the battle is the Lords

Proverbs 21:31 NLT
The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord.

I have met some great warriors in my time.  Some of them have been men prepared by the US Marines for combat.  Some have been warriors on the field of business and have become very successful.  Some have even been little old ladies who go into their prayer closet and do spiritual battle in big ways.

The thing that I have come to understand is that we are in a constant battle.  Some of our battles count and some of them don't.  The fact is when we set our attention and direction on God, we set ourselves up for battle with a real enemy.  His name is Satan.

1 Peter 5:8 NLT
Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.

He is sly and he is a liar.  Yet there are times when our enemy sets himself up as very attractive and seemingly wonderful opportunities.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Satan is our enemy.

Recently I have watched some great people fall in battle.  It seems something like this: they were ready for battle with their weapons in their hand and prepared.  But as they approached the battle the enemy came up and asked for  their weapon, and this person almost this easy just handed over their weapon.

Hear me out.  We are in a battle if we are following Jesus.  We have weapons to use.  They are the Holy Spirit in us, God who is for us and the Scripture we have in our possession.  Don't let the enemy take your weapons.  In fact, defeat the enemy by allowing God to work through you.

Don't give up.  God hasn't backed off.  He has not left you alone.  Believe God.  In every battle He has a plan, and He has help for you too.

1 Corinthians 10:13 NASB
No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.

I have experienced this first hand even this week.  When I am weak, the enemy is after me.  But wait.  When I am strong, the enemy is seeking a way to make me weak.  If my attention is not on God, if I am not listening to and trusting God, I am going down.  That doesn't have to happen.  God wants us to win.  There are lives at risk here.

Here is where the rubber meets the road.  God is preparing us to open The Community Dream Center, and we are encountering opposition as well as open doors.  We are seeing blessing and also getting some confusion.  The choice is mine.  It is ours.  Do I lean into God and trust Him?  Or, do I get off coarse by handing over my weapons to my enemy.

The battle is the Lord's.  It isn't mine.

Ephesians 6:13 NLT
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.

[+] Please Pray

 

Gloria Haynes from The Community will be having surgery this Saturday and will be in Roanoke Memorial Hospital for several days (write Gloria and Tom at 455 Hidden Valley Dr., Martinsville, VA 240112).  Pray for a friend named Gerald who will be having a heart procedure this week.  Dr. Alle is my kid's eye DR and her father was diagnosed with cancer this week, and remember to pray for our own Jim Fulcher who has begun his fight against cancer.  Last, pray for Sharon Joyce and her family in the death of her nephew, Larry Wayne Dickerson (the visitation is Thursday 6-9pm at Bassett Funeral Service).

 

[+] E-DEVOTIONS: written by Michael Harrison, lead Pastor, The Community Fellowship;  reason to encourage you to follow Jesus; archived at Michael's blog, http://e-devotion.blogspot.com ;  subscribe, unsubscribe or contact  mharrison@thecommunityfellowship.org.