some fights, you just fight.
There are fights you fight to win, and there are fights you just fight. What is the purpose of fighting? And what did the Apostle Paul mean by “fight to good fight?” These are some things I have been reflecting on for many years. What you are about to read is the culmination of almost ten years of prayer and meditation on this topic.
It all started when I was driving one day and as I was in a spirit of meditation I heard this come into my mind, “Some fights, you just fight. They are not to be won as you know it.”
Naturally, my conscious self recalled this passage, and the rest unfolded over the next several years…
“Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”
You fight the good fight. Do you win? Not in this age. In this age, you just keep fighting. You never win the fight against the flesh. You fight the fight against the flesh.
That may be why we tend to stumble over and over again, because we think we have won the fight, and then we back off of our vigilance. Likewise, just because we don't feel the fruit of a "win", doesn't mean we stop fighting or surrender. We do win, just not here. I can't think that something's wrong with me because I am still at war.
I will be at war with the devil, the spirit of the age, or whatever you want to call it, until I enter into the fullness of eternity. This knowledge completely changes the way I live.
vigilance
In reading the book “Grace, the power to change”, I was struck with this revelation the author unpacks; “Satan does not destroy whom he will. He destroys whom he may.” He is not capable of devouring just anyone, but those who are not sober minded and vigilant.
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”
Spiritual wakefulness is our form of warfare. It actually is preventative. What it looks like is getting the rest that you need; taking care of your body; spending time in restful meditation on the Word, God’s attributes and His works; and building up your inner man- spiritually exercising your mind and body, if you will. It is as practical as daily disciplines that give margin and rest to your mind so that you have a clear mind to hear the Spirit when He is speaking. The Bible warns about being anxious, fearful, and weighted down with the cares of the world. Look at this verse in the book of Luke:
“And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.”
The word “overcharged” means being weighted down. When we are weighted down with burdens we are no longer vigilant and susceptible to attack. This can look like busyness, overextending ourselves into things God hasn’t called us to, or trauma and stress intensifying in your home or life. When you look at the parable of the sower, the seeds that fell on the thorny ground do not take root due to this. Trials, pressure, persecution, worries of this life, deceitfulness of wealth- all things that tempt, distract or add pressure can cause us to be deceived and ultimately swept away. (Matthew 13:20-21) Look at this verse in the Amplified Classic version:
“But take heed to yourselves and be on your guard, lest your hearts be overburdened and depressed (weighed down) with the giddiness and headache and nausea of self-indulgence, drunkenness, and worldly worries and cares pertaining to [the business of] this life, and [lest] that day come upon you suddenly like a trap or a noose;”
Remember, the things we are warring against are the imaginations that do not line up with the Word of God. I don’t have to scream at the devil, I simply have to gain control of my thoughts and beliefs. This is actually where the battle is being fought, and why this fight will continue to be fought throughout our lives. When we start slacking off in this area of mental vigilance, and allow lies to take up residence in our minds, we grow weak in our faith and become susceptible to the devil all over again.
Something to remember, the battle is in the mind, and our beliefs are weapons; The devil cannot do what you do not believe he can do.
Christ Fights My Battles
When we confess the Word, we are not trying to get God to do something; we are trying to get our heart aligned with His. We are not praying to move God’s position to ours, but to get His heart, so we can move our position to His. We must work toward hearing His voice and get agreement working inside of us.
It is only when we are in a place of trusting God that we can truly be at rest, and we can only commune with God in restfulness. When we are aligned with Him it is as if we are surrounded by Him, hidden in Him, covered by His righteousness. It is no longer I that am seen by my enemies, but Jesus is seen. This act of “hiddenness in Christ” is a form of warfare- this is what “Christ fighting my battles” looks like.
WARFARE
When we think of warfare we may imagine shouting at demons. Typically we think of warfare as a defensive posture, responding to an attack. However, there is a type of warfare that looks like coming behind Jesus, leaning on our beloved. Cultivating intimacy with Jesus is actually warfare.
This simple verse taught me to back up and get behind Jesus. You may have been taught that “the battle is ours”, and we need to command these things, but we do not have authority over everything. Christ in you is a powerful weapon. Just the presence of Christ, like a fragrance when you walk into a room, can certainly affect the environment. (2 Corinthians 2:14-16)
However, every battle is not that of lower-level demons which we can easily swat. When we are up against things that are bigger than demons such as “against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens”, we best not use our flesh to fight this battle. (See Ephesians 6:12)
In the moments of heated battle, we need to dial down and go back behind the Lord. We should ask, “What are you doing right now Lord?” Dialing down and coming behind the Lord looks like staying hidden in Christ and leaning on His righteousness, not getting ahead or in front of Him. If you don’t know how to do that, today is a great day to start practicing.
“And the LORD said to Satan, “The LORD rebuke you, Satan!”
One of the main reasons I started this blog was to encourage and provide tools for just that. My prayer is that this blog is a place to find fuel and “how to’s” in growing in your spiritual walk.
the garment
There is a garment I am wearing called “Christ”. My enemies are God’s enemies. They see Christ not me. There was an old church chorus we used to sing thirty years ago that went like this;
“I am covered over by the robe of righteousness that Jesus gives to me.
I am covered over by the precious blood of Jesus, and He lives in me.
What a joy it is to know my heavenly Father loves me so and gives to me, my Jesus,
and when He looks at me He sees not what I used to be, but He sees Jesus.”
I love this chorus so much because it reminds me that the battle is HIS. He has won. I do not have to spend my energy fighting in the flesh, but rather resting in HIM. Meditating on this beautiful picture that I am being held and covered by the robe of Christ’s righteousness. Prayer and meditation is our work. Communing with God is our daily vigilance which we must fight to protect and keep sacred as if our life depended on it.
