HOME TURF
Today's reading: Judges 1-6

I'm not well-versed in sport lingo. I can recognize the appropriate balls used in each sport, but that bit of knowledge is where it all ends. I get muddled in regards to which sport receives homeruns and which sport gets baskets or goals. I usually pick my favorite team based on the color combination of their uniforms. What I do know is about 'home turf' advantage. It's the comforting effect of a team playing in their own surroundings. Common ground alleviates fear, apprehension and worry. I'm not sure, but I'll guess there's a pretty high percentage of teams that prosper with the 'home turf' thing on their side.

We as Christians should be using the same principle in our walks with Christ! The Israelites used it, so I believe it's recording is set to inspire us to do the same.

"The Lord was with the people of Judah, and they took possession of the hill country. But they failed to drive out the people living in the plains because the people there had iron chariots." Judges 1:19 NLT

My Bible commentary tells me that iron chariots were the most sophisticated weapons of that time. Quite an upperhand when compared to travel-worn, sandaled warriors. Their swift feet were no match for horse drawn battle machines on the wide-open plains.

But if you'll continue reading, you'll find that on a few occasions the Israelites led their enemies into battle back in the hill country they'd procurred.

To places where the chariots got stuck, flipped over or were useless because of the terrain.

My point: Satan wants to fight us on his home court. He wants to fluster us with the surroundings he is most acquainted with. He wants to lead us out into the wide open 'plains' he is most familiar with and stomp us into the dirt.

Our solution: Take him to our home turf. If he attempts to feed you a headful of lies, remind him loudly and proudly of the fact that God loves you. If he wants to bring up your sordid and ugly past, state for the record that those sins have been covered by Jesus' blood. If he wants to drag you off to the desert he's most used to playing in--sink your nails in, plant your feet and state, in no uncertain terms, that God has bought you with a price and satan will not be taking you anywhere without His approval.

There's no use us being wimps. There is no use us not using each and every promise God has given us to our advantage. There is no use us worrying, fretting and throwing in the towel when faced with the uncertain things satan likes to throw our way--take him to where we know God resides, to what we know to be the truth, to places you and I both know satan hates to go and where he loses the upperhand--Christ's feet!

God has provided us victory against our enemies...that gives us the home turf advantage!