“The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for His hand is harsh toward us and Dagon our god” (1 Samuel 5:7).

 

What would you say if I told you there are times when the living and eternal God goes to battle for you and does so behind enemy lines? Would you believe me if I told you there were times when it looks as though you are and have been defeated before your enemies and adversaries and yet the living God is preparing to do a work behind enemy lines? Would it surprise and perhaps even shock you if I told you there were times when it seems the presence of the living God is absent from your life and yet what He is doing is something you yourself could not do? I fully realize and recognize these statements might be hard to believe, however, Scripture demonstrates the work which the living and eternal God can and does in fact do behind enemy lines. I would like to show you from Scripture how there are times in our lives when it seems we are defeated before our enemies, when God is absent and when we have no answers to the questions we are asking and yet God is doing something behind the scenes in the territory of the enemy. There are times in our lives when the living God does not have you set yourself in battle array against your enemy and even engage the enemy in battle for He desires to do something and go places you yourself could and perhaps never would go.

 

            In order to understand that which I am speaking of you must turn your attention back to the words found in the fourth chapter of the Old Testament book of First Samuel. Beginning with the first verse we read “Now Israel went out to battle against the Philistines, and encamped beside Ebenezer; and the Philistines encamped in Aphek” (1 Samuel 4:1). As you continue reading within the opening verses of this chapter you will find that the Philistines put themselves in battle array against Israel and when they joined battle against the children of Israel the people of God were defeated by the Philistines. What’s more is that not only were the children of Israel defeated before the Philistines but there were four thousand men of the army of Israel who were killed in the field. Undoubtedly and naturally this would lead to great confusion and chaos among the children of Israel who expected to go out against their enemy and experience victory and triumph over them.

 

            What do you do when you engage your enemy in battle and you suffer defeat before them? If there is one thing we must recognize concerning defeat before our enemies in battle it’s that the living God has never intended nor does He ever intend on us being defeated before our enemies. The living and eternal God never intends on us fleeing from our enemies as the enemy chases after and pursues us. You and I were never meant to turn our backs to the enemy and adversary and suffer defeat at his hands. If I can be honest with you right now I would like to declare that there is only one thing that would and could cause you to be defeated before your enemies—sin, transgression and rebellion against the living God. In the history of the people of God—whether it be the children of Israel or the Church—only transgression, disobedience, sin and rebellion would cause one to be defeated before their enemies. The LORD takes absolutely no pleasure or delight in you suffering defeat at the hands of your enemies for the LORD delights in giving you victory and triumph over your enemies. In fact it is the divine will of the Father that the Church walk upon the earth as those who overcome for unto each of the seven churches in the prophetic book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ we find an an invitation to overcome and a promise to those who overcome.

 

           

In the fourth chapter of the Old Testament book of First Samuel we find the children of Israel suffering defeat at the hands of the Philistines. Upon suffering this unexpected defeat the elders of Israel asked a very important question: “Why has the LORD defeated us today before the Philistines?” (1 Samuel 4:3). Immediately after asking the question why and how the LORD could allow them to be defeated before the Philistines they looked—not to the LORD whom they just said defeated them before the Philistines—but to the ark of the covenant of the living God. The elders of the people of Israel called for the ark of the covenant of the LORD to be brought from Shiloh—removed from its place in the Tabernacle of Moses—and brought to the battlefield. What’s more is when they spoke of the ark of the covenant of the living God being brought from Shiloh unto them to the battlefield they spoke the following words: “…that when IT comes among us IT may save us from the hand of our enemies.” The elders of the people of Israel thought the answer to their current situation was the ark of the covenant of the living God. They presumed and assumed to think that the ark in and of itself could deliver them out of the hand of the Philistines and so they sent to have it brought from Shiloh together with Hophni and Phineas—the two corrupt and defiled sons of Eli the high priest of the house of Shiloh during those days.

