Warfare as a Warrior
Author Dawn Wilson
www.dawnwilsonministries.org
We all begin as soldiers in the army of God. Soldiers are trained to accomplish warfare;
they have “practiced” warfare through warfare games. Soldiers have not yet become
seasoned in accomplishing warfare. An army of soldiers can be untried before the enemy.
An army of soldiers may have never seen actual war. They have been trained but they
have not yet become seasoned in accomplishing war.
Warriors have experienced and accomplished actual warfare. Warriors are seasoned in
making war. An army of warriors have been used in warfare against the enemy many
times. Warriors have used their training in accomplishing actual warfare.
There no such thing as an unskilled warrior. Soldiers can be skilled or unskilled. Warriors
because they have actual operated in and accomplished warfare are all skilled warriors of
warfare.
Soldiers can become skilled warriors as they accomplish actual warfare against the enemy.
Not all soldiers become warriors, but all warriors began as soldiers. There is a difference
between being a soldier and a warrior in God’s army.
Today we will study the characteristics of a skilled warrior.
Soldiers serve only in their time of duty -- warriors are to always be on active duty --
warriors are to always be in season -- warriors are to be always ready to accomplish
warfare.
1 Chronicles 27:1 Now this is the enumeration of the sons of Israel, the heads of fathers'
households, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and their officers who served
the king in all the affairs of the divisions which came in and went out month by month
throughout all the months of the year, each division numbering 24,000:
This is an army of 288,000 soldiers which have been broken down into 12 divisions of
24,000. Each division served in turn for one month. Soldiers serve in their time of service;
they are active duty in their month of service. Warriors are always on active duty. Warriors
are always ready to accomplish warfare.
We all know the scripture about being ready in and out of season – soldiers have time of
being out of season – soldiers have a time when they are in season and in active duty.
Warriors are to always be in season, warriors are to always be on active duty. You will find
this to be true as you study the mighty men who fought with David.
The Word of God speaks separately of the mighty men and of the soldiers in the army.
2Samuel 10:7 When David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army, the mighty men.
David called for Joab the commander of the army, all the army who are the soldiers, and he
called for the mighty men.
Joel 3:9 Proclaim this among the nations: Prepare a war; rouse the mighty men! Let all the
soldiers draw near, let them come up!
War was called and the mighty men were roused and the soldiers were called to draw near.
The Word of God again states a division between being a mighty man and being a soldier.
Yes, these mighty men needed to be roused – they had become what they are not to be --
out of season. They were roused out of this state and called back into active duty.
The soldiers of the army served in their time of service or when they were called to come
and war. The mighty men of David served with him at all times. They stayed in active
service. They were always in season.
2Samuel 16:6 He threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David; and all the
people and all the mighty men were at his right hand and at his left.
The mighty men served as commanders over those who served as soldiers in God’s army.
1Chronicles 12:21 They helped David against the band of raiders, for they were all mighty
men of valor, and were captains in the army.
I believe the might men represent the skilled warriors of God we are called to be in this day.
Warriors are confident of possessing the victory through God’s power. They know He is
incapable of letting them down. They know He keeps His promises. Soldiers cry out for
God to save them in the midst of the battle. Warriors are instead calling out in
proclamations of faith. Warriors are calling out decrees of victory promised to them in God’s
Word. Warriors know that God watches over His Word to perform it.
Warriors speak with the authority of Jesus’ name. Warriors speak to their mountains and
tell them to be removed in the name of Jesus. Warriors speak to their obstacles; warriors
speak to every hindrance that comes to hinder them. Warriors speak and tell them to be
removed; warriors speak and tell the enemy to get behind them in the name of Jesus.
Warriors declare how big their God is – warriors may be as grasshoppers in the sight of the
enemy but warriors know it is not in their bigness, it is in the bigness of our God.
David when he spoke to the giant Goliath did not speak how big Goliath was, David spoke
to Goliath how big his God was and what he David would do to him in the name of the Lord.
David did not merely think how big his God was; David spoke and proclaimed how big his
God was. Warriors speak and declare how big their God is. Warriors combine their prayers
with speaking, proclaiming and decreeing the Word of God.
1Samuel 17:45-47 Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword, a
spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the
armies of Israel, whom you have taunted. 46 "This day the LORD will deliver you up into my
hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head from you. And I will give the dead
bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of
the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this
assembly may know that the LORD does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is
the LORD'S and He will give you into our hands."
Warriors speak, proclaim and declare the victory in the name of the Lord. Warriors have the
boldness and courage to stand firm in God. Warriors hold their nerve in the face of the
enemy. Warriors are as David in the face of the giant Goliath – they do not faint from fear,
their trust and faith is in the Lord. They are seasoned in warfare; they know God will fight
on their behalf.
1Samuel 17:34-37 But David said to Saul, "Your servant was tending his father's sheep.
When a lion or a bear came and took a lamb from the flock, 35 I went out after him and
attacked him, and rescued it from his mouth; and when he rose up against me, I seized him
by his beard and struck him and killed him. 36 "Your servant has killed both the lion and the
bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he has taunted the
armies of the living God." 37 And David said, "The LORD who delivered me from the paw of
the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine."
