Wednesday, July 27, 2016

A Believer's Battle Cry

I am in a battle.

Not a battle against flesh and blood, but agains principalities and the dark forces of evil. Summed up... I am in a deep spiritual battle. I know these words are normal in a christian society but don't let them hit you and fall in the box of normality. Let them wash over as a new revelation. Being in a physical world, it is often hard to open our eyes to the spiritual warfare waging around us. But that is what is happening. SO PRAY. For PRAYER is what opens our eyes to see clearly.
"When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. "Oh, my lord, what shall we do?" the servant asked. "Don't be afraid," the prophet answered. "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them." 
AND ELISHA PRAYED, "OH LORD, OPEN HIS EYES SO HE MAY SEE." 
Then the Lord opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full or horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha." -2 Kings 6:15-17

When we come to Father and begin engaging in the warfare, we begin to see things differently. I don't know how to accurately explain it and even if I could you wouldn't understand unless you have the Holy Spirit indwelling you. All I know is I am in a huge battle and its becoming more real to me moment by moment.

These past 2 months I have been on the road. I have been traveling from camp to camp, serving, encouraging, counseling. It is week 8... to say there have been bumps in the road is an understatement. It is hard to explain because a lot of what I have been dealing with is invisible. Nonetheless, it is very real. It is attitudes, character, trials, testing and temptations. As you can imagine, I am tired... more like exhausted. You know those times...those times when you are wore out, to the breaking point. That is where I am at.


When I am tired, all I want to do is take a break. I want everything to stop. I want to get away. The problem is, I can't. Not because I don't have vacation time, or because there are too many people around or too much to do. (Although most of those things are also correct.) It is because you can't stop in the middle of a battle, unless you want to lose. Everyone knows that.

When I get to that point in my life, I start slowing down. I begin to drag my feet and my eyelids flutter trying to stay open. My desire is for a break. My prayer becomes, "Lord, please let me rest. I need a break....." It wasn't until I talked to my mom and she reminded me that I can't do it. I can't win the fight alone. Then I remembered that I was in a battle and it won't stop until the Lord returns or He calls me home! That hasn't happened yet. So, I have to keep going! However, I don't have to go at it alone! I need to remember the God who goes before me and the God who stands behind me. I need to remember the God is always stands by my side. This God will fight for me! All I need to do is stand still....

So my prayer became, "Lord, help me. Don't let me quite. Help me fight. Arm me. Help me put on the belt of truth and the breast plate of righteousness. Fit on my head the helmet of salvation and strap on my feet the shoes fitted with the gospel of peace. Help me wield accurately the sword of the Spirit and help me hold up the shield of faith." In this moment, I felt revived. Because I was no longer fighting alone. Yes, I am still tired. But my God is fighting before me. He takes the blows. All I need to do is stand still...armed. ready. prepared.

For I am in a battle.