Tuesday, March 22, 2016

When the battle is over, do you still believe?

Good morning my sisters-

I've been thinking a lot about battles, spiritual and worldly.  You know what I mean.  A custody battle, a divorce, a horrible work environment or just an argument with your child.  Battles come and we either win them or lose them.  My mom always used to say to me that I should pick my battles with my kids because the important ones must be won.  I often have thought of that in the last months of this year.  Why did she say that so often? Probably because my mom and I fought so much at least from 16-20 and then I woke up and realized she did have a brain and she was right most of the time.  Our battles were intense and I fought tooth and nail because I wanted to win.  As I grew up, I held myself back and would rather have peace over anger any day.  When I get angry, watch out!  It takes a lot for me to get angry anymore but that doesn't mean I've alluded battles.  In reality, I have battled more in the last year than probably in all those years with my mom.

Spiritual battles are tough because no one sees them but you.  You are fighting a silent and often deadly enemy.  You know he's around but no one else can see him.  Obstacles are put in your way that seem impossible to climb.  Trying only gets you more frustrated and no matter how hard you try you can't right the wrong done by you.  In those moments, you have a choice.  You can choose to sit and crumble or you can become a warrior.  I've never been one to sit and crumble so the fighter in me will always take over.  That doesn't mean I don't feel distress, stress, fear or worry because I do with every fiber of my being.  I just won't let you know it and I will fight in the corner, on my bed and in my car.  How do I fight?  Through mighty intercessory prayer.  I call on God and my friends.  And I pray that God will move my mountain.

Sometimes He moves my mountain quickly and other times it can take weeks, months or years.  Of course I love when He moves it quickly, who doesn't?  The longer battles, those are the toughest ones because you have to wait, pray until you feel like you can't say one more thing to Jesus and wait some more. You go to bed in prayer and you wake up just thanking Him for getting you through another day and then the cycle repeats itself.  It's not easy to sit and wait and it's not easy when every hour you are praying God release me.  These are the moments that make you a warrior and although we wish we could skip them our God will not allow that to happen.  He needs warriors not wimps.  He needs fighters that can fight what they can't see and He needs us to battle evil so that we can deliver His people.  The fight has been going on for centuries and many have endured death to fight for the cross.

Recently, in the Middle East Wycliff translators were killed for their faith.  The writer of the article asked all of us to pray for the families of the translators that died for Christ and for the perpetrators.  Does that sound right?  Not in this world.  Vengeance is mine but in God's world vengeance is His and we are to pray for our enemies because He has a plan for them too.

His plan is not always our plan.  And yes, He does let us go through trials so that we may be sifted like sand.  His goal is not our goal.  Our goal is to be loved by all, praised and possibly even worshipped by the world.  His goal has nothing to do with the world, it has everything to do with eternity and turning hearts toward Him.  So if you're in a battle, praise Him.  If your thinking I'm crazy, I am crazy for God just set me free of one of the toughest battles in my life.  I'm not through yet but I am more mature in Him, I have more understanding and as I continue on this journey, I'm going to continue to ask Him to lead me.  In leading me, I must wash my eyes of the world and remember the supernatural.  It's in the unseen that our battles are won and lost.  We may not win every battle but we will win the ones God is moving us to win.  He is the maker of heaven and earth and we must understand that to be His warriors.  We are to love our neighbor greater than ourselves and that means everyone, not just the people that look good.  We are to pray for our enemies and ask for their salvation and we are to sing praises to the Lord our Father every day. 

Easter is approaching and the story of Jesus has lived for centuries.  As we approach Friday, we need to remember how Jesus was followed night and day and then persecuted by the same people He touched.  We are just like them.  We don't trust enough, we don't listen enough, we don't praise enough and we believe just enough for a minute.  The battles are going to get tougher, longer and wider but in the supernatural we can fight.  How are we going to do it?  With prayer, asking for peace and praying the power of Scripture.  There is no greater protector then every word in the Bible.  It will help us in the spiritual realm and in the world.  It is our power, here on earth.  I hope you plan to use it because I definitely am.

Intercede for someone this week.  Praise God this week. Thank Jesus for sifting you like sand and then thank Him some more.  My path is wide open and I don't have many answers but the one answer I do have is Jesus. He loves me and you.  Why not give Him your heart today?  He's just one prayer away.

John 3:16 NIV

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

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