And Saul said to David, "Go, and may the LORD be with you."
Warriors know as David did with the lion and the bear that God will once again bring the
victory over the enemy on their behalf. Warriors know that God has defeated the enemy’s
soldiers on their behalf in the past and He will do so once again. Warriors have their trust
and faith in the Lord.
Warriors are able to withstand blows that knocked them down. They do not stay down for
the count; warriors arise -- they get up and fight again. Warriors get back into the battle.
Warriors are able to recover, get up, and reposition themselves on the battlefield.
Warriors push the enemy back and take the enemy’s territory in the name of the Lord.
Warriors go looking for the battle, they go looking for an opportunity to engage the enemy in
battle and defeat him. Warriors go looking for the enemy’s strongholds to pull them down.
Joel 2:7-9 They run like mighty men, They climb the wall like soldiers; And they each march
in line, Nor do they deviate from their paths. 8 They do not crowd each other, They march
everyone in his path; When they burst through the defenses, They do not break ranks. 9
They rush on the city, They run on the wall; They climb into the houses, They enter through
the windows like a thief.
I believe these verses describe warriors who get up if they fall and reposition themselves in
the battle. I believe it describes warriors who break through the defenses of the enemy and
take his territory. These warriors are looking for an opportunity to engage the enemy and
pull his strongholds down.
Warriors are focused; they do not deviate from their paths. Warriors are not distracted from
their God given purpose; they are not distracted from the command and orders given to
them by God.
Warriors are sent out by the order of God, they are sent to accomplish a specific goal at
God’s command. These focused warriors do not “scatter shoot.” They are focused on a
direct target; they aim for and hit their target.
Warriors get rid of everything that weighs them down. They remove all stumbling blocks
and hindrances from their lives.
Romans 13:12 The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside
the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
Ephesians 4:22 that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the oldself,
which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit,
Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us,
let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let
us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author
and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the
shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Soldiers just want to survive warfare – soldiers do the minimum to get through. Warriors
instead have the tenacity to fight till there is total and complete victory. Warriors stay and
fight until the victory is won. Warriors stay and fight until there is a breakthrough.
1Chronicles 11:13-14 He was with David at Pasdammim when the Philistines were
gathered together there to battle, and there was a plot of ground full of barley; and the
people fled before the Philistines. 14 They took their stand in the midst of the plot and
defended it, and struck down the Philistines; and the LORD saved them by a great victory.
2 Samuel 23:9-10 and after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three
mighty men with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there to battle
and the men of Israel had withdrawn. 10 He arose and struck the Philistines until his hand
was weary and clung to the sword, and the LORD brought about a great victory that day;
and the people returned after him only to strip the slain.
Warriors are as Eleazar they stay and fight till there is total and complete victory. Warriors
are as Eleazar who stood with David and fought till they had a great victory even though all
the men of Israel had withdrawn—fled and run away from the battle.
God spoke to me one day about warriors who are fighting the fight of faith. He showed me
a battlefield and a warrior standing on that field accomplishing warfare in the fight of faith.
God showed me other warriors around him, these warriors were frustrated at his not yet
possessing the victory. These warriors began to hurl insults and make mock at the warrior
who was warring in the fight of faith. They began to use their own swords against him.
God then spoke to me and asked me what I would do with this warrior. Would I be as these
other warriors and become frustrated and begin to attack or would I come alongside this
warrior and battle the fight of faith with him? I chose to come alongside and fight the fight of
faith.
God is speaking to each one of us to warfare alongside those who are fighting the fight of
faith. He is telling us to warfare with them until they possess their victory, to warfare with
them until they possess their breakthrough.
God again spoke to me through a vision. God showed me a battle field and on that
battlefield was a wounded soldier. Warriors were around the wounded soldier telling him to
“just get up and fight.” There was no care and compassion for the one who was wounded.
God gave me this vision the day I hurt my knee and was not able to walk. I could not get up
no matter how much I wanted to. I couldn’t get up even at the words of urging from my
family. I understood that this wounded soldier could not “just get up and fight.” God
showed me the other soldiers beginning to use their weapons against the wounded soldier.
They began to attack and not protect. The church is known for killing its wounded. God
spoke to me that this soldier was not able to arise. God asked me what should be done for
this wounded soldier. I answered that we as warriors should surround and protect him until
he is able to fight once again.
God is calling us as warriors to protect those who have been wounded on the battlefield
until they are able to arise and fight once again.
Warriors want to make the enemy pay for his attack. Jesse Duplantis said recently, “When
you know who you really are in Christ you become too expensive for the enemy to attack.”
“You demand that he repay you 7 times all that he stole or destroyed.” “You demand that
he must repay you from the riches of his own house. You plunder his house!!!” Warriors
make the enemy pay for his attack.
Warriors are offensive to the enemy. Warriors are odious to the enemy. The enemy fears
the warriors of the Living God.
