by David Brenneman
It's been a rather intersting end of the week. Been remembering a chorus that goes "...the battle belongs to the Lord...".
Battles are going to be part of our lives...running from them only prolongs them when God's the architect behind them in order to grow us in Christ.
For me it's work related for the most part. There's times when dealing with some people that personal integrity doesn't matter. But that's there at this time.
We can think we can leave the battles in this world but we don't really. Satan isn't dealing with us directly but his minions are and do. At least for what they are allowed to do. Reading in the book of Job we see that permission has to be granted.
We often think that some open doors are the escape...but sometimes they aren't really. Indeed this isn't the case of what I'm going through right now. Had been in the past but in those cases I wasn't waiting on God for the next step nor was I hearing from Him to get ready because change was coming. Change is indeed coming for me and I'm hoping I'm ready for what's coming next.
From Adam and Eve onward we've become experts at justifying our actions and intentions. Yet we don't see the forest for the trees when it comes to what's really happening. Just as Adam and Eve didn't see the ramifications of what disobeying God would be like...for all their descendents.
People can and will be harsh with each other. They can indeed be brutal towards one another. Again...the battle.
It's because of relationships that battles often happen. Sour relationships cause us to often withdraw or run. The fight or flight mode.
Sour relationships can overwhelm us to the point of shutting down and fleeing. Even mistaking some opportunties as being something that it isn't.
I had posted that in December on Facebook that I was seeing both excitement and trepidation at January. Thus far, 6 days in and it's not been a false notion.
I am facing some things ahead that I would rather run from to be honest. But...the battle belongs to the Lord.
These things that I face more often than not...and rightly so...cause me to pray more often and with more earnestness.
These things that I face often have me placing people in the hands of God to deal with. Which, if you are aware of the Scripture..."it's a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God".
The desire of my heart is to be who God wants me to be. The world's desire is for me to be what they say I ought to be. This too is a battle.
The world says it's got the answers to life and to follow where your heart leads...which is a twisted truth. We cannot trust our hearts because of our sin nature.
I've been told I ought to go talk to those higher up than myself at work. I'm considering it. But my first priority is to what it is that God's telling me to do, not what my thoughts on it are. If what God says matches where my desires are...then it's ok to proceed. Obedience to God is where the battle is won.
We will often live with those who do not understand us, nor will they like Jesus can and does. It's Jesus who searches the hearts and knows the intentions of the heart. I've been in some heavy battles and have seen the hand of God dealing with those who would try to harm me. It wasn't a pleasant thing to see. As someone has said...you don't mess with God's kids.
God's got a plan for my life and it probably isn't anything that I had considered. People tell you growing up to set goals to achieve. People tell you to be all you can be. This sets you up for failure because at the end of humanly sought goals is emptiness. Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousnes...first. Not later on...not down the road.
I've been there done that with every childhood goal and dream that I had ever conceived in my heart to be and do. I have no goals nor ambitions in life. I have no desire to travel and see things other than Israel. Only God can make that kind of thing happen.
Often the hardest part of a battle is waiting on the Lord. Which is where I am at. I've been called 'trouble' and 'difficult' for sticking to what I believe in. Which is to say it's quite often caused people to black list me...even in churches. IF 'bearing one another's burdens' as Christ said to do brands me as troublesome...so be it.
We often will face mountains...but the thing about mountains is either God moves us or He moves and or obliterates that mountain. His plans for us will not be thwarted as long as we're striving to be obedient to Him. We often go THROUGH the valley of the shadow of death...but we're never to stay there.
God will work out what I'm facing. It's up to me to be ready to do what it is He's got for me to be doing. We're really forward observers in the Spiritual warfare we live with each day. Yes we all are facing that every day. Scripture says that we battle not against flesh and blood. Ours is a Spiritual battle that requires constant communication and reliance on our Commander-in-Chief...our King...Jesus.
When you get up this morning...all might seem peaceful and calm. Pray up. Pray on. Pray over. Don't let up. Don't get lax. Don't think you can coast. God's enemy isn't and you shouldn't either. When you face your day...Pray up. Pray on. Pray over. Don't let up. We only read of a few temptations that Jesus faced from the Devil himself...He was tempted in EVERY way in those days He spent away from people.
Standing firm in Christ Jesus we will see the hand of God move and do things unlike any other.
When we run from God...we miss out. When we run from what it is God's wanting us to go through...we miss out.
He promised never to leave us nor forsake us. When we let the opinions of people change us...and not the Spirit...we lose. The world doesn't have our best interests at heart. Satan is the 'god of this world' and is trying to usurp the Throne of God. Does't sound at all like he's got your interests at heart.
Pray on what's on your heart...give it to God.
Pray over what's on your heart...give it to God.
Pray through what's on your heart...give it to God.
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