“Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid nor dismayed before the (enemy), nor before all the multitude that is with him. With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God, to help us and to fight our battles.” (2 Chronicles 32:7-8, NKJV)
I’m studying God’s battle strategies in the Old Testament because they parallel the spiritual battles described in the New Testament — and I am in a war zone. My ‘enemy’ wants to destroy my faith, stop me from prayer and trusting God, and ruin the lives of those I care about. His weapons are not swords and arrows. He uses lies and intimidation, anything that will turn my focus from God and turn my faith into a quivering mess.
God’s battle strategy includes courage. He wants me to remember that He is far more powerful than anything that can come against me. He knows if I start quaking in fear, I will lose. Fear equals loss of faith in Him. Once that is gone, so am I!
But courage is never based on an “I can do this” bravado. It is solidly rooted in knowing who God is and knowing that He is on my side. How can I maintain that assurance? Practice spiritual disciplines. Be in the Bible daily. Pray. Remember the prayer that He has already answered. Meditate on His power and promises. Ask others to pray for me. Confess every sin as soon as I’m aware there is one. Be around other Christians (their faith builds my faith). Go to church and worship God. Listen to good sermons. Sing praise. Tell others about Him.
Yet the odd thing is that these can become mere ritual, or empty religiousity. The key to being strong in the Lord is that He does it. He helps me. He fights my battles. He is the Savior. So when I stumble and fall, He picks me up. When my faith becomes weak, He reinforces it. When I get hit with a lie, He reminds me of the truth.
I’m never alone. My salvation from sin and sin’s power do not depend on me. The battles I fight against lies, intimidation, attacks against my faith, and the power of the enemy in the lives of family and friends is not my battle; it is God’s — and as long as I remember that, He keeps my courage level way up.
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