Warriors might is in seeking God and ordering their ways after Him.
2Chronicles 27:6 So Jotham became mighty because he ordered his ways before the
LORD his God.
Warriors know God is their source of power and anointing. Warriors seek God’s will and
ask Him how to accomplish His will. Warriors position themselves in the will of God.
2Chronicles 26:11 Moreover, Uzziah had an army ready for battle, which entered combat
by divisions according to the number of their muster, prepared by Jeiel the scribe and
Maaseiah the official, under the direction of Hananiah, one of the king's officers.
This is speaking of the soldiers in the army. This chapter then goes on to speak about the
valiant warriors.
2Chronicles 26:12-13 The total number of the heads of the households, of valiant
warriors, was 2,600. 13 Under their direction was an elite army of 307,500, who could wage
war with great power, to help the king against the enemy.
2600 mighty valiant warriors had an elite army of 307,500 under their direction. This army
waged war with great power. God has called us to be skilled warriors in an elite army which
wages war with great power. All that we need to be mighty valiant warriors is currently
residing in each one of us right now.
Zechariah 10:5 "They will be as mighty men, Treading down the enemy in the mire of the
streets in battle; And they will fight, for the LORD will be with them; And the riders on horses
will be put to shame.
2Samuel 17:8 Moreover, Hushai said, "You know your father and his men, that they are
mighty men and they are fierce, like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field. And your father is
an expert in warfare, and will not spend the night with the people.
1Chronicles 12:8 From the Gadites there came over to David in the stronghold in the
wilderness, mighty men of valor, men trained for war, who could handle shield and spear,
and whose faces were like the faces of lions, and they were as swift as the gazelles on the
mountains.
1Chronicles 12:14 These of the sons of Gad were captains of the army; he who was least
was equal to a hundred and the greatest to a thousand.
Warriors accomplish supernatural feats through the power of God.
1Ch 11:10-25 Now these are the heads of the mighty men whom David had, who gave him
strong support in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, according to the
word of the LORD concerning Israel. 11 These constitute the list of the mighty men whom
David had: Jashobeam, the son of a Hachmonite, the chief of the thirty; he lifted up his
spear against three hundred whom he killed at one time. 12 After him was Eleazar the son
of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighty men. 13 He was with David at
Pasdammim when the Philistines were gathered together there to battle, and there was a
plot of ground full of barley; and the people fled before the Philistines. 14 They took their
stand in the midst of the plot and defended it, and struck down the Philistines; and the
LORD saved them by a great victory. 15 Now three of the thirty chief men went down to the
rock to David, into the cave of Adullam, while the army of the Philistines was camping in the
valley of Rephaim. 16 David was then in the stronghold, while the garrison of the Philistines
was then in Bethlehem. 17 David had a craving and said, "Oh that someone would give me
water to drink from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!" 18 So the three broke
through the camp of the Philistines and drew water from the well of Bethlehem which was by
the gate, and took it and brought it to David; nevertheless David would not drink it, but
poured it out to the LORD; 19 and he said, "Be it far from me before my God that I should do
this. Shall I drink the blood of these men who went at the risk of their lives? For at the risk of
their lives they brought it." Therefore he would not drink it. These things the three mighty
men did. 20 As for Abshai the brother of Joab, he was chief of the thirty, and he swung his
spear against three hundred and killed them; and he had a name as well as the thirty. 21 Of
the three in the second rank he was the most honored and became their commander;
however, he did not attain to the first three. 22 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a
valiant man of Kabzeel, mighty in deeds, struck down the two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also
went down and killed a lion inside a pit on a snowy day. 23 He killed an Egyptian, a man of
great stature five cubits tall. Now in the Egyptian's hand was a spear like a weaver's beam,
but he went down to him with a club and snatched the spear from the Egyptian's hand and
killed him with his own spear. 24 These things Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did, and had a
name as well as the three mighty men. 25 Behold, he was honored among the thirty, but he
did not attain to the three; and David appointed him over his guard.
2 Samuel 23:8-23 These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-
basshebeth a Tahchemonite, chief of the captains, he was called Adino the Eznite, because
of eight hundred slain by him at one time; 9 and after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the
Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David when they defied the Philistines who were
gathered there to battle and the men of Israel had withdrawn. 10 He arose and struck the
Philistines until his hand was weary and clung to the sword, and the LORD brought about a
great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to strip the slain. 11 Now after
him was Shammah the son of Agee a Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered into a
troop where there was a plot of ground full of lentils, and the people fled from the Philistines.
12 But he took his stand in the midst of the plot, defended it and struck the Philistines; and
the LORD brought about a great victory.
God is calling us to be His skilled warriors who perform supernatural feats through His
power. God is calling us to be skilled warriors in an elite army which wages war with great
power. All that we need to be skilled, mighty, valiant warriors is currently residing in each
one of us right now.
Author: Dawn Wilson
Please Be Advised that all sermons and writing by Dawn Wilson of Dawn Wilson
Ministry is protected under the U.S. Government Copy Right Laws.