“But the LORD is with me as a dread warrior; therefore my persecutors will stumble; they will not overcome me. They will be greatly shamed, for they will not succeed. Their eternal dishonor will never be forgotten.” Jeremiah 20:11 (ESV)
Our God is called a dread warrior! Here are how some other translations put it…
Mighty warrior (NIV)
Great warrior (NLT)
Fearsome warrior (Berean Standard Bible)
Mighty terrible One (KJV)
Mighty awesome One (NKJV)
Powerful champion (NASB)
Ruthless mighty One (Legacy Standard Bible)
Violent warrior (CSB/HCSB)
Awe-inspiring warrior (NET Bible)
Dread champion (AMP)
Strong defender (CEB)
Strong soldier (ERV)
Terrifying warrior (EHV)
Though there are many expressions, I think we get the point! Our God is the most awesome, terrifying, powerful, ruthless, violent WARRIOR. He is our dread warrior! We are told elsewhere that our God is like a mighty man of war marching out to battle (Isaiah 42:13). We are told that our warrior God will fight for us, and deliver us from our enemy (Exodus 14:14). The author of Hebrews tells us that it is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31). And this is exactly where our enemy is right now, in the hands of our dread warrior!
This is not the hour for God’s people to cower in fear, but to stand, knowing their dread warrior is going to fight for us! The word dread means “to anticipate with great or extreme apprehension or fear.” Contrary to the way things look at the moment, the enemy is running scared, very scared! He knows that judgment and justice is going to be served, and that we will see it with our eyes, but it will not touch us (Psalm 91:8). The dread is not to be on us, but on our/His enemies!
Thank the Lord for being your dread warrior! Thank Him for never losing, for never being caught by surprise. Thank Him that His justice and judgment are not against you because you are His child, and He fights for His children! Thank Him that His justice and judgment are coming, and it could be quickly! Ask the Lord to show you any place where you have been fighting battles that were not yours to fight. Surrender them to the Lord, and let Him be your dread warrior!
