Deuteronomy 29, Psalm 129, Galatians 6

Memory is a powerful tool. God (through Moses) wanted the people to remember all He did for them in the past so they would trust Him for the future. He also wanted them to remember the bad things that result from failure to follow and worship only the One True God. Third, He wanted to renew the covenant with them before they crossed into the Promised Land because they would have to fight for control of it. They needed internal fortitude to go forward.

Psalm 129 could be the rallying cry as the people entered the battle. It sounds like a speech at a pep rally to me, at the point where the leader gets the crowd fired up and leads a chant. He yells, "Who are the Bluejays?" and the people yell back, "The mighty, mighty Bluejays!" Only here it's, "Who is the Lord?" and the people say,"The mighty, mighty Lord, who gave us the victory!"

Paul had been through many battles for Christ and had the scars to prove it. He claimed a lot of territory for the Lord. His message, like that of the Psalmist, was to do good to others when you're the victor. Glory in the Lord because that's where the victory comes from. Verse 16 says, "And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God."

Doesn't it help to remember God's faithfulness in the past when you face new trials? It helped me when I found out I had cancer and kept helping as I fought through the treatments. When I didn't think I could go on, I turned to the Bible and read the promises there.

Have you fought valiantly in the battles you faced? Have you remained true to the Lord, no matter what? The reward is a fresh sense of His presence, a thrill that He came through again: the thrill of victory. Keep fighting, my friend. The result is worth it.