 

            If you continue reading within this passage of Scripture you will find that when the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp all Israel shouted so loudly that the earth shook. So loud and so thunderous was the shout of the camp of the children of Israel that when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout they asked what this sound of a great shout in the camp of the Hebrews meant. They quickly understood that the ark of the LORD had come into the camp and they were afraid, saying, “God has come into the camp!” Stop and think about that for a moment for the Philistines thought that God had come into the camp. I would even dare say there might have been those among the army of the children of Israel who thought the same thing. There might very well have been those among the children of Israel who thought that God Himself had come into the camp. What we find, however, is that despite the initial fear of the Philistines they would encourage themselves for the battle. The Philistines did acknowledge the fact that the God of the Hebrews struck the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness and wondered who or what could deliver them out of His hand. In response to this they would encourage themselves to be strong and courageous in the battle: “Be strong and conduct yourselves like men, you Philistines, that you do not become servants of the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Conduct yourselves like men and fight” (1 Samuel 4:9).

 

            Moving further along in this chapter you will find that the children of Israel and the Philistines engaged in battle with each other and as the Philistines fought the children of Israel were defeated. Not only was Israel defeated but every man fled to his tent. So great was the slaughter on that day that there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot soldiers. As if this weren’t enough we find that something else ensued and took place on that day. Hear the words which are written in the eleventh verse of this chapter: “Also the ark of God was captured; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phineas died” (1 Samuel 4:11). On this particular day the people of God were defeated, there was a very great slaughter, the people of God were forced to retreat to their tents, thirty thousand lost their lives in battle, the ark of God was captured and the two corrupt and vile sons of Eli were killed in and as a result of the battle.

 

            Where this gets interesting is when you come to the fifth chapter you will find the Philistines in possession of the ark of the covenant of the living God. That which was crafted in the wilderness and that which represented the manifest presence and glory of the living God was now in the hands of the enemy. Pause for a moment and think about what that must have been like for the children of Israel—to not only suffer defeat but to have the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD in the hands of the enemy. That which represented the glory and presence of the living God among them was in the hands of the enemy. What’s more is that so severe was this truth that when the wife of Phineas gave birth to and delivered her child—a son—she named him Ichabod because the glory of the LORD had departed from Israel. ON this day when the people of God were defeated from their enemies the representation of the glory and presence of the living God was in the hands of the enemy who in turn brought it into their own territory.

 

            In the opening verse of the fifth chapter you will find the Philistines taking the ark of God and bringing it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. Now here is where it gets interesting and where I get into the crux and core of what I want to present to you. It is indeed true that the ark of the covenant of the living God was indeed in the hands of the enemy and was brought into their territory, however, there was something we see in this passage which the Philistines were not expecting. The Philistines were not expecting to bring the Ark of the Covenant of the living God into their territory and His beginning to wreak havoc among and upon them. What’s more is that the havoc and terror the LORD of hosts brought upon the Philistines would first begin with and against their god. IN the first five verses of the fifth chapter we find the Philistines bringing the Ark of the Covenant of God and bringing it into the house of Dagon and setting it beside Dagon. What makes this absolutely astounding is when you read in the third verse that when the people of Ashdod arose early in the morning—there was Dabon fall on its face to the earth before the Ark of the LORD. The Philistines took Dagon and set it in its place again, however, when they arose early the next morning—there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the ground before the Ark of the LORD. The head of Dagon and both the palms of its hands were broken off the threshold and only Dagon’s torso was left of it.

 

            That which we must needs recognize when reading the words which are found in this passage of Scripture is that when the Ark of the Covenant of the living God was brought into the territory of the enemy His presence, His glory and His power would begin unleashing terror among them. The Philistines made a huge mistake bringing the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD into the temple and house of their god for the first lesson they would learn is that the God of the Hebrews was greater than their god Dagon. This is something we must recognize and understand for while it might seem that God is absent from our lives and while it might seem that we have more questions than answers the living God is moving and working behind the scenes. Behind the scenes the living God is going to war and going to battle with the false gods of this world—perhaps even the false gods, the unclean spirits, the demonic forces and the like which have been tormenting and afflicting you. The very first thing the living God does is exercise His authority and His power over the false gods which are absolutely powerless before Him. What’s more is that this passage proves that the false gods of this world cannot stand in the presence of the living, holy and eternal God. Every false god of this present age must bow before and in the presence of the living God. And lest you think this is somehow inaccurate I would remind you that the plagues which the LORD struck Pharaoh, the Egyptians and the land of Egypt weren’t merely against flesh and blood but were against the false gods of Egypt. Each of the ten plagues was a direct war, conflict and battle with the false and foreign gods of Egypt who would have assumed keep His people in bondage.

