Clean Transcript

Captain Jonathan Davis "A Combat Mentality"

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• I want to bring a message today which not only you never heard, you probably have never heard about this individual. And you probably have never really realized how the truth of what I'm going to be bringing you is replete throughout the Scriptures. But I'm going to be bringing a message on Captain Jonathan Davis and a combat mentality. I want you to watch this. It's in the Scripture.

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• 1 Corinthians chapter 16 and verse 13, where God commands, "Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit ye like men, be strong." Let's read that again. It's just one verse. "Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit ye like men, be strong." So the message then deals with Captain Jonathan Davis and a combat mentality. So let me begin by asking a simple question. Don't answer out loud, but here's the question. Where are the men?

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• How is it that in America today that we have sired a generation of pansies, a generation of spineless, gutless wimps that are absolutely afraid to stand for truth, righteousness, holiness and principle? So let me enlarge that first question by asking, where are the men that are ready and willing to fight for their lives, their families, and the principles of right? I certainly do not endorse, nor do I agree with Arnold Schwarzenegger on most points. However, a few years ago, he did make a statement concerning which I most wholeheartedly agree. Because in that statement, he talked about girly men, which I think is very appropriate for today's arena. I think such girly men are everywhere today. Men today had rather play than work, they had rather be protected than be protectors, and they had rather be pacifistic rather than indulge in martial training. In fact, they had rather be amused than to think, study, and pray.

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• Recently, Alice and I were at an airport in, I think, Denver, Colorado, and we saw a 19 to 21-year-old couple at the airport. The man was playing a video game, and the woman was coloring in a Charlie Brown coloring book. Neither one was mentally challenged, or at least not by appearance, and yet here they were, a married couple basically refusing to grow up. I remember seeing years ago a young married couple in a drugstore and they were sitting down reading comic books.

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• I knew both of them because I'd gone to school with them. And I made the statement, how can they spend all this time sitting there reading comic books? And the person whom I made that statement to said, well, they come in here every day and spend several hours a day just reading comic books. It was a married couple. I think there's something wrong when a 40-year-old father is better at computer and video games than his 12-year-old son. It's absolutely amazing that everywhere I go, I see grown men and grown women playing computer games. If we do not have girly men today, then we're swamped with grown adult children that refuse to mature.

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• Now, I will tell you this, that there is only one area in which we as adults and mature Christians should be immature. You say, what is that? Well, look back in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians chapter 14. Now, notice verse 20. 1 Corinthians 14 and verse 20. Then we're coming right back to 1 Corinthians 16. But look in 1 Corinthians chapter 14 in verse 20. Here the apostle Paul says it like this, "Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men." So he tells us that we cannot be children in understanding, but we could be children when it comes to malice.

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• And you understand exactly what he's talking about. Because little children playing together can get upset with each other. They can get angry with each other. They can run and tell their parents crying, and so-and-so hit me, or so-and-so hurt me, or so-and-so said something about me. And you say, there, there. And the next thing you know, within two minutes, they're out playing together. Everything's gone. Everything's forgotten. Everything's over with. And they're the best of friends again. So the Apostle Paul said, in malice you can be children. Don't hold grudges, don't be bitter, don't be resentful, get on with your life.

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• But he said in understanding, you must be men. Now, go back to 1 Corinthians 16 and look at verse 13 again. 1 Corinthians 16 and verse 13, he says, "Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit ye like men, and be strong."

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• Now, our text is a clear clarion call for a combat mentality. This text is decidedly a military text. It demonstrates awareness, courage, boldness, and strength. Interestingly, when you look at verse 13, when he says, "Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit ye like men," the word "men" is a very special word. In fact, the word "men" here is known as a hapax legomenon, which means it is a word that occurs only one time in scripture. The word for "men" here is andrizomai, and it literally means to be a man, to make brave, or to show oneself a man, or to show oneself as brave. So the connotation here is that we are to always render ourselves manly and brave. We're to show ourselves to be men. We're not to be a coward. We're not to be timid. We're not to be alarmed at our enemies. But we're to always be bold and brave.

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• Now we have similar phrases that we use. We tell people be brave or show yourself a man or act like a man. And when we say those words, what we mean by that is don't act cowardly, don't act fearful, don't be effeminate, don't run and hide, you fight and do whatever is necessary. So just stop and think, what does the phrase, "quit ye like men," imply? He said, "quit ye like men." Well, it implies that when you were attacked in any way whatsoever, physically, yes, spiritually, yes, mentally, yes, any way, it implies that when you're attacked, you do not flinch, you do not run, you do not hide, rather you maintain your ground, you resist, you press forward, you strike home, you keep fighting until you conquer. So when he says, "quit ye like men," what he literally means is this, you fight, and you fight hard, and you fight to win. So your attitude is this, you're either going to win, or you're going to die trying. So literally when He says, "quit yourselves like men," He says that we act like men, we do not act like children that are easily frightened and easily intimidated.

