IT IS TIME
Today in church we sang on of my favs- The Battle Belongs to the Lord.Weeks ago during a prayer service God spoke to me about this idea. I prayed andthen on the way home He was hitting me with all kinds of(challenging) thoughts. I came home and wrote and wrote in my “God journal.” A journalI keep for things when I feel God is speaking something so me.
The Battle Belongs to the Lord. To be honest, I used to take sucha lackadaisical (carelessly lazy) look to this. I would sing this and believefor this and told myself the battle is the Lord’s, not mine. He already has thevictory. Then God slammed me.
Oh YES, indeed the battle belongs to the Lord. He has alreadyclaimed the victory and forever more will be the champion. HOWEVER, did youever see that chapter in Ephesians where it talks about armoring up? Why do Ihave to put armor on if the battle is the Lord’s and I just have to sit on mybutt and wait for it to happen?
Uh-huh. He is my commander, The holder of the strategy and thevictor. BUT make no mistake. I have a part to play. The fact that the battle isthe Lords doesn’t give me a free pass to sit idly by. I am a soldier. A WARRIORif you will in the army of the Most High God.
Ephesians 6:11 says “Blessed be the Lord my Rock who trains myhands for war, and my fingers for battle.”
2 Timothy 2:3 “Join with me in suffering. Like a good soldier ofJesus Christ.”
2 Corinthians 10:4 – “The weapons we fight with are not theweapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolishstrongholds.”
The battle BELONGS to the Lord, but make no mistake. You areinvolved. I am a soldier. I am part of the battle plan not because God NEEDS meto do something, but I have the privilege to serve.
The great news is… we WIN! BUT what part do you play soldier? Wehave to be listening to the commander to know where to go and what to do. Heknows the plan BECAUSE HE WROTE THE PLAN.
Battles are ugly. War is often a necessary evil. We go to war notonly for the good of ourselves but for those around us. Those we are servingfor. Sometimes battles get bloody. Sometimes we hurt. There is pain. BUT we knowthat God doesn’t allow anything to slip through His fingers unless it is tobring an ultimate victory for the Kingdom of God.
I can’t see past my own life. I am betting neither can you. Orreally do we ever want to? We live for what will bring us happiness, fullness,and contentment. But the commander can see more than we could ever imagine. Thecommander knows all the lives and all the plans and how to work them alltogether to bring the good. Not the good at the moment. Not the good that fillsour bellies for the moment. He knows the plan that will bring about eternity forthe most souls.
Sometimes soldiers sacrifice. Sometimes a soldiers have to go intothe fire to save a fellow fighter. War isn’t always pretty and neither isspiritual warfare.
The enemy, the deceiver is more evil that any force the earth hasever known. He goes for the throat every time. He hates you. He doesn’t presentit that way at first. Oh heavens no. He is the DECIEVER. He makes what he isoffering look so satisfying and almost perfect. Just like the spider and theweb.
Good soldiers know a set up when they see it. Usually because theyhave the Commander's instructions. As soldier, we know our destination and our goal,and can’t get distracted on what feels good now. We have bigger purposes and plans to line up for the future than to get bogged down in every here and now
In spiritual warfare, we do use different weapons than on anearthly battlefield. Praise and worship to Our Father God regardless of our circumstancescan weaken our enemy. Praying on all occasions the Bible tells us is top notch.Lately I have learned that obedience and forgiveness are special sniper weaponsthe LORD has given to us. Special in assignment but deadly when used.
What does the commander ask of me? Loyalty. I think you wouldagree that if you have faith in the one leading you, you will follow them tothe ends of the earth and beyond. Who better to put our ultimate faith in than the ONE whomade the sky and stars. The One who know the plan. The one who we KNOW has thevictory?
I have to trust my commander. I have to follow Him with zerohesitation. If sacrifice has come to my life, I remind myself it is for apurpose. If pain, death, or sickness visits, I, as a soldier, know that mycommander would never require this of me unless it was not of eternalimportance.
The draft was last used in the United States on December 7, 1972.People were “forced” into service. Now, we sign up. We enlist. We sign our ownname to that document that commits us to serve our home and commander no matterthe cost.
Spiritual Warfare is no different. No one is forcing you to fight.You fight because you are called. You say yes because you heard a voice sayingthis is the way walk in it. You sign your name on the document of eternity thatsays I pledge allegiance to my God and His mission of bringing His people backHOME into a right relationship with Him- through the blood of our Savior thattakes away the sin of the world and allows us to stand before a Holy andRighteous God.
I sign my name and strap on my armor. This is war. A war of allthe wars. The ultimate confrontation of good versus evil. So many are being deceived.
But not you dear one. YOUR eyes have been opened. You know what isbeing asked. Not even death stops our God. He is unstoppable, untamable, anduncontainable. He holds victory as sure as the rising sun.
I’m not going to lie to you. I’m not sugarcoating it. Being a soldierof the kingdom of Heaven in this “in between” world will not be easy. As amatter of fact, the enemy makes it that way so you will turn back and abandonyour post. He hits hard and strong BUT MY GOD HITS LAST.
As the children’s song goes, “ I am a soldier in the Lord’s Army.”I swear loyalty to Him for all of my days come what may. Circumstances do notdefine my assignment or allegiance. I will fight with the supernatural powersof prayer, scripture, worship, praise, obedience, sacrifice, and whatever elseHe speaks into my heart.
War is bloody. War is tragic. But sometimes war is the only thingthat stands in the between evil overrunning the lives of the innocents.
Train yourself up for battle my friend. The battle truly INDEEDbelongs to the Lord. The VICTORY is already in the books. We just need to, asPaul says, “STAND FIRM.”
Lord, you are my ultimate Commander and Sustainer of this life. Isign the doted lines to enlist for Your army. You alone have the words of eternal life. For your good purposes, I take uponmyself all that entails. I ask for Your Grace, Mercy, and Protection. I ask forcourage, strength, and stamina. But most of all, most Holy God, I ask that youhelp me to see past my own fleeting life and into the eternal victory.
Time to suit up friends.
