This is How I Fight My Battles

The morning began with a short walk through the Jaffa Gate. Meir had us pause to check and see if we could enter the Tower of David from the lower entrance… aka the exit. He found out by talking to the guard that the museum wasn’t open yet, but he is friends with the manager and gave her a call. She said, “What do you mean they won’t let YOU in?” So she called the guards and we got an early entrance into the courtyard and museum area. It was refreshing not to be crushed by crowds. We could take her time. Thank you Meir and the mysterious manager.

The Tower of David is an unusual museum. It is an old watch tower and fortress. It has layer upon layer of history built upon it just like everywhere, but what is unusual is in the architecture of the courtyard you can see all of the different architectural styles very clearly… from the time before Jesus, to Herod’s version in the time of Jesus, to Muslim, to Byzantine, to Crusaders and to the Ottomans. There are even photographs of the British
aristocracy having tea in their Victorian dresses and uniforms in this very spot. 

The museum is laid out in a most fascinating way. Every room is a different layer of history. The first area depicts the pagan Canaanites and Jebusites that lived here first. Then it moves to David conquering the city, establishing for the first time in 1,000 BC, Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. (I didn’t realize we started our day hearing those words, until I read my journal. Why is that striking? We ended the day hearing that 8 presidents before him promised to move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, but President Donald Trump is the first one to keep his word. It was really important to Daddy that we get to go to the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem. When we arrived security came on the bus and asked us to only photograph the seal on the wall. Not to photograph the building or any of the security guards for their protection. We all jumped out and got our picture taken together. 

I told Meir back on the bus that we watched the ceremony Live at home in the states. He said it was like a holiday here. People were celebrating. Why? Guys, there are many many people in the world that believe that there should not be an Israel and that they have no right to this land. Yet the proof that a Jewish people, lived and ruled here long before all the rest. And Jerusalem was her capital. They have not been allowed to call Jerusalem the capital

because people wanted to keep it an “international” city… well its going to be that no matter what. But more than one country cannot claim the same capital. Modern Israel has always wanted the capital to be Jerusalem. The Knesset is here. It is like their Capitol Building where their Congress meets. The president lives here. In fact, the prime minister’s house or “White House” is less than a mile from our hotel in Jerusalem. In fact after visiting the Embassy, our bus was delayed, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu drove by us this afternoon. Jerusalem is already operating as the capital, but the international community does not want it made official because it would add legitimacy to Israel’s claim to be allowed to have a Jewish state here. All of the other Embassies are in Tel Aviv. That’s why it is so momentous that the United States was one of the first to stand with Israel on this matter. Whatever you think of our president, he kept a promise that the 7 presidents before him could not accomplish to our friend and ally, Israel.

So I kind of skipped ahead there to the end of the day, and now I want to jump back to the
museum. One reason why I love the Tower of David is that it gives you a visual understanding of what the city and the people that lived in it through the ages looked like. One particular part is every station has a map of the outline of the current Old City in black and then it has a filled in section that shows where the City was during that time in history. For instance, the City of David where David’s palace and city was, is not even within the walls of the Old City. Its on a mountain outside. When Solomon built on, it shows how the city began to expand into the upper parts and slowly fills in the place where the modern outline is.

So we start with Joshua coming into the Promised Land. The country was divided among the tribes according to their sizes. How many tribes was the land divided unto? Yep, 11. “Wait, not 12?” Two things: the tribe belonging to Joseph was divided into two half-tribes for his sons: Ephraim and Manasseh. But also the tribe of Levi did not get any land. The priestly tribe was to be cared for by the other tribes while they took care of the articles, the House and the ministry to God. 

Jennifer asked Meir if he knew what tribe he was from. He said sure! All of the Jews living today are of the tribe of Judah, except a small percentage that carrying the Cohen DNA meaning they are of the tribe of Levi. 

Israel became invaded by Philistines who systematically began building cities around the edges of the country. With plans to conquer it. They tried to take the land from the tribes.

Meir pointed out that King Saul tried to empty Israel of her enemies, the Philistines, and he failed because he became more obsessed with hunting down and killing David. King David managed to conquer the country and make room for Israel. Because David did all of the warring, Solomon was allowed to be a king with a free mind. Not burdened down by strategies of war. 

Each king had their own battles to fight. They chose different ways to fight them. King Saul

chose to turn on his friend and servant losing his battle. David battled through worship, through believing God, through listening to men of God and strategizing according to the word of the Lord. Solomon battled with his pen. He battled by trying to impart the wisdom God so graciously gave him.

When the Queen of Sheba returned to Ethiopia after having seen the beauty of Jerusalem herself, two hundred Jewish families accompanied her. Some of them returned, but some stayed. It wasn’t long ago that the Ethiopian Jewish branch has been reunited to the Jews of the World. In fact, Rabbi Moshe’s son fell in love and married a beautiful Ethiopian girl. People started showing up at the wedding that weren’t invited because they wanted to witness this beautiful reunification of separated peoples. Rabbi Moshe said: “We taught them our dances and they taught us theirs and we laughed a lot. This is prophecy being fulfilled.”

