IT IS TIME

Today in church we sang on of my favs- The Battle Belongs to the Lord. Weeks ago during a prayer service God spoke to me about this idea. I prayed and then on the way home He was hitting me with all kinds of (challenging) thoughts. I came home and wrote and wrote in my “God journal.” A journal I keep for things when I feel God is speaking something so me.

The Battle Belongs to the Lord. To be honest, I used to take such a lackadaisical (carelessly lazy) look to this. I would sing this and believe for this and told myself the battle is the Lord’s, not mine. He already has the victory. Then God slammed me.

 

Oh YES, indeed the battle belongs to the Lord. He has already claimed the victory and forever more will be the champion. HOWEVER, did you ever see that chapter in Ephesians where it talks about armoring up? Why do I have to put armor on if the battle is the Lord’s and I just have to sit on my butt and wait for it to happen?

Uh-huh. He is my commander, The holder of the strategy and the victor. BUT make no mistake. I have a part to play. The fact that the battle is the Lords doesn’t give me a free pass to sit idly by. I am a soldier. A WARRIOR if you will in the army of the Most High God.

Ephesians 6:11 says “Blessed be the Lord my Rock who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle.”

2 Timothy 2:3  “Join  with me in suffering. Like a good soldier of Jesus Christ.”

 2 Corinthians 10:4 – “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.”

 

The battle BELONGS to the Lord, but make no mistake. You are involved. I am a soldier. I am part of the battle plan not because God NEEDS me to do something, but I have the privilege to serve.

The great news is… we WIN! BUT what part do you play soldier? We have to be listening to the commander to know where to go and what to do. He knows the plan BECAUSE HE WROTE THE PLAN.

Battles are ugly. War is often a necessary evil. We go to war not only for the good of ourselves but for those around us. Those we are serving for. Sometimes battles get bloody. Sometimes we hurt. There is pain. BUT we know that God doesn’t allow anything to slip through His fingers unless it is to bring an ultimate victory for the Kingdom of God.

I can’t see past my own life. I am betting neither can you. Or really do we ever want to? We live for what will bring us happiness, fullness, and contentment. But the commander can see more than we could ever imagine. The commander knows all the lives and all the plans and how to work them all together to bring the good. Not the good at the moment. Not the good that fills our bellies for the moment. He knows the plan that will bring about eternity for the most souls.

Sometimes soldiers sacrifice. Sometimes a soldiers have to go into the fire to save a fellow fighter. War isn’t always pretty and neither is spiritual warfare.

The enemy, the deceiver is more evil that any force the earth has ever known. He goes for the throat every time. He hates you. He doesn’t present it that way at first. Oh heavens no. He is the DECIEVER. He makes what he is offering look so satisfying and almost perfect. Just like the spider and the web.

Good soldiers know a set up when they see it. Usually because they have the Commander's instructions. As soldier, we know our destination and our goal,and can’t get distracted on what feels good now. We have bigger purposes and plans to line up for the future than to get bogged down in every here and now 

In spiritual warfare, we do use different weapons than on an earthly battlefield. Praise and worship to Our Father God regardless of our circumstances can weaken our enemy. Praying on all occasions the Bible tells us is top notch. Lately I have learned that obedience and forgiveness are special sniper weapons the LORD has given to us. Special in assignment but deadly when used.

What does the commander ask of me? Loyalty. I think you would agree that if you have faith in the one leading you, you will follow them to the ends of the earth and beyond. Who better to put our ultimate faith in than the ONE who made the sky and stars. The One who know the plan. The one who we KNOW has the victory?

I have to trust my commander. I have to follow Him with zero hesitation. If sacrifice has come to my life, I remind myself it is for a purpose. If pain, death, or sickness visits, I, as a soldier, know that my commander would never require this of me unless it was not of eternal importance.

The draft was last used in the United States on December 7, 1972. People were “forced” into service. Now, we sign up. We enlist. We sign our own name to that document that commits us to serve our home and commander no matter the cost.

Spiritual Warfare is no different. No one is forcing you to fight. You fight because you are called. You say yes because you heard a voice saying this is the way walk in it. You sign your name on the document of eternity that says I pledge allegiance to my God and His mission of bringing His people back HOME into a right relationship with Him- through the blood of our Savior that takes away the sin of the world and allows us to stand before a Holy and Righteous God.

I sign my name and strap on my armor. This is war. A war of all the wars. The ultimate confrontation of good versus evil. So many are being deceived.

But not you dear one. YOUR eyes have been opened. You know what is being asked. Not even death stops our God. He is unstoppable, untamable, and uncontainable. He holds victory as sure as the rising sun.

I’m not going to lie to you. I’m not sugarcoating it. Being a soldier of the kingdom of Heaven in this “in between” world will not be easy. As a matter of fact, the enemy makes it that way so you will turn back and abandon your post. He hits hard and strong BUT MY GOD HITS LAST.

As the children’s song goes, “ I am a soldier in the Lord’s Army.” I swear loyalty to Him for all of my days come what may. Circumstances do not define my assignment or allegiance. I will fight with the supernatural powers of prayer, scripture, worship, praise, obedience, sacrifice, and whatever else He speaks into my heart.

War is bloody. War is tragic. But sometimes war is the only thing that stands in the between evil overrunning the lives of the innocents.

Train yourself up for battle my friend. The battle truly INDEED belongs to the Lord. The VICTORY is already in the books. We just need to, as Paul says, “STAND FIRM.”

Lord, you are my ultimate Commander and Sustainer of this life. I sign the doted lines to enlist for Your army. You alone have the words of eternal life. For your good purposes, I take upon myself all that entails. I ask for Your Grace, Mercy, and Protection. I ask for courage, strength, and stamina. But most of all, most Holy God, I ask that you help me to see past my own fleeting life and into the eternal victory.

Time to suit up friends.