14 When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained men born in his household and went in pursuit as far as Dan. 15 During the night Abram divided his men to attack them and he routed them, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus. 16 He recovered all the goods and brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people. ~ Genesis 14:14-16NIV
Abram wasn’t in any danger. He was safe. His people were safe. His belongings were safe. He was flourishing. All was going well with him, but Lot had found himself taken by the enemy. See, Lot settled in a wicked land. Sodom constantly did what was evil before the eyes of the LORD, but Lot, according to 2 Peter 2:7, was righteous, and his soul, tormented by the wickedness surrounding him, became a victim of that wickedness. So, when Abram heard his nephew was taken, he gathered trained men to go with him to deliver Lot and all that was taken from him.
See, sometimes, as Christians, we go places that we really shouldn’t go. We go to places that have nothing for us. Places that only torment our souls. Places that we don’t belong. We aren’t influencing the community, but the community is affecting us. It’s spiritually attacking us. It’s spiritually oppressing us. It’s bringing us deeper and deeper into spiritual bondage that sometimes we aren’t even aware of.
When Abram, his uncle, saw this happen, he didn’t say Lot should’ve known better than to stay there. He didn’t say Lot got himself into this mess so he can get himself out of this mess. No. Abram not only went after Lot to rescue him Abram got 318 men that he knew were well-trained and that he trusted to help him rescue his nephew.
This is how we should be today. We need to be so prayed up, so in tune with the Spirit of God, that when He tells us someone we love has been spiritually captured by the enemy, we’ll go after them. We’ll do anything it takes to get them, and all the enemy took back from the enemy. We have to be willing to admit that this isn’t something we can do alone, so we reach out for help. Not help from people who don’t know how to spiritually fight but trained seasoned warriors of God. People who have spiritually trained for battle with the enemy through continuous praying, fasting, and worship.
Oftentimes, it’s easier to just say, “They should’ve known better,” and move on, but this isn’t the will of God. We all fall at some point in time. We all make mistakes. We all go places that we shouldn’t go. And when we do, wouldn’t you want someone to come to your rescue? Jesus said to treat others how you want to be treated. Solomon said cast your bread upon the water, and it will return to you in many days. How we treat others and judge others will be how we are treated and judged. Therefore, always act from a place of love, for the entire Law is founded on loving God and loving your neighbor.
Peace. Love. Go Forth and Love Your Neighbor.