Winning Life's Battles

It's hard to turn on the TV or pick up a newspaper these days. It seems like there's an endless torrent of bad news. We're plagued with an ailing national and global economy, wars and rumors of wars, high unemployment and many families that are falling apart or just plain hurting. It feels as if we're in a constant battle, and to a degree, we really are.

The twelfth chapter of the Book of First Chronicles in the Old Testament gives a powerful metaphor for winning in life's battles. David was chosen by God and anointed to be the king over Israel. He had one major problem: Saul, the sitting king would not surrender the throne and had dedicated himself to hunting down David and killing him.

In this chapter, we find David hiding from Saul in a foreign city called Ziklag, among Saul's enemies. There, David was sought out by several thousand men who decided to break away from Saul and align themselves with David. This came at the risk of their own lives and their families as well. The Bible teaches that these men brought 3 things to the table that we could use today:

1. It states that these men had understanding of the times, to know what ought to be done. I believe that we are badly in need of understanding of our present times, so that we may know what to do and not lose heart. We don't need a surface understanding or the kind you get from talking heads on TV; we need a Biblical understanding of our times to discern the issues behind the issues and to overcome them.

2. The second thing these men had was valor or bravery in deciding to break with the king and to stand with David. Some of them were Saul's relatives! I wish I could say that winning whatever battle you're facing is as easy as clicking your heels and waking up safe and sound in Kansas, but we both know that happens mostly in fairy tales. We serve a miracle-working God who can do anything at any time, but He seems to require that most of the time, we have to trust Him and face our fears head on like these men did.

3. Finally, the Bible says that these were men of action. Throughout Scripture, God promises His children amazing blessings, but many of those blessings require that we take action. Israel was required to fight for the Promised Land, Jesus wrestled with and overcame Satan, many in the New Testament lost their lives so that the Gospel could go forth. You were made to overcome life's battles, but you must obtain Biblical understanding, put your trust in God and then take action.

So what do you do to make this happen, practically speaking? First, if you haven't done so already, I would encourage you to surrender your life to God right now. You need to enlist, like the men who parted with the king and came to David. Whose side are you on? It's crucial that you answer this question before you go any further. You're unprepared for life's battles without a satisfying answer to this question. You will be like a soldier torn between two armies.

Second, if you've fallen in the battle, get up! Come back to the Lord for refreshment and pick your weapon back up. Psalms 23 promises that He will restore you when you return to Him. I believe that we are indeed in tough times, but God is greater than your battle. You plus God is a majority.

Third, please write to me and let me know how I can help or encourage you. Wishing you God's best always,

Wayne


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What do you say?

I've been spending a lot of time in the Book of Genesis lately. Genesis is a fascinating chapter in the Bible, so much so that it took me a long time just to get beyond the first chapter. One of the things that struck me is that God continually speaks.

He says things like, "Let there be light"; and there was light. He then called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. You can read the rest for yourself, but God then speaks the rest of creation into being, culminating in the creation of mankind, who he created in His own image. God then blesses mankind and endows them with dominion and rulership over the earth.

God then invited the man to exercise his delegated authority and do some speaking of his own. Thus Adam named all of the animals that God created and then named his mate. When Adam took up the challenge, he exercised gifts inherited from his Father: free will, creativity, and mastery over his environment. Although his words didn't "create" anything, they helped bring context and meaning to the world.

Our words still have that same power. In fact, "death and life are in the power of the tongue" according to the Proverbs. So I ask you today, what do you say? Like Adam, the choice is yours - you have a free will. You can speak words that bring light, life and love like God or you can speak words that bring the opposite.

Either way, you'll find that your words help to shape your environment. Why not make it a good word? A blessed word? An encouraging word? I challenge you for the next seven days, to filter every word that you speak through these questions: Do my words bring light? Do they breathe life into a situation? Are they said with love? And if not, then to immediately self-correct and turn it around. Do this, even if it's just self-talk (the words we say to ourselves).

Try it; it will have an amazing effect on your week.


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