My feelings were all over the place. At one moment I was saddened by the news that I heard, but at the next moment, I was angry. I felt like I was on an emotional roller coaster. All I wanted was to speak up for myself. All I wanted was to tell them how hurtful their view was, and for them to understand how I was feeling. I even spent time mentally planning my response and what my next course of action should be. But then, I realized that there is no way that I can, in my own strength, win this fight. This battle is far beyond me. And, not only is this victory important to me, it is important to God. So, I have concluded that I do not have to spend my time fixating on what I’m going to do. I don’t have to figure out how I will fight or how I will win. I am not alone. This battle is not mine. It is the Lords.
He said, “Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the Lord says: Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. (2 Chronicles 20:15 NLT)
Tomorrow, march out against them. You will find them coming up through the ascent of Ziz at the end of the valley that opens into the wilderness of Jeruel. But you will not even need to fight. Take your positions; then stand still and watch the Lord’s victory. He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out against them tomorrow, for the Lord is with you!” (2 Chronicles 20:16-17 NLT)
“You will not even need to fight.”
I want us to allow those words to sink in, because this is what the Lord spoke to his children back then, and I believe that this is what He wants to say to us today. We must not make the mistake of believing that we are alone in our battles. We must not put the burden on ourselves, because it is a burden far too great to bear. We serve a God that can handle the weight of whatever we are facing. He is a God that fights for His children. He is a God that fights for what is right, and He is always with us.
“For I, the Lord, love justice. I hate robbery and wrongdoing. I will faithfully reward my people for their suffering and make an everlasting covenant with them. (Isaiah 61:8 NLT)
The Lord loves justice.
Maybe you’re reading this and you’re wondering how you can be sure that God will fight for you. If that’s the case, I want you to allow the words of Isaiah 61:8 to comfort you. Your Father hates wrongdoing. He hates to see you being mistreated. He hates to witness the pain that you go through as a result of what someone else has done. And…He loves justice. He loves seeing his children vindicated. He loves rewarding us for our suffering.
So, if you have been suffering at the hands of someone else, or If an injustice has been committed against you, I want you to know that that injustice has a time limit. At the appointed time, the Lord will show His strength in your life. He will pull you out of the pit of despair that you’ve been in. He will rescue you from those that have sought to harm you. He will lead you to a place of peace and safety. But that’s not all, He will reward you for being His faithful servant through all that you’ve been through.
He reached down from heaven and rescued me; he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemies, from those who hated me and were too strong for me. They attacked me at a moment when I was in distress, but the Lord supported me. He led me to a place of safety; he rescued me because he delights in me. The Lord rewarded me for doing right; he restored me because of my innocence. (Psalms 18:16-20 NLT)
This passage in Psalms has always been my go to in situations when I’ve felt like I was being mistreated. And it is the passage that I run to today. As much as I want to fight…as much as I want to make a way for myself… I am choosing to put my hope in the Lord. I am choosing to trust that in His perfect timing, He will rescue me and reward me for doing what is right.
All we have to do is stand still and watch.
This is the Lord’s will for us as He fights our battles. How do we know this? Because he gave that instruction over and over again in scripture.
But you will not even need to fight. Take your positions; then stand still and watch the Lord’s victory. (2 Chronicles 20:17 NLT)
But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” (Exodus 14:13-14 NLT)
“Now stand here and see the great thing the Lord is about to do. (1 Samuel 12:16 NLT)
God doesn’t want us to fight for ourselves. He wants us to stand still, so that we can witness the great things that He does in our lives. This is how He receives the glory from our victories, and this is how we gain a testimony that we can share with others. But, I don’t want us to read the words “stand still” and think that we have absolutely no part to play in our victory. Sitting is effortless. But standing takes strength.
As believers we can stand strong through prayer.
We must always remember that our battle is spiritual. We aren’t seeking to win a battle with a person or group of people. We are seeking to defeat the spirit behind the person or group of people.
For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12 NLT)
At times, it can be hard to take this concept in. But this world is ruled by spirits, not people. If someone seeks to harm you, there’s a spirit behind it. If someone seeks to oppress you, there’s a spirit behind it. So, although it seems that this person is responsible for the pain that you’ve endured, you must understand that the battle is bigger than you, and the battle is bigger than them. This is why prayer is so important, and this is why we need the Lord to fight for us.
The most powerful prayers use scripture.
For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. (Hebrews 4:12 NLT)
I am a firm believer that the word of God is more powerful than anything we can speak on our own behalf. His word is alive… It’s active…and it is the only weapon that He gave us to fight with.
Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:13-17 NLT)
When I was fighting for my marriage, the battle was won through prayer and prayer alone. At the time, nothing I said to my husband mattered. He wasn’t moved by my pleas or emotions. His heart was hardened, and so, I used the weapon that God gave me. I prayed Ezekiel 36:26-27 over him.
And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations. (Ezekiel 36:26-27 NLT)
I would pray, “Lord, please give my husband a new heart and put a new spirit in him. Remove his stony stubborn heart, and give him a tender, responsive heart. And Lord, I also pray that you would put your Spirit in him, so that he follows your decrees and obeys your regulations.”
I prayed this scripture over my husband, and the Lord moved in a mighty way. He did exactly what I prayed for. My husband is no longer a man with a hardened heart. He is a man that is attentive and responsive to his family. He is a man that walks in the Spirit daily.
Only God can win His battle.
I may not have had the strength to transform my husband, but it wasn’t my battle to begin with, it was the Lord’s. Only he had the strength to transform my husband’s heart. Only He had the strength to save my marriage. He is a miracle worker, and I am choosing to continue to trust Him with the battles in my life.
For a moment, I want you to think about the battle that you are facing. Have you been trying to defend yourself? Have you been trying to prove how the other person is wrong, and why you are right? Have you been fighting your own battles, ignoring the fact that God wants to fight for you? If so, I want you to know that there are some battles that only God can win. We can’t change hearts, but God can. We can’t make someone understand us or see our point of view, but God can. There is nothing too hard for Him. If you are dealing with injustice in your life, give it to God. It’s His battle anyway. Stand still. Stand strong. And watch as He fights the battles in your life. He will give you the victory. Continue to place your hope and trust in Him.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for reminding me that my battles are not my own. Thank you for reminding me that you are always with me, and you will always fight for me. I don’t have to argue on my own behalf. I don’t have to fight to prove myself right or someone else wrong. Instead, I can give my battles to you by standing still and watching as you display your glory through my life. So today, I declare that I am done fighting for myself. I will rely on you. I will stand still, but I will also stand strong. I will use the weapon that you have given me in your word. And I believe that, as I put my trust in you, I will see victory in my life. I love you, Father. In Jesus name, amen.
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