July 24, 2025

The Master Strategist 

“Our forefathers didn’t win these battles by their own strength or their own skill or strategy. But it was through the shining forth of Your radiant presence and the display of Your mighty power. You loved to give them victory, for You took great delight in them.” (Psalm 44:3 TPT)

In 2 Samuel 5:17-25, the Philistines decided to wage war against King David, attacking him in the Valley of Rephaim, which fittingly means “the valley of giants.” David sought God for the battle plan, implemented it, and defeated the Philistines in that valley. He renamed the place Baal-perazim, which means “the master of breakthrough,” stating that God had broken through his enemies for him.

The Philistines, however, decided to attack David again, doing so in the same manner and place: the same enemy, same battlefield, attacking with the same strategy. One would think David might be tempted to use the same strategy he had previously used to defeat them. But he inquired of the Lord regarding this, and God said, “No. You shall not go directly up; circle around behind them and come at them in front of the balsam trees. And when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then you shall act promptly, for the Lord will have gone out before you to strike the army of the Philistines,” (Verses 23-24). David obeyed this strategy and prevailed once again. The “Master of Breakthrough” is also the “Master Strategist.”

On another occasion, when Israel desperately needed water, Moses sought the Lord and was told to strike a rock with his staff; he did so and a river of water gushed forth (see Exodus 17:6). However, at a later time when Israel again needed water, God’s strategy was for Moses to speak to the rock in order to bring forth water (Numbers 20:8). 

That seems strange. Why speak to a rock? Because through the smitten rock that produced a river, God was producing a “type” or a picture of Christ (1 Corinthians 10:4), who would be “smitten” at the Cross. Christ, however, would obviously only be sacrificed once (Hebrews 7:27). After that, we would receive His living water by faith. Moses disobeyed, striking the rock as he had done previously. This produced the needed water, but God was very angry with Moses for messing with His picture of Christ’s redemption. So much so, in fact, that Moses was severely disciplined.

Strategies change. If we are going to partner with the Master of Breakthrough and defeat the spiritual giants in our land, it is critically important that we listen to Holy Spirit and obey the Master Strategist. He will prepare a table before us in the presence of our enemies, as He did for David, but can only do so as we listen and obey.

When considering this, I often think of “the sons of Issachar, men who understood the times, with knowledge of what Israel should do” (1 Chronicles 12:32). Although I mentioned it in a recent post, the principle it contains is vital and cannot be overstated. “Understood” is the Hebrew word biyn,(1) which is actually a mix of wisdom and revelation. The Issachar leaders possessed a unique blend of wisdom – that which is learned over time, and revelation – that which is received spontaneously by the Spirit. Through this unusual mix, they could discern times, timing, and what to do regarding the time – what, when, and how. David relied heavily on Issachar when at war (1 Chronicles 12:1, 32, and 38). 

Biyn is also what Solomon possessed. Most think of him as having wisdom, and he did, but Solomon asked for and was given more than just wisdom in order to function in his governmental role. He asked for biyn (1 Kings 3:9), which, again, is both wisdom and revelation. The margin of my Bible says he asked for “a hearing heart.” 

Another government leader, Daniel, was given biyn to help him lead (Daniel 9:22-23). In verse 22, the angel Gabriel said, “I have now come forth to give you insight with understanding (biyn)” (NASB). What a phrase – insight with understanding! May God give us leaders today with this special grace. This help from heaven is how we overcome spiritual giants, turn chaos into order, replace darkness with light, and transform nations.

Transforming a nation is a complex process: personnel must be replaced, paradigms held by millions of people must shift, many systems must be changed, and where America is concerned, much corruption must be exposed and overcome. This is why it is so critical that we pray for our government leaders, asking that God would bless them with His wisdom and strategies. 

The battle that is underway for the soul of America is far greater than securing freedom, liberty, and prosperity only for our nation. It is, without question, connected to the cause of Christ around the world. This obviously means that satan and his forces are working feverishly to stop what God is doing. I can assure you that the spiritual warfare over Washington, D.C. is fierce. We must lift up our leaders daily, praying for their strength and protection, and for God’s wisdom and revelation to be imparted to them. No human has enough understanding to fully accomplish what is needed. None.

As Solomon said in verse one of Psalms 127–yes, he wrote this Psalm, not David: “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.”

Pray with me:

Thank You so much, Father, for what You have begun in America. You are restoring our nation, enabling us to recover all. The “Appeal To Heaven” has been restored, the great reset has begun, the covenant well of Cape Henry is now open, and the Liberty Bell is ringing once again with Christ’s jubilee promise. You have promised to save America, and You are doing so. 

Now Lord, as we move into this next phase of Your strategy, revival and reformation, motivate intercessors to stay engaged. As we do so, help us grow in our understanding of Your ways – teach us to pray at higher levels of authority and deeper levels of wisdom and revelation. We ask You to bring forth the Ekklesia Christ spoke of in Matthew 16: “I will build a Church that the gates of hell cannot prevail against.” Bring forth THAT church!

We pray for our government leaders, just as Paul prayed for the church in Ephesus: give them the spirit of wisdom and revelation (Ephesians 1:17). Download to them–through their thoughts, Your Word, dreams, wise counsel: divine strategies, timing, and ideas. Keep them from mistakes and wrong decisions. Show them how to remove corruption, even if it is entrenched, and establish justice. Don’t allow enemies of truth to take righteous leaders by surprise or outmaneuver them. Guide our godly leaders as You did David, Solomon, and Daniel. As You do, this will give us the needed breakthroughs over spiritual giants in America, and transform our nation back to Your plan and purpose. 

We ask for this, Father, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Our decree:

We decree that as our governmental leaders call upon God for wisdom, He will answer their prayers, giving them divine strategies and understanding.

Click on the link below to watch the full video.

---

1. James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no. 995.