Captain of the Lord’s Host, January 22

“The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”—Exodus 14:14JNN 29.1

I think of the meditation of Christ and the promise, “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you” (John 14:18). The agency of the Holy Spirit is to combine with human effort and all heaven is engaged in the work of preparing a people for to stand in these last days. The end is near, and we want to keep the future world in view. The burden of my prayer is that the churches may be aroused from their moral torpor and awaken to earnest, interested endeavor. Oh, that they could see and understand that in this last conflict the Captain of the Lord’s host is leading on the armies of heaven and mingling in the ranks and fighting our battles for us. We shall have apostasies; we expect them. “They will go out from us because they were not of us” (1 John 2:19). “Every plant, which My heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up” (Matthew 15:13).JNN 29.2

The angel, the mighty angel from heaven, is to “lighten the earth with His glory” while He cries mightily with a loud voice, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen” (Revelation 18:1, 2). Oh, how I wish the church to arise and shine because the glory of the Lord has risen upon her. What can we not do in God if every human agency is doing its very utmost. “Without Me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5).JNN 29.3

We would lose faith and courage in the conflict if we were not sustained by the power of God. Every form of evil is to spring into intense activity. Evil angels unite their powers with evil people and, as they have been in constant conflict and attained an experience in the best modes of deception and battle, and have been strengthening for centuries, they will not yield the last great final contest without a desperate struggle. All the world will be on one side or the other of the question. The battle of Armageddon will be fought. And that day must find none of us sleeping. Wide awake we must be, as wise virgins having oil in our vessels with our lamps. What is this? Grace, grace! The power of the Holy Ghost must be upon us and the Captain of the Lord’s host will stand at the head of the angels of heaven to direct the battle.—Letter 112, 1890.JNN 29.4

Further Reflection: Satan and his evil army will do everything within their power to fight the armies of God. Am I ready to take my place in the great battle to come? What can I do today to prepare?JNN 29.5