Take Them Alive
(1 Kings 20: 1ampsim21)
In order to enjoy Gods 7,000-times answer, we need to take Satan alive or risk being taken by Satan. How then can we take Satan alive? We need to keep the following in mind.
1. Beware of even a small temptation. Watching the unceasing idolatry of Ahab, King of Israel, God let Ben-Hadad, King of Aram invade Israel in order to let Ahab know who the Lord is. Ben-Hadad claims that Ahabs silver and gold and children are his, which implies depriving Ahab of everything his economic, political, and human resources. This is not a coincidence. Ahab brought it on himself. He didnt listen to Elijah and ignored Gods love and concern for Israel. Thats why God handed him over to Ben-Hadads strong, depriving hands. What Ahab needed to do was to look back on himself, pondering over why he was cornered like that. Interestingly, Ahab yields to Ben-Hadads request so easily even though he was stubborn and stiff-necked against God. Despite Ahabs submission to his request, however, noticing that Ahab was terrified, Ben-Hadad makes a further demand, saying that his men would search the houses of Ahabs officials as well as Ahabs. Thats how Satan works. Give him an inch and hell take a yard. Temptation doesnt come to us blowing its trumpet. Many people fall prey by giving that inch to its soft voice even though they know they are doing it. The signal of Satans attack is 'Its OK! Its nothing.'
2. Satan is in no way the one to compromise with. Ben-Hadads attack is the result of the Israelites idolatry. Ahab passes the buck to his subjects in making a counterstrategy against Ben-Hadads unreasonable demand. The elders and the people urged him to fight back desperately. Making an alliance with a gentile country secretly calls for following its custom of idolatry, which prevents Gods people from worshipping only the Lord. Ahab should have recognized that this issue wasnt the matter of negotiation. Keeping faith is hard work especially in this comprising age. The key virtues of Christians are patience and perseverance. Enduring for salvation is not a compromise. When facing an incident, we need to check how it happened to us and whether we brought it all on ourselves or not. Despite the objection of his elders and people, Ahab brings out his own compromise plan, which was to not upset Ben-Hadad and avoid a war. What an abject and miserable decision as a king! Without knowing God, we cant make a right decision. However, after knowing that his strategy didnt work, Ahab suddenly plucks up courage and snaps at Ben-Hadad, crying out 'It isnt over till its over!'
3. Know who the Lord is. No sooner than Ahab sets up bristles does God send him a prophet to help him because he wants Israel as a priestly kingdom for him. Gods message in this incident is 'You must know that I am the LORD.' Thus the Lord wants to reveal who he is the Almighty God and his absolute grace through the war between Israel and Aram. The same applies to our incidents. Facing an incident of divorce, death, or bidding farewell to someone, we need to interpret it as an incident that God sent for us to know who the Lord is. Thats how we can be a prophet sent by God for someone we know. God uses the prosperity of evil as a training rod for the righteous, which will be discarded when it is expired. The wealth that evil has accumulated will be handed over to Gods people. Our enemies prosperity reflects the amount of our sins. No matter how tactfully evil commit its evil deeds, they actually help God fulfill his providence in spite of themselves. Thats why we dont need to envy our Jezebels prosperity. The secret to taking Satan alive is to know who the Lord is, regardless of our earthly welfare or our enemies.
4. Take Satan alive whether he comes for peace or for war. At a loss of what to, Ahab finally consults his prophet. Fortunately, Ahab and his men come out to the field equipped with the Word, the best strategy. Likewise, we can consult the Word through our QT or by inquiring of our community. This is our spiritual infrastructure which helps us make our best choice. Whether our mokja(small group leader) is the best one or not, we need to inquire of him. God notices it and anoints our humble attitude, regarding our action as inquiring of the Lord. After inquiring of the Word, the Israelites were able to see the weakness of the Arameans. They defeated hundreds of thousands of their enemies thanks to the Lord being in company with them. Disobedient people cannot take Satan alive. The result off our war against Satan depends on whether we listen to the Word or not. It cannot be emphasized enough that the Word we mediate on every day is the weapon with which we take Satan alive. Our church teems with many victorious soldiers who took Satan alive with Gods strategy. Some of them were once taken alive by Satan yet later became the soldiers who take him alive. The biggest Satan always dwells in us. We cant control our heart. War is not an easy work. Those who are sick in body and soul need to call upon the name of Jesus. Theres no other way.
He said, 'If they have come out for peace, take them alive if they have come out for war, take them alive.' (1 Kgs 20:18)
