January 13th

There are battlegrounds on which the child of God is daily engaged. While we are aware of the fact that we battle principalities and powers according to Scripture (Eph. 6:12), most of us are in practice neglectful of that truth and begin to believe that we are unable to wage war without bringing all of our own resources to bear in the battle rather than realizing that, indeed, the battle is the Lord’s.

For most of us who bear the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, the battlegrounds are areas in our own lives which seem inconsequential to anyone but ourselves, if we think about them at all. They are just everyday trials which any of us might endure or from which we run when they be-come more than our limited resources fail to meet. Often we do not even carry them to God in prayer! We muddle through or struggle along with less than a victory song on our lips, considering them to be nothing but the human condition. Ah, if we only could make real in our lives the truth that God the Father allows all of these battlegrounds put in our paths as training for His Kingdom and to teach us that His grace is the sufficiency we need.

Sometimes we battle against our own desires, perhaps a covetous spirit, or a greed for power in daily relationships. Often the battles revolve around reactions brought on by events from the past over which we have failed to gain victory.

There is Someone who wars against these things for us. “For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and Spirit against the flesh.” (Gal. 5:17) He will war for us in those daily struggles in a difficult marriage situation. He will battle the fears which have been built into our thinking by a lifetime of betrayals. He will befriend us when loneliness overpowers us. He will prevail against our prideful ways with our cooperation. He will show us better ways to advance in this life than to tread over others. He will teach us to look beneath the problems in relationships and let us see how we have ourselves contributed to the problems. Truth is His weapon. Love is His motivation. Nothing can prevail against these. When we yield to Him, the battle is fought and won.

HOW OFTEN, LORD?

How often, Lord, do You inspire
And set my heart and mind afire?
How often do You lend me power
To pierce the foe’s unyielding tower?
How often do You grant me peace
And bid my useless strivings cease?
How often do You show the way
When I am wandering through my day?
How often do You hope renew?
As often as I turn to You.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I desire to be led by Your Holy Spirit so that the works of the flesh will not be made manifest in my life. Help me to yield to You at every battle.