Wednesday, May 21, 2014
When The Battle Rages
As believers there are times when spiritual warfare can seem more real to us. There can be tough times when we or someone we know and care about needs healing, deliverance, provision, heartache, and more. And we are thankful in those times that our God stands and delivers us. This morning as I was considering this it occurred to me that the battle is really raging everyday.
In the “good times” we may think that there is no battle. However, that is not what the scriptures seem to say. Jesus spoke about this at different times in different ways.
John 10:7Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
In this passage, amongst other things, Jesus was saying that He is the Shepherd. There is a thief that comes to kill, steal, and destroy. Our adversary is on a mission to do just that to us. Does it seem likely that he would ever take the day off? Jesus, being the Shepherd, fights him off many times without us even knowing it. And notice those that claim to help that are not the Shepherd run away, but He never does.
Matthew 6: 25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Here Jesus is telling us that God cares for everything. He takes care of the birds, so certainly He would care for us. If God is taking care of all our needs, then certainly He would be there to fight our daily battles. Even when we are not aware that there is an enemy attacking, God fights him off for us.
One last point. Just because we may be experiencing the “good times”, it does not mean that all other believers are. In our good times we can pray for others. There are many around the world that need our prayers for their deliverance. There are many in our own cities and towns. Like God, we can be involved in the battle everyday for our fellow believers. Today, let’s pray for each other, and watch our God move!
Prayer
Father, we praise and exalt You. You are the Most High King. Forgive us our mistakes. We ask today that You reach out to those that in the tough times of raging battle. Touch the lives of those with cancer and other diseases today Father. Heal them in a way that You alone get the glory and the praise. Send today Your healing, deliverance, and abundant provision. In Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) name. Amen.