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• Now God says in 1 Corinthians 16 and verse 13, "be strong." When God tells us to be strong, it means that we're to put forth all of the vigor, all of the energy and all of the strength which God has given us. We're not to give in. We're not to give up, we're not to give out.

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• Now I've already told you, and I'm going to show it to you again, but I've already told you that this verse is a decidedly military verse. In fact, all the terms in this verse are military terms. Now God says in verse 13, "watch ye, watch ye." What does that imply? What does it teach us? It teaches us that we're to be constantly and continually on our guard, lest we be surprised by our enemies.

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• In other words, we must keep our scouts out. We must post our sentries and our sentinels, lest the enemy surprise us. In other words, we must see that at all times we're properly defended and that we're properly protected, and we're always on a constant lookout for our enemies. So he says, "watch ye." In other words, make sure that you observe it. Make sure that you know what's going on. And then he says, in verse 13, "stand fast in the faith." Not only are we required to watch, but we're required to stand fast in the faith. What does that mean? It means that we keep our ranks, that we're not disorderly, that we do not break and run.

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• It's like the Spartans at Thermopylae. We keep our ranks unbroken and we keep our ranks close together. In other words, we have to understand that our preservation depends upon our unity. And if the enemy succeeds in breaking our ranks or dividing us, then a rout is inevitable. This ploy has been used successfully so many times in so many ways. For instance, even the police, when they want to break two people, even a husband and wife, what do they do? They'll separate them. And they'll go in and tell the wife, now your husband said this, and your husband said you did this, and the husband hadn't said a word. And then they'll come in and tell the husband, now the wife said you did this, or you were the cause of this, and the wife hadn't said a word.

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• And so what they're doing is trying to divide and conquer. Well, that's the way the serpent is. That's the way he gets in churches. That's the way he gets in homes. It's divide and conquer. So God says in verse 13 that we're to stand fast in the faith.

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• Now, I've already mentioned the Spartans at Thermopylae. You must remember the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 B.C. which was an alliance of Greek states as they were fighting an invading Persian army under Xerxes I. The Greeks were vastly outnumbered. In fact, King Leonidas had his 300 Spartans and about 7,000 other men who joined him and they were facing probably at least a minimum of a million Persians. And what did Leonidas and his Spartans do? They got into one pass to hold that pass because Xerxes and his men would have to come through that pass to attack Greece. And when Xerxes and his men did attack, the Spartans kept their ranks closed, they fought, and they destroyed the Persians, cutting them down one after the other. In fact, after the first day of fighting, the Persians had lost greatly. After the second day of fighting, the Persians still had lost greatly. Finally, finally, King Leonidas, when someone had told a back way to come around them, King Leonidas stayed with his bodyguard of 300 Spartans and 700 Thespian men and released the rest of the army.

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• So the army could go and be saved and fight another day. And they stood and fought the Persians although they knew it would be absolute death. So the performance then of these defenders of Thermopylae is often used as an example of advantages of training, of good equipment, of using terrain to maximize your potential, and always as a symbol of courage against extremely overwhelming odds. Now, when Xerxes reached Thermopylae, the first thing he did was he sent his emissaries to the Greek forces and he asked King Leonidas to come over to his side. And he offered to make Leonidas king over all of Greece if he would just simply join Xerxes and not fight him. To which King Leonidas answered, "If you knew what is good in life, you would abstain from wishing for foreign things. For me, it is better to die for Greece than to be monarch over my compatriots." And finally, Xerxes' patience ran out and he sent his emissaries back to King Leonidas and said, "throw down your arms." To which Leonidas responded, "come and get them."

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• And of course, you know how they fought and they defended that pass and they basically held those Persians off for nearly a week. It's basically setting up for their defeat. And they were defeated in a naval battle as well. And by the way, he was defeated the second time he came as well. So, here's what it means when God says, "stand fast in the faith." It literally means that you keep your ranks.