 

            As you continue reading the words which are found in this passage you will find that after the LORD struck the Philistine god Dagon and after He exercised His authority and power over it He would then move against and upon the people. Notice in the sixth verse of this passage that “the hand of the LORD was heavy on the people of Ashdod, and He ravaged them and struck them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territory” (1 Samuel 5:6). That which was taking place among the people of Ashdod in their territory was not hidden from them for “when the men of Ashdod saw how it was, they said, ‘The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for His hand is harsh toward us and Dagon our god” (1 Samuel 5:7). Pay close attention to this for we find the hand of the LORD being heavy on the people of Ashdod, we find Him ravaging them, we find Him striking them with tumors, and we find them acknowledging and admitting that His hand was harsh toward them and Dagon their god. This is something we must recognize and understand for within this passage we find the LORD doing something the people of God could never do.

 

            Although the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD was captured by the enemy, in the hands of the enemy, and even present in the territory of the enemy the living and eternal God was working on behalf of the people of God behind the scenes. With the Ark of the Lord present in the midst of the territory the glory, the presence, the strength, the might and the power of the living God was able to do what no sword, no spear, nor shield, no sling, no bow nor any horse or chariot could do against and to the enemy. Oh this is something we must needs recognize and understand for there are times within our lives when the living and eternal God can do and does in fact do things behind the scenes and behind enemy lines in the territory of the enemy. There are times when although we are and have been called to spiritual warfare and conflict the living God will take matters into His own hands. There are times when the living God can and will allow Himself to seem absent from our midst and yet what He is doing is engaging the false gods of this world behind the scenes. The living and eternal God is confronting that which has tormented, afflicted, oppressed, and harassed us.

 

            The more I consider this reality and concept of spiritual warfare the more I am brought face to face with the fact that while we are indeed called to fight and engage in battle against the enemy there are times when the LORD Himself will enter the fight. There are times when the LORD Himself will enter into the territory of the enemy that He might accomplish that which we could do not do—even though we are clothed with the full armor and even though we have taken up the sword of the Spirit and the shield of faith. There are times when the LORD might seem to be absent and withdrawn from us in our lives—even in the midst of defeat, harassment, affliction, oppression and the like—and yet that which He is doing is working something out behind the scenes and behind enemy lines. If there is one thing I can’t help but find absolutely necessary to declare to you who might be reading these words it’s that the LORD can, the LORD does, and the LORD will go behind enemy lines and operate there that He might unleash havoc, terror and confusion against that which harassed, afflicted and oppressed you. Although the people of Israel were defeated before the Philistines who had oppressed and harassed them for many years the LORD would fight for them against their enemy there in their own territory.

 

            THE GOD WHO FIGHTS THE ENEMY IN HIS OWN TERRITORY! This is something which we must recognize for after Jesus was baptized by John in the waters of the Jordan River the Spirit descended upon Him in the bodily form of a dove. Immediately after Jesus was baptized by John the Spirit would drive Him into the wilderness. It would be there in the midst of the wilderness where Jesus would be tempted of the Devil as the Devil would come to Him in His weakened and vulnerable state. We know that Jesus overcame the Devil three separate times and each time He stood upon the Word of God and that which was spoken. Jesus would withstand and resist the devil using the Word of God and that which was written, and as a direct result of this the enemy would indeed flee from Him. What we find throughout the rest of His ministry is a constant barrage against the enemy in those places where the enemy had set up strongholds. Consider how Jesus cast out seven demons from Mary of Magdala thus breaking the demonic strongholds over her life. Consider how Jesus cast out the legion of demons which had tormented, oppressed and possessed the man of the Gadarenes. Consider the countless times Jesus took the fight to sickness, to blindness, to deafness, to epilepsy, to leprosy, to spirits of infirmity, to spirits of affliction, to spirits of sickness, to spirits of disease, and even to death itself. There were at least three different times when Jesus raised from death to life someone who was thought and presumed to be dead—Jairus’ daughter, the only son of the widow of Nain and Lazarus who was the most notable resurrection. Time and time again Jesus took the fight to the enemy in his own territory exercising dominion, authority, power and might over Him. Oh that we would realize that we serve a God who not only goes behind enemy lines to do what we could never do but who is also willing to do so.

