Fighting Our Battles

Written by Kristyn Ewing. Media by Cord Buchanan.

As youngsters, we are encouraged to find other ways than fighting to solve our problems. In the same way, so are we as Christians. Life is a constant struggle, but it does not always have to feel as such. No matter the battle life brings, one ought to be prepared for what may come. The enemy is always on the verge of attack. He wants to steal our joy, our faith, our everything. Can we, the church, confidently stand up and proclaim who fights our battles for us?

The attacks can come out of nowhere; it can happen in a blink of an eye. When it does happen, fear suddenly takes over. How do we react? On average, one typically freezes. Next, we enter fight mode, but what’s crucial is how we react. Do we give in to our natural instincts and dash in the opposite direction or do we stand up to the enemy, knowing how we are going to fight our battles?

God equips His people for battle. As the Church of Christ, we receive our training, our instructions through the Bible. We are always on guard and ready for the battles of life. Unfortunately, the rest of world does not know and are not ready to face the enemy when it comes to fighting spiritual warfare—something that is more prevalent in life than most often realize.

John 10:10 says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” When it comes to defending in battle, we as humans were made with the instinct to preserve our lives. Did you know the majority of us actually carry on through life in defense mode? Honestly, at some point or another, exhaustion will take over and we certainly cannot win then. Even as Christians we might think we are ready to fight those battles but are we truly?

God does not look for defeat, but wants to give us victory! Deuteronomy 20:4 says, “For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.” To truly live, we need to alter our thinking and be up for discovery. Haven’t you ever wanted to confidently say to God, “It may look like I’m surrounded by the enemy, but I’m surrounded by You!” We need to live our lives in such a way that we walk around in victory, not in a sense of defeat. We need to cling to our Living Hope.

Isaiah 42:13 says, “The Lord will go forth like a warrior, He will arouse His zeal like a man of war. He will utter a shout, yes, He will raise a war cry. He will prevail against His enemies.” To change our approach to fighting our battles, we need to be aware who we are up against. Satan knows our weaknesses more than we do. He’s right by us, stirring up controversy. He’s changing God’s promises that end in periods to question marks, and we fall for it more often than we want to admit. We find ourselves questioning God’s judgment and timing which causes damage and demises who God is. Deuteronomy 3:22 says that God doesn’t want us to fear because we are not fighting. God says he will fight for us.

What is God’s track record in your life? Has He ever let you down? God’s faithfulness has been proven time and time again. Let us not let another day go by without firmly saying, “God, I’m listening to you. Satan, not today. This is how I’m going to fight my battles. I have God on my side.” We are not promised tomorrow, so make today count. What do you want? Do you really want God to fight your battles? Are you okay giving up total control? Psalm 125:2 says: “As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people both now and forevermore.”

Life can be a struggle sometimes because it does not slow down. Life challenges us to grow as it teaches us more about God and ourselves. If we want to continue to grow, we have to find the strength to endure, but also trust. We need to trust our Provider who knows us, loves, and cares about us the most out of anyone in this world. If we try to fight alone, we will feel inadequate. Now is the time to praise Him for winning our battles. He is worthy of it all. Psalm 28:7 says, “The Lord is my strength and my shield. My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. Therefore my heart exults, and with my song I shall thank Him.”