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• You don't let anything come in. Stand fast in the faith means exactly what it states. Do not give up, do not give in. The Apostle Paul said it very plainly. In Ephesians 6 and verse 13, he says, "Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." What did he say? "Take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." So when he says in verse 13, "stand fast in the faith," that means you stand fast. Then he says, we're to be strong. And again, it implies and signifies that we're not to give into weakness. We're not to give into despair and discouragement. We're to maintain our courage.

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• We're to sustain and help one another and have no fear for our great captain. The Lord Jesus Christ is the victor in every battle. And we've got to understand that the apostle Paul told Timothy, in 2 Timothy chapter 2 and verse 3, "Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ." So our Lord told us that although we stand, it will not necessarily always be easy. But when He says be strong, I want you to look in your Bibles, hold 1 Corinthians 16, but go back in your Bibles to the book of Joshua, chapter 1, and look at verse 6. Because this is exactly what God told Joshua. Joshua chapter 1 and verse 6. Watch how clearly, how distinctly God spoke to Joshua. And in the book of Joshua chapter 1 and verse 6, God says this, "Be strong and of a good courage."

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• "For unto this people thou shalt divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them." Note, he said, "Be strong and of a good courage." If you would turn right over in your Bibles to 2 Samuel 10 and verse 12. 2 Samuel 10 and verse 12. In this passage, Joab, who was David's captain, found himself surrounded. He found out that he had the Ammonites in front of him and the Syrians behind him. And so in 2 Samuel chapter 10 and verse 12, in fact, let's read verse 9. Let's begin with verse 9. "When Joab saw that the front of the battle was against him before and behind, he chose out all the choice men of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians: And the rest of the people he delivered into the hand of Abishai his brother, that he might put them in array against the children of Ammon. And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me: but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will come and help thee."

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• Now watch what he says, "Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the Lord do that which seemeth him good." What did he say? "Be of good courage, and let us play the men." So when God tells us that we're to be strong, it means that we're not to behave ourselves like children, before whom the least opposition will terrify us and throw us down. But he says we're to be strong like men with spiritual courage and fortitude.

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• Now, the truth of the matter is you do not need me to tell you this, but I will point it out. We are living in dismal times, in times of trouble and persecution. And it is times like these that real men always manifest themselves in their attitudes and in their actions. We've been given examples, not only from the Bible, which I'm going to show you in just a little bit, but we've also been given examples from history of what I would call a combat mentality that is clearly and obviously and plainly taught in 1 Corinthians 16 and verse 13. One of those historical examples is Captain Jonathan R. Davis, listen carefully, who with two pistols and a Bowie knife killed 11 outlaws in one fight. He killed more in one fight than any other Western incident that took place in the frontier.

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• He was outnumbered, he was outgunned, he was taken by surprise, and yet he won the battle. Jonathan R. Davis was born in Monticello, South Carolina in 1816. Following his education at the University of South Carolina, he enlisted in the Palmetto Regiment of Volunteers and of course was quickly promoted there to lieutenant. He fought with distinction during the Mexican War. He was wounded at Churubusco in 1847 along with 1,100 other American casualties. In those days just surviving your wounds was miraculous because infections were prominent and usually those who did not necessarily have a deadly wound or mortal wound would die from infection and Jonathan Davis proved to be a very tough man indeed. Davis mustered out of the army in 1848 with the honorary rank of captain and along with hundreds of other veterans at that particular time he did not know what he was going to do but since the gold rush was going on in California, he along with many others went to California. It was in California that his soldierly demeanor, his skills with arms, and his unblemished character earned him respect among his fellow prospectors.

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• He was known even then as a superior marksman and described by a friend as second to none in the state as a fencer. So he not only could use his pistols, he could use a knife or sword as well. And it was said that Jonathan Davis was never seen without his two Colts and a big Bowie knife.

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• Now the gold rush brought many people to the gold fields. Unhappily, many of those people that went to the gold field did not want to work for gold. Work was too hard for them and they thought that it was easier to allow other people to do the work and they would just simply come in and steal that which had been worked for. Now work was hard, stealing was easy, but there was a drawback to stealing because most men did not want to have their gold stolen and so they would fight back and usually all the prospectors were armed as well. So therefore if you're going to rob someone and steal from them when you know they're going to fight back then what you want to do is be a member of a gang and outnumber them as well as ambush them. So most of these outlaws then ganged up because gangs were safer because even the prospectors went around armed and when they knew gangs were around they themselves would go safely in numbers. So the gangs then not only depended upon their numbers, but they also depended upon the ambush.

