IN OLD Testament times, God's people fought their enemies with the sword. Today, God's people use the "sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God" (Ephesians 6:17, RSV).

In either situation, survival requires that one not allow one's enemies to appear before and behind one at the same time!

In today's reading we see what God's people did when ambushed: they "cried to the Lord"; they "blew the trumpets"; and they "raised the battle shout." Summarized, this means uniting Divine power and human activity.

We see this principle throughout the Bible. Virtually any time that "salvation" is considered, whether physical or spiritual, we will find the cooperative union of Divine and human activity.

Someone has said that when there is trouble all around we must "pray as if it all depends on God, and work as if it all depends on us." This blend will avoid both senseless dependency and an undesirable humanism. Jesus, who came "to do the will of the Father," also said, "We must work" (John 9:4, RSV).

The battle is real, and Satan has nowhere obligated himself to fight fairly.