"Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you."
(2 Chronicles 20:17)
I was just reading in the Old Testament and came across that verse. It's amazing how God worked in many different ways back then. We know that oftentimes the Israelites did have to actually fight against the sinful nations around them. But I was thinking how that could work in our everyday lives as godly women.
We know well we are in a spiritual battle.
"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."
(Ephesians 6:12)
But as we are faithful, I know that God sometimes delivers us from some trials before we have to go through them. But most of the time we have to actively fight through them.
We have to fight our flesh every day and strive to walk in the Spirit. And yes we should expect much opposition and persecution from those who do not love the Lord. But the Lord can deliver us and make a way for us to escape. All in His perfect will.
We know in all things we can have peace...because of Him.
"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."
(John 16:33)
No matter what the world or satan throws at us we know we can be more than overcomers through Christ.
"Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
(Romans 8:33-39)
Yes even in this virus issue, which has impacted our every day lives, we don't fear. We know we have to get through this life, endure faithful to the end, to ever have the hope of eternal life.
What about the future? Yes there could be the darkest most terrible times the earth has ever faced just on the horizon, (well we know it will be before our Lord returns), but God can keep us through that too. IF we are truly His, then we need not fear anything else...because fear is not of God.
"And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."
(Matthew 10:28)
Because we fear God, we will fight through whatever comes in our way of fully serving Him.
"Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses."
(1 Timothy 6:12)
I know that if you try to grow plants in a too sheltered environment away from wind and sunlight and then bring them out into the outdoors then they do not do well and are very weak. So with us, it is good to go through trials as it makes us grow stronger and helps us to mature in the Lord. No, in our flesh we would prefer not to be hurt, but in Christ He leads us through rough places. He remains with us and gives us strength if we trust Him.
And what are some of those battles that we women might have to face as we serve Him? We are not all the same and we each have our personal weaknesses and battles to face, yet still we all have much in common.
A few areas for us might be...
"un-uniting" from believers living in sin whether they be family or friends
patience and perseverance in finding biblical clothing, and overcoming any areas of pride and vanity that we might have in this area.
being willing to give up the "perfect life" we long for in our flesh
being rejected by those who once accepted us
being prepared for enemies that will come in our lives
overcoming physical infirmities and rejoicing in them
And of course there are many other trials that come and go and they will always be here as long as we strive to be obedient to our Lord. Yes there are things that will get easier over time but we will not be able to rest completely until we are free from these fleshly bodies.
I don't claim to know it all, as I haven't had as long a life on this earth as many have, but no doubt living as a believer in any situation will produce a battle against good and evil, the flesh and the spirit.
"This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would."
(Galatians 5:16-17)
But day by day we must press on...
"I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."
(Philippians 3:14)
And one day our hope will become a reality and we shall be with our Lord and all His saints FOREVER!
In the end, yes it is more than worth it to deny ourselves and take up our cross and follow Christ. God will be glorified in our lives as we show His power to live a victorious life over sin.
Yes we may have moments of weakness. Yes I am fighting to overcome the fear of man myself. I am sure we all have those times which of course we would like not to have...so I am with you. I would prefer to keep to myself and not talk to anyone much. I am a quiet person and very bashful. Yes some of that can be a blessing as a meek and quiet woman but I cannot remain that way and bring glory to God, as His gospel and the power and hope we have in Him must be made known in ways that are appropriate for women. So I must fear God and not man or what they think of me. I am stepping out of my own comfort zone in this and I shall grow in the Lord as long as I do not give up. Yes I have a way to go, but I must obey God rather than man/myself.
I was just thinking about the scripture that says:
"And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.
But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord."
And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.
But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord."
(Genesis 6:5-8)
And I thought wow, how merciful and wonderful is our God to give us a chance to live and repent. And what a marvellous thing it is that He sent His holy Son Jesus into the world as a sacrifice for sinners.
We are not worthy!
Praise Him forever!
Is anything too hard to fight for Him?
If only I would remember this in the heat of the battle and every second of every day.
I want to.
What about you?