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• Very seldom were prospectors prepared for an ambush. Very seldom were they prepared to be outnumbered. And so the gang then would pick their targets, set an ambush, and then murder and steal. One such gang was made up of two Americans, five Australians, two Britons, four Mexicans, and a Frenchman. And just two days previous to December the 19th, 1854, this one gang had robbed and murdered six Chinese and four Americans.

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• Now let me point something out, and I hope you understand this. To the lawless, life is cheap. When I tell you the amount of gold that was found on these thieves, and you understand that six lives had been taken to get this gold, it is absolutely unbelievable. But to the lawless, life is cheap, and they think nothing of taking lives in order to satisfy their wants and their desires.

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• Now, the prospectors, of course, had friends, and the prospectors not only went around armed, but when they thought danger was around, they too would go in groups as well. Well, on this particular occasion, three friends were traveling. Captain Jonathan Davis was accompanied by his good friend Dr. Bolivar Sparks and by James McDonald. Ambushing three men in a lonely cabin, in a lonely canyon I should say, probably seemed easy enough for 14 desperados. However, they had not counted on someone like Jonathan Davis. He was different.

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• They did not know him. They did not know his skills in combat or his combat mentality. Yet, they're going to learn and they're going to learn the hard way. There's a wonderful truth that I always enjoy emphasizing. And that one truth is this, that every bully, every evil person, every criminal, eventually, will run into the wrong person. They're going to meet someone that they cannot antagonize, someone they cannot terrify, someone that they cannot bully. And that individual is going to stand his ground and teach them a real biblical principle. And that principle is found in Proverbs 13 and verse 15 when God says, "the way of the transgressor is hard." And the gang that intended to prey upon Captain Jonathan Davis and his two friends learned that truth very quickly.

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• In fact, they had not only met their match, they met their maker as well. What happened on December the 19th, 1854 is what historian John Bossenecker calls the single most extraordinary feat of self-defense by an American civilian in the annals of frontier history. It was December the 19th, 1854, and it was cold in California's Sierra Nevada Mountains. These three prospectors traversed a rough trail aptly known as Rocky Canyon in El Dorado County near the North Fork of the American River. Unknown to these three men, Captain Davis, Dr. Sparks, and James McDonald, 14 outlaws were hidden waiting on them. As they approached, what neither the outlaws knew, nor Captain Davis and his friends knew, that on another hilltop not far away were three miners who were watching and observing everything that happened. Captain Davis, his good friend, Dr. Sparks and James McDonald were walking slowly along the trail, oblivious to the danger that lay ahead. All of a sudden, 14 bandits leaped from cover and opened fire on these three prospectors. James McDonald was killed instantly, never even had an opportunity to present his weapon.

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• Dr. Sparks drew his pistol, was able to get two shots off before he was felled. And evidently his two shots went wild, did not hit one of the bandits. With one friend dead, and the other friend badly wounded and gravely injured, Captain Jonathan Davis stood alone in the hail of gunfire. He did not hesitate. He did not cower. He did not run away in hide. He responded quickly, effectively, efficiently, and with deadly force. Captain Davis later described himself, and I'm quoting now, as being in a fever of excitement at the time.

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• I suppose you would be with 14 men shooting at you. Unfazed, he stood his ground, pulling both pistols. He fired a barrage at those outlaws that were charging at him. When Jonathan Davis emptied his Colt pistols, and by the way, it's unknown if any of his bullets missed. But when he emptied his two Colt pistols, seven of the 14 attackers lay dead. By this time, the outlaws had emptied their revolvers as well.

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• But the fight was not over. Four of the bandits then charged Captain Davis, one with a short sword or a saber, the other three with knives. When Captain Davis saw that, he very quickly drew out his Bowie knife.

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• Now, let me tell you something. One man with a good knife that knows how to use it can be a very deadly man. And if you know anything about the Tueller drill or the 21-foot rule, a man with a knife can usually get to a man with a pistol and kill him, for the man can never draw the pistol and shoot unless he knows how to move, if the man is within 21 feet.

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• So four of these outlaws then attacked Davis. One with a short sword and three with a knife. Davis whipped out his Bowie knife and quickly warded off their thrusts from the two of the bandits. He stabbed one of the bandits to death and then he disarmed another one by knocking the knife from his grasp, slicing off his nose and one of his fingers of the right hand. Two of the attackers were men who had been wounded in a previous attack where they had successfully killed the other people and yet they foolishly charged Davis with their knives drawn. Captain Davis in the very instant slashed with his heavy Bowie knife and killed them both.

