Recently, as I was in prayer, I heard the Lord say, “My church has been hanging out in the soaking room rather than the warfare room.” As I sat with the Lord with this statement, my heart began to grieve.
The depth of the Father’s love for us should invade every part of our being. To sit and soak in that abundant love and allow God to heal our hearts is vital. Besides, the soaking room represents intimacy with God.
It is crucial that we guard the intimate, loving relationship we have with God. We must know our position as sons and daughters of the amazing God we serve. There is nothing like soaking in the presence of God—unless it is time for battle.
“In the spring of the year, the time when the kings go out to battle, David sent out Joab and his officers, all of Israel with him. They brought to ruin the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah, but David remained in Jerusalem” (2 Sam. 11:1).
We must not skip over this verse as it is a message for the church today. Scripture describes a season of war. Leaders must understand the times and the seasons, and lead the people from the comfort of the soaking room to the strategies of the warfare room.
“Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the palace’s roof. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath” (2 Sam. 11:2, NLT).
The Lord says, “Many of My warriors have been napping when they are to be at war, and their focus is off because they are not on the battlefield.” David was viewing life from the comfort of home when he was to be on the frontlines. Because his position was off, his gaze was also off. Rather than seeing warfare strategies and executing them with the precision of heaven’s realm, he was opening the door to lust, adultery, deceit and murder.
Not only was David’s gaze off, but he had also laid down his weapons. The Lord says, “The body of Christ must pick up the weapons of warfare that have either not been taken up or were laid down prematurely.”
“We faithfully preach the truth. God’s power is working in us. We use the weapons of righteousness in the right hand for attack and the left hand for defense” (2 Cor. 6:7, NLT).
The concept Paul is talking about is taking the sword of the Spirit in your right hand for attack. The season in the soaking room was to prepare us for the warfare room. The sword of a warrior does not do any good in its sheath when you are on the battlefield. You must draw your sword and take back the ground. The other concept we can apply is seeing the shield of faith used as a defensive weapon. Nothing is going on in the world today the body of Christ does not have the capacity to handle. The question is, will we?
God is asking, “Where is your faith, where are your weapons and where are you positioned?” Don’t lounge in the soaking room if you are scheduled to be in the warfare room during this season.
Future generations are depending on you to take your right position in this season. {eoa}
Ruth Hendrickson is an ordained pastor, itinerant speaker, ministry trainer and board-certified biblical counselor who has extensive experience in the development, training and oversight of emotional healing ministry teams, recovery ministries, prophetic ministry, prayer ministries and women’s ministry. In addition, she is a course facilitator for Patricia King Institute and Charisma Courses. She writes for The Elijah List and Charisma and has a podcast titled Real Truth With Ruth. Through biblically-based teachings and practical applications infused with love and laughter, her goal is to introduce people not only to the living God who saves, but also to the God who desires an intimate relationship with each one of us. Her latest book Positioned: How to be Empowered to Walk in Your Diving Destiny will help you unlock your potential so that you can be all that God created you to be.
Connect with Ruth Hendrickson at Ruthhendrickson.org ; on facebook.com/RuthHendrickson.org/ and on her podcast: Real Truth With Ruth.
