2 Samuel 1:27 “And the weapons of war perished!”

The Bible says, “How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!”

It is unfortunate that those whom we once called mighty men of faith have lost their position in the kingdom of God. Those who were once respected are also losing their stand, compromising their faith, and losing their weapons in exchange for using the weapons of their enemy to fight him in battle.

Mighty men are being led captive by the enemy because of disobedience to the ordinances of God.

Jesus Christ is the Lord of hosts who sits among the cherubim. He is a Man of war who led the battle against the forces of wickedness and won the victory on the cross.

Whoever wants to claim this victory with Him must follow Him to the foot of the cross, where He fought and won on behalf of all humanity.

Unfortunately, many have exchanged their weapons of warfare for the weapons of the enemy by surrendering their weapons at the feet of the devil.

There is no way you can use the weapons of the flesh to fight a spiritual battle and not lose. This is what caused the collapse of many mighty men. They forgot that “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:4–5, KJV).

No wonder the Lord said, “he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved” (Matthew 24:13, KJV), because many started well but never finished well.

Some are falling by the wayside, just like the five foolish virgins who did not enter the bridegroom’s chamber because of their foolishness in taking sacred things lightly.

Some fell because they did not adequately prepare for the spiritual journey ahead of them. They are like a man who wants to build a house but fails to count the cost. When he has built halfway, he stops because he does not have the resources prepared to finish it.

Or they are like a warrior who wants to face his enemies in battle without adequate preparation, attempting to meet a thousand soldiers with only a hundred. Jesus used this comparison in a parable: “What king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?” (Luke 14:31, KJV).

Some fell because they allowed their flesh to control their actions. As a result, they lost the battle, and their enemy took over the affairs of their lives without them realizing it.

The young prophet in the Bible lost his way because he respected the word of the old prophet more than the word he had heard directly from the mouth of God (1 Kings 13:1–26).

Many warriors of faith have been led away from the true way by the advice of elderly people.

It is not wrong to listen to the advice of an elder, but if that advice contradicts what the Lord has told you, you should not follow it. He may be the very person God is using to test your faithfulness to His Word.

Some fell because they had not overcome their flesh before carrying the mantle of leadership. The flesh may not stop a person from reaching the top, but it can stop him from advancing the course of his calling or prevent him from remaining there.

I used to cry when I saw those who were once burning for Christ now preaching heresies. I asked myself, “Is this how they started, or were they only pretending all these years?”

I wonder how those who were once highly respected in spiritual matters have now become slaves to the devil and mammon.

They sold their souls to the devil by allowing him to divert the course of their ministerial assignments in his favour, and they eventually lost their crowns.

Instead of focusing on their calling and fulfilling the reason they were created, they ended up fighting for titles and positions in the kingdom. By doing so, they invited Satan to fight on their behalf by reporting their rivals to the powers of darkness.

They have deviated from the ministry of reconciliation and redemption, and many of their followers are taking the same path, thereby winning more souls to the devil through their fall.

Blind followers will not stop following simply because their leaders are blind. They see the sign pointing to destruction behind their leaders, but they refuse to look at it because they do not want to become unfaithful to their leaders.

They do not realize that by refusing to be unfaithful to leaders who are already lost, they have become unfaithful servants to God and may lose their crown for eternity.

The mighty have fallen because they decided to follow a man rather than follow God. They will not realize that the man has fallen until both of them enter the pit. Then they will discover that they have been lost all this while without knowing it.

Their focus shifted from Jesus to a man whose breath is in his nostrils, from the One who is the Way to a man who is still searching for the way. The prophet Isaiah warned, “Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of?”

Some are running the race while looking back. There is no way you can run and continually look back without stumbling.

You will look at what you have lost, like Lot’s wife. You will look at those who are behind you and begin comparing yourself with them.

Christ is supposed to be our standard of holiness, not man. Do not compare yourself with those who are behind you. Instead, look forward and seek to become like Jesus Christ. Do not become foolish by comparing yourself with others.

Jesus said, “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Let us return our eyes to Jesus. Let us hold firmly to His Word, guard the weapons He has given us, and remain faithful to the end.

Prayer:
Father Lord, uphold me with Your right hand of righteousness, lest I fall on the way. In Jesus’ name, Amen.