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• Seven of the robbers he had shot dead. Three now desperately wounded he had killed or were lay dying. One had his nose cut off and a finger cut off laying on the ground helpless and the three remaining bandits fled for their lives. In seconds, he had killed three with his Bowie and had grievously wounded the gang's leader by cutting off his nose and a finger. Without hesitating, he then ripped off his shirt and went to his friend Dr. Sparks and began to bind up his wounds. After he bound up Dr. Sparks' wounds, since he was the victor and mercy was now at his disposal, he then went to the three bandits who were grievously wounded and attempted to bind up their wounds as well.

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• When the three witnesses came running down the trail and Davis saw them, he very quickly leaped to McDonald's body where his unfired pistol was, grabbed the pistol, pointed at the three miners and commanded them to halt. The three miners were John Webster, Isaac Hart, and P.S. Robertson. They identified themselves and they said that they had been out hunting game and from a peak, from a hilltop, they had seen the fight and they came to assist him in taking care of the wounded, which they did.

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• And then they went back to their camps and brought 15 other men not only to witness the bloody scene, but also to help dig the graves. As the sun went down, three of the wounded bandits died. The noseless leader then confessed to his gang's 10 murders on the 17th and on the 18th. So they'd killed 10. He died the following day from his injuries. The bandits' bodies, listen to this, yielded $491 in gold and silver coins. They killed 10 people for $491. Now I know those were gold and silver dollars and I know that would be worth more than $491 today. I understand that. $491 for 10 bodies. They had 9 watches, 2 silver and 7 gold and 4 ounces of gold dust.

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• Dr. Sparks was barely clinging to life.

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• And Captain Davis explained to these men that Dr. Sparks not only had a home, but a family back in Coloma. And he urged that their ill-gotten gain should go to Dr. Sparks' family. And they all agreed, since they had no idea whom it was taken from. And so they gave the money then to Dr. Sparks and his family. After the battle was over, the next day all the dead were buried. Being law-abiding men, the group formed a coroner's jury, wrote out a report of the incident, citing all the evidence, including witnesses' statements, and concluded that Davis and his party acted in self-defense.

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• Seventeen of the miners signed it, and it was sent to Placerville to the county seat. Davis then took his friend, Dr. Sparks, to his home in Coloma, where the doctor passed away on December the 26th. One of the witnesses stated in his letter, listen now, although we counted 28 bullet holes through Captain Davis's hat and clothes, 17 through his hat and 11 through his coat and shirt, he received but two very slight flesh wounds. In the months following, many people began to express doubt concerning Captain Davis' deed and his action, and some even said it was a wild exaggeration. Now, I might point out that Davis neither sought publicity nor notoriety, but he was stung by the challenges to his honor and also to the disrespect that he believed was being shown to his friends. So finally, Captain Davis and the witnesses appeared before Judge R. M.

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• Anderson and the Court of Inquiry, where detailed depositions were taken and comparisons of statements set the matter at rest once and for all. Jonathan Davis said this, "I did only what hundreds of others might have done under similar circumstances and attached no particular credit to myself for it." Now listen to what he said, "I did only what hundreds of others might have done under similar circumstances." But the question is, would the hundreds of others have done it as well? What did Captain Jonathan R. Davis possess that the average man does not possess?

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• It was not just good weaponry. He had trained with those weapons. He not only had good weapons and good training, he also had a combat mentality. He refused to be a victim. He was determined to fight and he was determined to win. Most of you know that there is a 50% rule that states that one is half as good under pressure as he is on his best day at the range. If Captain Davis fought and shot so well under pressure, how good would he have been without the pressure? I can only think of a few biblical examples that can rival what Jonathan R. Davis did. Let me just show you a couple of them.

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• I want you to turn back in your Bibles to 2 Samuel chapter 23. 2 Samuel, chapter 23. In this passage, you have the listing of David's mighty men. I don't have time to go over all of these, but I do want to give you several. Look in 2 Samuel, chapter 23, and let's begin reading at verse 8. "These be the names of the mighty men whom David had."

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• "The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite: he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time." Can you imagine fighting and killing 800 men at one time with a spear? Watch verse 9. "And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away: He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto his sword."

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• "And the Lord wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil." Now what it means when it says his hand clave unto his sword? It means this, when the battle was over, someone had to help him release his fingers and release the grip from his hand. He had held and fought so well. Look, if you would, at verse 11. "And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentils: and the people fled from the Philistines. But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the Lord wrought a great victory."

