Ruler or in some power less than God.

S&H 203:3-5 (to ,)
In the Science of Christianity, Mind  — omnipotence — has all-power,…

S&H 203:13

Spiritual perception brings out the possibilities of being, destroys reliance on aught but God, and so makes man the image of his Maker in deed and in truth.

S&H 192:19-20 ​

In Science, you can
have no power opposed to God,

S&H 249:8-9, 13-14 ​

Let us re-
joice that we are subject to the divine “powers that be.
Either there is no
omnipotence, or omnipotence is the only power.

S&H 231:7-8, 9-10 (for no) (to ;)

What God cannot do, man need not attempt.
…for no lesser power equals the infinite
All-power;

S&H 275:6-24 ​

The starting-point of divine Science is
that God, Spirit, is All-in-all, and that there is no other
might nor Mind, – that God is Love, and therefore He
is divine Principle.
To grasp the reality and order of being in its Science,
you must begin by reckoning God as the divine Principle
of all that really is. Spirit, Life, Truth, Love,
combine as one, – and are the Scriptural names
for God. All substance, intelligence, wisdom, being, im-
mortality, cause, and effect belong to God. These are
His attributes, the eternal manifestations of the infinite
divine Principle, Love. No wisdom is wise but His
wisdom; no truth is true, no love is lovely, no life is Life
but the divine; no good is, but the good God bestows.
Divine metaphysics, as revealed to spiritual understand-
ing, shows clearly that all is Mind, and that Mind is
God, omnipotence, omnipresence, omniscience,
– that is, all power, all presence, all Science.
Hence all is in reality the manifestation of Mind.

S&H 174:9-14 ​

The footsteps of thought, rising above material stand-
points, are slow, and portend a long night to the traveller;
but the angels of His presence – the spiritual
intuitions that tell us when “the night is far
spent, the day is at hand” – are our guardians in the
gloom.

S&H 566:29-6 ​

The Old Testament assigns to the angels, God’s divine
messages, different offices. Michael’s charac-
teristic is spiritual strength. He leads the
hosts of heaven against the power of sin, Satan, and
fights the holy wars. Gabriel has the more quiet task
of imparting a sense of the ever-presence of ministering
Love. These angels deliver us from the depths. Truth
and Love come nearer in the hour of woe, when strong
faith or spiritual strength wrestles and prevails through
the understanding of God.

S&H 574:25-30 ​

Think of this, dear reader, for it will lift the sack-
cloth from your eyes, and you will behold the soft-
winged dove descending upon you. The very
circumstance, which your suffering sense
deems wrathful and afflictive, Love can make an angel
entertained unawares.

S&H 299:7 ​​

My angels are exalted thoughts, appearing at the door
of some sepulchre, in which human belief has buried
its fondest earthly hopes. With white fin-
gers they point upward to a new and glo-
rified trust, to higher ideals of life and its joys. Angels
are God’s representatives. These upward-soaring beings
never lead towards self, sin, or materiality, but guide to
the divine Principle of all good, whither every real indi-
viduality, image, or likeness of God, gathers. By giving
earnest heed to these spiritual guides they tarry with us,
and we entertain “angels unawares.

S&H 473:7-10 ​

The God-
principle is omnipresent and omnipotent. God is every-
where, and nothing apart from Him is present or has
power.

Hymns

O gentle presence, peace and joy and power;
O Life divine, that owns each waiting hour,
Thou Love that guards the nestling’s faltering flight!
Keep Thou my child on upward wing tonight.Love is our refuge; only with mine eye
Can I behold the snare, the pit, the fall:
His habitation high is here, and nigh,
His arm encircles me, and mine, and all.O make me glad for every scalding tear,
For hope deferred, ingratitude, disdain!
Wait, and love more for every hate, and fear
No ill,—since God is good, and loss is gain.Beneath the shadow of His mighty wing;
In that sweet secret of the narrow way,
Seeking and finding, with the angels sing:
“Lo, I am with you alway,”—watch and pray.No snare, no fowler, pestilence or pain;
No night drops down upon the troubled breast,
When heaven’s aftersmile earth’s tear-drops gain,
And mother finds her home and heav’nly rest.

He that hath God his guardian made,
Shall underneath th’ Almighty’s shade
Fearless and undisturbed abide;
Thus to myself of Him I’ll say,
He is my fortress, shield and stay,
My God; in Him I will confide.His tender love and watchful care
Shall free thee from the fowler’s snare,
From every harm and pestilence.
He over thee His wings shall spread
To cover thy unguarded head.
His truth shall be thy strong defense.He gives His angels charge o’er thee,
No evil therefore shalt thou see;
Thy refuge shall be God most high;
Dwelling within His secret place,
Thou shalt behold His power and grace,
See His salvation ever nigh.All power is given unto our Lord,
On Him we place reliance;
With truth from out His sacred word
We bid our foes defiance.
With Him we shall prevail,
Whatever may assail;
He is our shield and tower,
Almighty is His power;
His kingdom is forever.Rejoice, ye people, praise His name,
His care doth e’er surround us.
His love to error’s thralldom came,
And from its chains unbound us.
Our Lord is God alone,
No other power we own;
No other voice we heed,
No other help we need;
His kingdom is forever.O then give thanks to God on high,
Who life to all is giving;
The hosts of death before Him fly,
In Him we all are living.
Then let us know no fear,
Our King is ever near;
Our stay and fortress strong,
Our strength, our hope, our song;
His kingdom is forever.

Hosea 1:1 (to ,), 7​
Judges 7:2-7, 9, 16-21
Ps 62:1, 2, 7, 11​
Acts 12:1-3 (to .), 4 (to ;), 5-11 (to last ,)
Ps 91:1-4, 9-11
I Sam 17:1-50
I Sam 17:1 (to ,), 2-5, 10, 11, 32-36, 37 (And Saul), 40-43, 45, 46 (to ;), 47-50
Ps 18:32, 35 (to ,), 39 (to:), 46, 48-50 (to he)
Isaiah 45:5, 6, 22​
Romans 13:1 (to:)​

203:17-18
203:3-5 (to ,)

203:13
192:19-20​
249:8-9, 13-14​
231:7-8, 9-10 (for no) (to ;)
275:6-24​
174:9-14​
566:29-6​
574:25-30​
299:7​​
473:7-10​

Hymns
208…​O gentle presence
99…​He who hath God His guardian made
10…​All power is given unto our Lord, on Him we place reliance

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