Division came to the kingdom after Solomon. The people and the kings of Judah and the Kings of Israel decided to have separate places of worship rather than every one coming to Jerusalem. This gave way for the kingdom to be conquered and carried into exile in Babylon. The Temple was destroyed. The Jewish people were in exile until King Cyrus of Persia gave permission for them to return and rebuild.

Then the Greeks conquered and turned the Temple into a temple to one of their many gods. The Maccabees revolted and reclaimed the Temple, cleansing it for God. The story of Hanukkah happened here. Meir said this is a place in history where the Jewish people must thank the Christian for preserving documentation of history. The Apocrypha (not included in our canonical Bible) contains the story of the Maccabees which helped them fill in the details of the tradition that had been passed down for ages. 

After the Maccabees, the Romans conquered Jerusalem in 63 BC. Meir told us about his love/hate relationship with Herod the Great. His mother was Jewish. He was born in Edom, but he went to school in Rome and stayed in the home of Caesar Augustus. So when he was looking for someone to rule over the Jewish people, he chose the guy that lived in his own house who was part Jewish (even though he never practiced his faith a day in his life). The love hate relationship comes in. We love all the renovations he made to the temple and city and surrounding cities. It worked. People liked the results. What they didn’t like was the fact that he was being called King of the Jews when he didn’t really know anything about what being Jewish meant. Jewish in name only. Also, him being called “king” was an affront because all of the kings of Israel came from the line of David except one King Saul. They said who is this Herod? Is he a son of David?

Then Jesus came. There is proof historically that he lived during this time. Forty years after Jesus was gone, the Romans were done trying to rule the Jews on their home turf. They destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple and scattered the Jewish people across the known world so they could not organize and revolt.

We ascended the staircase to one of the most breathtaking 360 views of the Old City. It is worth the climb to be able to see all of the rooftops of the Old city with the Mount of Olives as backdrop… and then turn to see Mount Zion and its unique skyline with Dormition Abbey. Stunning!

Some of the group descended into the café, coffee out area… James took a crew up on the battlements to walk on top of part of the city walls. I ran the last crew on a bullet point tour through 2,000 years of history. 70 AD to British occupation. 

So our next stop was a special treat for me. Last summer, James and I met a sweet couple from Switzerland, Didier and Miriam. Miriam was pregnant with their first child- Rueben. In
Switzerland, they are both teachers and part of their package with the school system there is to be able to take sabbaticals. So for their year off they decided to volunteer their time at Succat Hallel. 

Succat Hallel (Hebrew for Tabernacle of Praise) is a dynamic community of worshippers and intercessors from five continents drawn together to stand as watchmen on the walls of Jerusalem. 

Started as a living room ministry, Succat Hallel has a beautiful facility overlooking Mount
Zion and the Old City of Jerusalem. “Since then we have been crying out day and night 24/7 – until He makes Jerusalem a praise in all the earth. All who have come have the common desire to minister first unto the Lord, to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and intercede for Israel and the nations.”

James and I came last summer to join our friends while Didier led worship. What we loved and it was true today, it is one of the few places you can worship freely. We felt the presence of the Lord as soon as we stepped in the room that day and today.

I reached out to Miriam to see if she could get us some more info about visiting. Pastor gave us the go ahead.

It took some maneuvering, but we were able to get the bus into the neighborhood. As we entered the foyer, we could already hear the music coming from above. We entered the room and the view itself is breathtaking. You can see Mount Zion, the Temple Mount, and the Mount of Olives.

Being that it was our first time here it makes you feel uncomfortable, but as we walked in they were singing, “You are welcome here… you are welcome here….” Now I know they were talking about God being welcomed here. But it was a lovely invitation to come in the room.

I wasn’t going to miss my opportunity to worship over the city. So I got as close to the full wall window as I could. I sang my little heart out. Worshipped my little heart out!

We shifted into the phrase “Highest Praises, Lord Over All…” from Jeremy Riddle’s song “Be Enthroned” Oh to sing these words over Jerusalem and all who have walked the streets, who are walking them and who will walk them:

We've come to join the song
Sung long before our lives
To raise our voice along
Heaven and earth alike

We've seen Your faithful hand
Your mercy without end
A King who bled and died
A God who sacrificed

Be enthroned upon the praises of
A thousand generations
You are worthy, Lord of all
Unto You the slain and risen King
We lift our voice with heaven
Singing worthy, Lord of all

All through this life we lead
And on through eternity
Our endless praise, We'll cry
Jesus be glorified

Highest Praises
Lord of all”

It was almost more than I could stand. So I sat by the window and painted while the young men continued to lead. I shifted into prayer and painting. With an ear bent to how the Spirit was leading him the lead worshipper Josh.

He Continued..

“Nothing is as strong as your blood… nothing”

“It may look like I'm surrounded
But I'm surrounded by You

This is how I fight my battles
This is how I fight my battles
This is how I fight my battles”

As we sang this… it made me think about the fact that we all face battles in different ways. I want to face my battles with worshipping God like we were doing in that room. The leader of the room began to read the following Scripture.

