I'm Done Fighting

His Word: They were helped in fighting them…..because they cried out to him during the battle. He answered their prayers, because they trusted in him.   I Chronicles 5:20

Observation & Obedience:  One thing we can count on is that God will always answer our prayers. It will be with a yes, no, not now or you’ve got to be kidding me!  Time and again, we see the children of Israel crying out to God. And time and again we see God hearing them, answering their request and coming to their rescue.

Verse 18 describes the soldiers: The Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 men ready for military service; able-bodied men who could handle shield and sword; who could use a bow, and who were trained for battle. It sounds like the perfect combination to insure that these men could, and would, destroy their enemies. 

Do you notice when they cried out to God? It was during the battle. Perhaps they went into the conflict feeling pretty confident in themselves. Maybe they believed their strength was in their number and their training. Yet something must have happened in the middle of the fight for them to cry out to God for his help. God heard and he answered in a big way!

They not only defeated their enemies, they gained 50,000 camels, 250,000 sheep and 2000 donkeys. They took 100,000 people captive and killed many others.  Did they do this with their own weapons and power? Was it possible because of their able bodies and ability? Not necessarily.  Verse 22a gives us the real answer why they won: …because the battle was God’s.  

I don’t know what battle you are fighting right now or how confident you feel in defeating your “enemies”; I can only speak for myself. And I’m saying, I’m done fighting a battle I have no control over.  I once thought I was strong enough to fight this enemy of cancer on my own. Being a veteran of this nonsense, I believed I knew what to do, what to think, what to say, how to feel, etc. 

That’s so not the case! I am in a battle with an enemy that is determined to destroy me. I have no control on what it does to my body. It’s not like heart disease or obesity where you can change your lifestyle and you are cured.  Sure, I can eat better, think positive thoughts, pray for healing, but in the end it is God’s battle to fight, and not mine. 

I have cried out to him in the middle of this battle. I know he hears my cries and I know he will answer. God will have the final say of when and where I am healed; here on earth or in heaven – but he will heal me. So have I given up? Not at all, but I have given up using my precious energy trying to beat something bigger and badder than me, and trusting God to do the fighting!

Instead, I am concentrating on living! I am determined to make the most of the energy I have to do the things I want to do, go places I want to go and be with people I want to be with. I try not to (not always easy) wonder and worry how this battle is going to end but rather live in the moment, taking control of what I can and being grateful for the blessings I have in this present moment.

Are you trying to fight a battle you have no control over? Do you trust God enough to let him handle it? Don’t waste your time and energy stressing over the outcome. Drop your weapons and cry out to God knowing that he hears and will answer in his time and in his way. Enjoy what is happening around you today; for tomorrow is not guaranteed for any of us. 

Prayer:  “Dear God, thank you for the strength and comfort you provide for all of us fighting a nasty battle; whether it’s physical, financial, relational, emotional or spiritual. We can use so much of our energy trying to figure everything out when all you want us to do is trust you, get out of your way and let you fight for us. This battle is yours and the victory is yours, not mine. Help us all to be mindful of your promise in Exodus 14:14: The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.  I’m so done fighting!! Amen.”

Encouragement: Today will be what you make of it. Think well. Work hard. Stay focused. Enjoy it all and never give up!           Johnnie Moore