The Battle is Not Your Own!

“Do not be afraid of them; the Lord your God himself will fight for you.”

Deuteronomy 4:22

            It is very easy to become overwhelmed and anxious in the world today.  If it is not one thing it is another.  Every person has something that they can be worried about.  Each and every one of us has a problem that seems to jump out at us from an unseen adversary.  We take one step forward and something comes up and knocks us fifteen steps backwards.  At times, it feels like we make efforts that never see fruition because there is always a stumbling block in our way.

            I am here to tell you that the battle is not your own.  No matter what is getting you down, no matter what is bringing you to the breaking point, God is in control.  He is fighting for us even when we feel no one is there but us.

 Joseph was sold into slavery, he becomes a prisoner and he eventually became one of Egypt’s most prominent people. Even though he could have been discouraged and bitter, he chose to press on.  Through his trials he persevered.  When he finally was given the opportunity to face his brothers again he told them, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” (Genesis 50:19)  It doesn’t matter where we are in our lives right now.  It doesn’t matter what is troubling us, God has bigger plans than we can imagine.  He may allow Satan to come in and play with our lives, however, no matter how much Satan plays, He does not have the final say.  God does. 

            We may not ever enter literally into a battle.  However, every day we are figuratively in a battle.  We fight temptation, we fight anger, we fight anxiety and worry, and we fight whatever the world throws at us.  In 2 Chronicles Chapter 20 King Jehoshaphat of Judah was facing an army, a huge army.   Three different nations were coming against them.  He knew that he did not have the man power to even come against them.  He knew that without God’s help, his nation would be annihilated.  King Jehoshaphat encouraged his people to fast and to pray.  Now when I say his people, He had every person in Judah fast and pray.  The people came from all over Judah and met together, the King met in front of the assembly and prayed to the Lord.  He committed their situation to God.  Not half of the situation, the whole situation.  He acknowledged that God was the only one that could save them from this attack.  He asked God for his favor.  He exalted God as the Mighty King of Kings that the Lord is.  He praised God and reminded the nation of God’s promises.  In reminding himself and his nation of God’s promises he believed and took comfort in knowing that God always provides.  He let God know that he was completely dependent on Him for deliverance from this situation and any situation that he would ever face.  He acknowledged that in his own power he could not survive this attack.  He needed God’s all-powerfulness.  After the king finished praying, the Spirit of the Lord came over one of the men in the assembly.  He told King Jehoshaphat and the entire assembly what the Lord wanted them to know, “Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army.  For the battle is not yours, but God’s.  Tomorrow march down against them.  They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel.  You will not have to fight this battle.  Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.  Go out and face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.”(2 Chronicles 20:15-17)

                When you read on further, it shows how King Jehoshaphat and his people went to where God told them to go.  By the time they got to this designated place, the three armies of the other nations had rose up against each other and killed each other.  Not one man survived.  Judah and Jerusalem never once entered physically into any battle with the Ammonites, the Moabites or the people from Mount Seir.  The Lord accomplished this feat by Himself.  He took the situation completely under control and did what he promised he would do. 

            I want to end this with a reminder.  The Bible tells us that we will face many things in our life. As of right now, there is no such thing as perfection on this earth.  If we remind ourselves daily that God is in control, and give over all our worries and our “battles”, God will take care of every situation.  Make sure that God is first and that what you are trying to do is in God’s plan for you.  Continue to stay in God’s strength and not your own strength and you will see God fighting for you.  Stand firm in your faith and the fight is already won.

Love in Christ,

Kristine