Psalm 46 TPT

God, you’re such a safe and powerful place to find refuge!
You’re a proven help in time of trouble—
more than enough and always available whenever I need you.
2 So we will never fear
even if every structure of support[b] were to crumble away.
We will not fear even when the earth quakes and shakes,
moving mountains and casting them into the sea.
3 For the raging roar of stormy winds and crashing waves
cannot erode our faith in you.
Pause in his presence
4 God has a constantly flowing river whose sparkling streams
bring joy and delight to his people.
His river flows right through the city of God Most High,
into his holy dwelling places.[c]
5 God is in the midst of his city,[d] secure and never shaken.
At daybreak his help will be seen with the appearing of the dawn.
6 When the nations are in uproar with their tottering kingdoms,
God simply raises his voice
and the earth begins to disintegrate before him.
7 Here he comes!
The Commander!
The mighty Lord of Angel Armies is on our side.
The God of Jacob fights for us!
Pause in his presence
8–9 Everyone look!
Come and see the breathtaking wonders of our God.
For he brings both ruin and revival.
He’s the one who makes conflicts end
throughout the earth,
breaking and burning every weapon of war.
10 Surrender your anxiety![e]
Be silent and stop your striving and you will see that I am God.
I am the God above all the nations,
and I will be exalted throughout the whole earth.
11 Here he stands!
The Commander!
The mighty Lord of Angel Armies is on our side!
The God of Jacob fights for us!
Pause in his presence

This is how I fight my battles… the mighty Lord of the Angel Armies is on our side.

We were only able to stay for a half hour. But it was so refreshing. Many of our pilgrims thanked us for this moment just spent simply in prayer and worship.

Next was St. Peter of Gallacantu.  This is Caiaphas’s house where Jesus was imprisoned and also where Peter denied Jesus in the Courtyard three times. A lot of pictures of roosters around here. 

We had to wait our turn to get down into the cistern/prison. I encouraged our people to
identify with what Jesus faced in this hole. These were his last moments alone. How did He fight the battle? He had already set his eyes on the joy set before Him. The last words He uttered in prayer before this were: Not my will. But Thine be done. 

He had just been interrogated by a group of angry people. He was about to face a lot more people completely stripped of his clothes. He knew it was beginning. What He knew from the foundation of the Earth. That He was the Lamb being led to the slaughter. He was alone for a brief moment here in the hole. What did he and the Father communicate in those last moments? 

As we went down, I had asked Tanieya to go down first and sing while we all joined her.

She sang Jesus Messiah:

He became sin, who knew no sin
That we might become his righteousness
He humbled himself and carried the cross
Love so amazing, love so amazing

Jesus messiah, name above all names
Blessed redeemer, Emmanuel
The rescue for sinners, the ransom from heaven
Jesus messiah, lord of all

His body the bread, his blood the wine
Broken and poured out all for love
The whole earth trembled, and the veil was torn
Love so amazing, how can it be? Your love's so amazing, yeah

I prayed while we were down there. "Jesus, thank you for everything. thank you for being here. We have come to say thank you. If space and time fold in on its self and you could some how hear us while you are alone here. May we minister to you as the angels are doing. We love you. We wouldn't be here and we wouldn't be who we are if you hadn't walked this road first.

Pastor Thomas shared with us in the courtyard:

2 Kings 3:16

Out of order 

Jehosaphat & Elijah 

Bring me a musician

He needed worship before he could get the word. Make the valley full of ditches. He will deliver the Moabites into your hand. Ruin good land with stone. So often we are waiting for God to do everything for us.

Elisha had to go worship before God before he got a word. Sometimes you’ll be in a hard place. He got to a quiet place. It was during worship Elisha got a word. He had to do action after word. When the enemy saw filled 

ditches they thought of it as blood. God changed the perception to win the victory. You don’t always have to fight. The victory was won in the action. 

Elijah & Widow

How poor do you have to be? How down do you have to be? To say this is our last meal. And then Elijah asks for the last of their food. I am not a fan of being a beggar and poor mouthing. But Elijah says, “Give me some first.”

You begin with giving then receiving. The flour didn’t run out, nor did the oil.

If we are going to win God’s war with His strategy, we will have to do His odd requests. God

needs us to agree. We have authority in prayer. As sons of Adam and daughters of Eve to speak things into existence. I never met anyone who wanted to do God’ will that ever missed God’s will. You should be ready to do whatever God asks. Rev. T.D. Hogue: “God will lead men down foolish roads to see who will follow.” God will lead His people down foolish trails to see who will follow.

Not everybody thinks about you as much as you think they do. Don’t measure your obedience by what other people are think doing saying, or criticizing. You’ll waste your time.

Dig ditches, bring pots to be filled with oil. Do what He asks.

After this... we went to Yad Vashem... The Holocaust museum and memorial. Which is hard to speak of... let alone write about. You could spend hours there and not hear every story or read every word. But it must never be forgotten.

I feel like if you made it to the end of this extra long blog you should win an achievement badge or something! Seriously, thank you for joining me by reading. It gives me the desire to keep going.