The Fight is On!
I really, really do not like to fight. I’m not a fighter by nature. I would rather sit in a circle laughing and talking with others. I truly like peace with people, with my family, and with my church.
But here is the hard, cold truth. Peace came at a price. That price was His precious blood spilt for me and you. His blood poured out of His sinless, perfect life. Peace came because a war was fought.
Jesus won! But it cost a great, great price.
So as I look at His word I read “Fight the good fight of the faith.” (I Timothy 6:12). I read “I fought the good fight.” (II Timothy 4:7)
Yes, Christ has been victorious on the cross but until He returns, there is a fight! I can either choose to be a part of it or I can sit on the sidelines of life. And though I love peace, I do not like to sit on the sidelines.
The problem is when I do fight, I want to fight people. To be brutally honest, when I get really mad I want to take some boxing gloves and just hit someone really hard. I actually do that sometimes when I work out!
I hit hard. I mean so hard that the person I am working out with will say, “Donna, do you have anger issues?”
People aren’t the problem. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:12
We have a real enemy, an adversary. There is one who does not want peace! He does not want peace in my life, my husband’s life, my children’s lives, and he especially does not want peace in the life of my church.
The enemy knows that the world apart from Christ is without peace. Peace is sought after by people.
People spend thousands of dollars every year to obtain peace. Some take long vacations, some buy boats and fancy cars, some use alcohol, drugs, sex, and the list could go on and on. Some just attempt to obtain peace through power over others.
If the world sees no peace in my life, the life of my family or in my church, then they want nothing to do with us. They can always attempt to find peace another way.
So if I am going to have to fight, I need to know the rules of this battle.
- Embrace my identity as an OVERCOMER. When the enemy whispers “You are a failure. You can’t do this. Just give up. Quit serving Him.” I need to remind my adversary that I am an overcomer because Jesus has already won the ultimate battle. “Everyone born of God overcomes the world.” I John 5:4
- Fight with my armor on. When I stand to fight, I need to do it with all the equipment that Christ has already purchased for me. I need to use defensive weapons: His belt of truth to combat lies; His breastplate of righteousness to combat my inadequacies; His gospel of peace to offer the lost world around me; His shield of faith to combat my unbelief; His helmet of salvation to protect my mind. I also need to train myself to use offensive weapons: the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God and PRAYER which pulls down the enemy’s strongholds or fortresses in our lives. This type of praying is not “bless me praying”! It is on your knees calling out His name and praying His word back to Him. It is War Room praying! Ephesians 6:10-18 and II Corinthians 10:4-5
- Worship with thanksgiving. Every time the battle is on I must worship Him. I must sing His praises. I must declare all He has done in my life. “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony.” Revelation 12:11
- Overcome evil with good. If there is a person that I might believe to be my adversary, God’s word is clear! “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.” Romans 12:20
The battle is on right now in my life and the lives of those I love. It is intense and is just no fun. There are sleepless nights and hard days.
The Lord promises me He will stand by my side and give me strength. (II Timothy 4:17)
He will enable me to fight the good fight! He promises me peace in the middle of the fight.
“Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way.” II Thessalonians 3:16
