battles

for years, the kids have come home from their church classes with elaborate karate moves symbolizing how they will “kick the devil out.” it was cute and fun at first, but the more they were taught about the actual power of claiming the name of Jesus and speaking it against evil, the more this has transformed our household. i pray for protection over them when they go to sleep, not only physical protection but spiritually as well.

i went to sleep last night with this song on my mind:

WHAT THE ENEMY MEANT FOR EVIL, YOU TURN IT FOR GOOD!

i walked into church this morning, and as soon as i began praising God, i literally felt chains falling from me. chains of lies, fear, desperation, depression, jealousy, lonliness, inadequacy… all chains that i have gotten caught up in through listening to the enemy. it’s a daily, constant war, i am learning. it’s not a one karate chop and it’s gone type of battle.

my pastor spoke of our fight today. in Hebrews 12

Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls! (msg)

specifically what our true fight is. it is for our focus. the enemy seeks to put a wedge between our own brothers and sisters and cause quarrels within the church; produce distrust and distraction with our authorities and distort our focus on the struggle. we are to keep our eyes on Jesus. just as David did, as a young man against a mighty warrior. he defeated goliath with a slingshot but more importantly he marched “in the name of the Lord Almighty” (1 samuel 17:45). David never lost his focus, not when his own brothers doubted him, or when his authority, Saul, discouraged him, or when his enemy towered over him.

it’s no surprise that our world is in chaos, this was prophesied long ago and the enemy has had a foothold since the garden. there may not be much i can changed about my own battles, but i can choose to focus on God and trust that he will turn it all for good.