An interesting observation when reading the Old Testament is the large number of battles that are fought and subsequently, the large number of casualties.
Every time you turn around; there is a battle going down. Not so different from our world today.
Very recently, a personal battle of my own came to light. I had intended to keep the battle to myself, as I have for the past seven years. I had been fighting this particular battle alone on my knees in prayer; believing with all my heart that I was responsible for my own defeat or my own victory. After all, the world has enough problems. In light of the bigger picture, my battle didn’t feel significant enough to rally the troops.
Amazing how one lie from the enemy can hold enough power, over time, to wear down a believer to the point of giving up hope. If there was not a battle for our souls at hand, the Word of God would not have given us the warning, “do not give the devil a foothold.” (Ephesians 4:27)
The truth is, battles are not meant to be fought alone. That’s not to say that we aren’t responsible for putting our own battle garb on each morning in our personal prayer closets. It’s easy to forget that the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (I Peter 5:8) If he can convince us that we are beyond hope, we are prone to forget that the blood of Jesus has bought us, purified us and made us the holiness and righteousness of God. (II Cor. 5:21)
In our personal battles, I am learning that the best starting point toward victory is in the laying down of pride and the picking up of humility. The cloak of pride is light and easy to wear, but the consequences of choosing pride yields hardened hearts and the belief that we know what is best for ourselves. Pride blinds us to the truth that in Christ we are conquerors, not victims of Satan’s schemes. The cloak of humility is heavy, its weight impossible to ignore, but once fully in place the consequences of humility are such that hard soil is softened, bitter hearts receive healing, and self absorbed eyes begin to see the needs of those around them and are filled with compassion.
Remember, it was because of pride that Satan was cast out of heaven. Yet, the humility of Christ was and is the root and representation of His life. He became nothing so that God could become all.
I will be honest—I could have easily lost my personal battle. Inwardly I had surrendered to defeat and was about to turn my back to the enemy (a true sign that my end was near). Thankfully, an attentive shepherd noticed one angry sheep hovering dangerously close to a cliff, and gently reminded me of the truth of God’s Word: “Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he as sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” (James 5:13-16)
I had to trust that my spiritual leaders were for me and not against me. This can be tough to do if trust has been broken by those in spiritual authority—yet God’s desire is for us to be prayerful and persistent in finding a healthy church family. (Hebrews 10:25)
If you are stuck in a battle and it seems there is no hope in sight; I urge you and plead with you to not give up. Do not turn away in defeat and thus open yourself up to the devil who is foaming at the mouth, ready to pounce and destroy you. Don’t turn your back to the church either—there are anointed shepherds in local churches who are willing and prepared to grab ahold of the prayer baton and get down in the trenches with you until your victory is realized. Allow another’s faith and tenacity for God to carry you when you are too weak to fight for yourself.
Do THAT thing—the thing you are most afraid to do—reach out for help.
Your life has purpose. Your battle is not your own. You do not need to become a casualty of your own war.
Choose humility.
Stay the course…
Sheila
