must we fight the Lord's battles against our spiritual enemies ;
1. With determined purpose —
[A command is given us to destroy them : and, as in God's purpose they are all devoted to destruction, so they must be in ours. No truce is to be made with any of them ; not one is to be spared. We have enlisted under the banners of our Lord Jesus Christ ; and his battles we must fight, till every enemy is sub- dued before us. Under whatever discouragements we may fight, we must approve ourselves " good soldiers of Jesus Christ;" never retreating through fear, never fainting through weariness, never relaxing our efforts in any respect, nor ever dreaming of rest, till " Satan and all his hosts are bruised un- der our feet". " The posture of Joshua was no doubt painful to maintain; even as that of Moses had been on a similar occasion, when he held up his rod on the hill in Horeb °. His hands were heavy, and he needed the assistance both of Hur and Aaron to hold them up. Through their help, however, he did hold them up till the going down of the sun, and till Amalek was discomfited before Israel p. Such resolution must we also possess; and never draw back our hand, till the victory is complete.
The importance of this determination of heart will appear by the effects produced by the want of it in Joash king of Israel. The Prophet Elisha being sick, the king of Israel went to visit him. The prophet announced to him God's gracious intention to destroy the Syrians, his powerful and bitter enemies. The prophet bade him take a bow and arrows ; to shoot with an arrow, which should mark the speed with which they should be destroyed; and to strike the arrows on the ground, in token of the extent to which success over them should be obtained. But the king, being but languid in his desires of victory, and not very sanguine in his expectations, smote the ground but thrice ; when he should, with determined purpose and joyful confidence, have smitten it five or six times. For this lukewarm conduct he was severely reproved ; and his success was limited to the measure of zeal which he had expressed*1. So shall we find that our success will exactly correspond with the zeal with which we prosecute our endeavours. Let us determine to conquer, and the victory is ours : let our efforts never be relaxed, and they shall infallibly succeed at lastr.]
2. With confident expectation —
n Rom. xvi. 20. ° Exod. xvii. 9. p Exod. xvii. 10 — 13. q 2 Kings xiii. 15—19. r Gal. vi. 9.