 

            The more you read the words which are found in the fifth chapter of this Old Testament book of First Samuel the more you will find the hand of the LORD unleashing terror and havoc against the Philistines. The Ark of the LORD would be brought from Ashdod to Gath and “the hand of the LORD was against the city with a very great destruction; and He struck the men of the city, both small and great, and tumors broke out on them” (1 Samuel 5:9). After the people of Gath realized the devastation and destruction that was taking place among them because of the presence of the Ark of the Covenant they sought to send the ark to the city of Ekron. When the people of Ekron saw the ark of tGod coming among them they cried out with a great cry, saying, “They have brought the ark of the God of Israel to kill us and our people” (1 Samuel 5:10). The people of Ekron called together all the lords of the PHilsitnes and said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go back to its own place, so that it does not kill us and our people” (1 Samuel 5:11). It was written immediately after this that “there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city; the hand of God was heavy there” (1 Samuel 5:11). Those who did not die were stricken with tumors and the cry of the city went up to heaven.

 

            In the sixth chapter of this same Old Testament book we find the priests and the diviners of the Philistines offering guidance on how to send the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD back to Israel. In their counsel they would speak of images of tumors and images of rats which would be sent as a trespass offering to the God of Israel. The images of the tumors represented the tumors which broke out against and upon their bodies while the images of the rats represented the rats which ravaged the land. Oh this is something we dare not and must not miss for it demonstrates the tremendous truth that the living God can, does and will go behind enemy lines and accomplish what we are unable to do ourselves. Oh if there is one thing I want you to understand within your own life is that there are times when it won’t be you armed with the armor of God and with the sword of the Spirit and the shield of faith that will unleash terror, havoc and chaos against the enemy. I am convinced there are men and women right now who are experiencing what might be viewed as an absence of the living God from their lives and even defeat before their enemies. The truth of the matter, however, is that the LORD is moving and operating behind enemy lines unbeknownst to you. It’s interesting that the children of Israel had absolutely no clue what was taking place in the territory of the Philistines during those seven months the Ark was present among them. The only thing the people of God knew was that they had suffered defeat and that the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD had been captured. Little did they know that the LORD was moving and operating behind the scenes against their enemy. What would begin with Samson against the Philistines as he moved under the anointing of the Spirit would now be continued by the living God God Himself.

 

            If you remember nothing else from these words remember this: The LORD can, the LORD does and the LORD will go into the territory of the enemy on your behalf to reign terror and unleash havoc against them. The LORD can and the LORD will go behind enemy lines and fight for you on your behalf that He might accomplish something which you yourself could never do. In case you think this isn’t accurate think about what took place during those three days the physical body of the Son of God was buried in the tomb. While the physical body of the Son of God remained there in the midst of the grave He was storming the gates of hell, taking the keys to death and hell, triumphing over principalities, overpowering the gates of hell, defeating Satan, destroying he who had the power of death. When He rose from the grave He would rise with authority given Him from the Father and had defeated and conquered both death and the grave. Oh more often than not it is the unseen work behind the scenes and beneath the surface that is perhaps the greatest work that can take place. Oh dear brother, oh dear sister—I believe there are some who need to know the LORD is moving behind enemy lines on your behalf confronting that which has tormented, afflicted, oppressed, harassed, enslaved, assaulted and assailed you. Take joy, take rest, take comfort in the fact that we serve a God who is willing and able to go behind enemy lines and work behind the scenes in the territory of the enemy against every false god and against that which might have previously defeated you that when He returns you might have the victory over it. You were once a slave to sin and you were once a slave to death and yet Jesus operated behind the scenes and beneath the surface conquering sin and death that you might be victorious over them within your life.