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• You can read the rest of that chapter and you can find out all that David's mighty men had done, but all I'm trying to tell you is here are men that may have bested Jonathan R. Davis, but these were men who were fighting with the blessing and the power of God, and undoubtedly, Jonathan R. Davis had the blessing and the power of God on him, for killing 11 out of the 14 outlaws.

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• Now let me make just a couple of applications, then I'm going to show you a picture. The first application is this. You must comprehend and understand the value of martial training. Most have never trained. Most do not desire to train, and they will never train. I have heard all kinds of excuses why people do not train. I don't have the time. I understand that. But everybody has 24 hours a day. Nobody has any more time than that. I've heard this excuse, but ammo now is so expensive. I understand.

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• And how about this one? Super pious. Well, the Lord will protect me. Oh yeah? I know God is sovereign and I believe in God's protection. But you're going to find out something. God is not going to do for you what He demands that you do for yourself. And let me tell you, I'd much rather have the training and never need it than to need it and not have it.

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• Someone has aptly pointed out that needing a gun and knowing how to use it is like needing a parachute and knowing how to use it. If you need one and don't have one, you'll never need another one again. Because you will just simply die. And you've got to remember this, folks, that martial skills are perishable skills. They are. Alice and I used to take karate from a fellow, and I saw him recently. Oh, old, short, fat, and I'll guarantee you he could not do one-tenth of what he used to be able to do. You know why? Because all of that requires muscle memory, muscle strength, and if you don't use it, you lose it. It's just that simple. Here's the second application.

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• Where are the men that are ready, willing, and able to defend themselves, their families, and their communities? One does not necessarily need to be a member of the armed forces to possess a combat mentality. Let me tell you something. If you do not determine to fight, you will lose. If you do not determine that you're going to be the victor, you will be the victim. If you do not determine that you're going home alive, you will not go home.

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• You'll be left on the street dead. I want to show you how important this combat mentality is. It's not just a physical thing. We have family and we have friends that have cancer. Some are afflicted with other diseases and other sicknesses. Do you know something? In order to overcome those diseases, you have to fight and you have to have a combat mentality saying, I will not give in, I will not give up, I will not do this, I will do whatever is necessary to win and to beat this. And if you don't have a combat mentality even in relationship to disease, you're going to die. It's just that simple. You have to determine to live and determine to fight. I want you to turn to Ephesians chapter 6.

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• You think this has no application to spiritual things? You're greatly mistaken. Everyone is aware of this passage, but I want you to look in Ephesians chapter 6. Let's begin reading over verse 10. And what would be the conclusion that you could come to after reading this? Look in Ephesians 6 verse 10. Look what the Apostle Paul says. Ephesians 6 verse 10.

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• "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints." What is he saying?

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• We have to have a combat mentality. We have to be armed. We have to fight to keep our minds biblical. We have to fight to keep our motives glorifying and honoring to God. We have to fight to keep the flesh in line. What did Paul say? "I die," how often? Daily. It's a fight. And if you do not have a combat mentality in spiritual things, you will lose. If you do not have a combat mentality in physical things, you will lose.

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• Thirdly, we must trust in the Lord and use every means that He places at our disposal. If we do not have a gun, we can use the jawbone of an ass the way Samson did. If we don't have a jawbone of an ass, we can pick up a stick or a stone. We cannot simply lie down and expect the Lord to save us while we're violating the sixth commandment. You remember the sixth commandment says, "thou shalt not kill" or "thou shalt not murder." The positive is thou shalt preserve life. You have a duty, you have a responsibility, you have an obligation to preserve your life. You're required to preserve your life. You're required, in the Word of God, to preserve the lives of others. So that we had much rather kill than be killed. I know that God is sovereign. But I also know that God has ordained means for our protection. And God is not going to fulfill our responsibilities for us. That is our duty. That is our responsibility.

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• Fourthly, in light of the tyranny, as well as the lawlessness that is prevalent in our society, it should motivate us to study and prepare ourselves for the danger that lies ahead. Remember Proverbs 22 and verse 3. "A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished." What did God say? He said, "watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit ye like men, act like brave men, be strong."

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• In order to be that way, we must have a combat mentality in every area of our lives. We must learn to fight and fight to win. Let's pray. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we ask for your grace and your mercy. And we ask, dear Lord, that you would help us to have a mentality that's pleasing unto thee, and that we would determine our hearts, that we would fight against evil and wickedness and sin and stand for that which is right and holy and godly. Give us grace, Lord, that we may be men and stand and do that which is right and holy. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.

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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-04T17:08:36Z