I don’t know whether there were any Eddie Swanson’s in King Hezekiah’s day or not. Eddie, a 45 year old, 5’9″, 195 lbs. police officer in Chattanooga, Tennessee went to the gym with his girlfriend Mesha intending to set a world record and he did! With his hands gripping 70 lbs barbells, he reached 525 barbell curls in 60 minutes. So he made it to the Guinness Book of World Records. But there are some struggles and battles that even a bicep buster can’t win.

King Hezekiah’s people may have been biting their fingernails in fear when they saw the massive military might of the enemy approaching the city of Jerusalem. “Jake, there’s no way we can win this one. We’re as good as dead. It’s all up with us now. Forget it – there’s no sense of us even trying to resist this enemy. There are some battles u just can’t win. This is one of them.” Ever feel that way, dear child of God?

Here is what King Hezekiah said to the people to encourage them: “Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him: With him is an arm of flesh; (ummm – the biceps!!) but with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah. (2Chronicles 32:7-8)

All the King of Assyria could rely on was human strength, ingenuity and skill. The arm of flesh. Biceps, brains and bullets (or their equivalents). But God’s people had the Lord. Even if their biceps were wimpy or flabby and their brains not quite up to snuff, as long as their hearts were focused on the Lord and dependant upon Him, they’d score a victory. And that’s exactly what happened. God simply commissioned ONE angel and the rest is history. The five-star generals and captains and possibly as many as 185,000 soldiers were wiped out and the enemy king retreated with … well it doesn’t say with ‘egg on his face’, it says: “…He returned with ‘shame of face’ to his own land.” (v.21)

Are you trying to win a battle with some enemy inside you that is trying to gain control or an external enemy? Are you despairing of ever winning the battle? What’s your battle plan? What’s your strategy? How are you fighting this battle? Romans 8 is the only successful victory strategy. Hopefully you’ll get a chance to read Romans 8 today and Galatians 5:16: “Walk in the Spirit and ye shall NOT fulfill the lust of the flesh.”