Sometimes it feels as though we do nothing but battle. We wrestle, we struggle, and we fight. Ephesians 6:12 tells us this exact thing: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Some translations use battle, fight, or wrestle.
Interestingly, this verse is not sounding an alarm; it’s not a clarion call announcing a call to arms, but a statement, a declaration that we are already in this battle. The war is already raging; from the very moment you give your life to Christ, you become part of the LORD’s army.
I had a picture of an intense battleground, bombs were exploding everywhere you looked, snipers were in the trees, and there were ambushes hidden around the corner. And there, walking among the flowers, was a person who looked like they were on a Sunday stroll. Stopping to pick flowers, oblivious to what was going on around them. It made me want to shout, to shake the stroller and say, “Can’t you see you’re in the middle of a battle! Be Careful!” The battle is now, it’s right here, and will continue to be.
The surest way to lose a battle is to pretend it doesn’t exist. In 2 Corinthians 2:11, as Paul talks about forgiving one another, he says, “in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.” The devil schemes, he plots, and he plans, and his conspiracies are not ones for your good; they are to kill you, like a lion to devour you. (1 Peter 5:8)
I feel we must put a BUT GOD moment in here! But God has equipped us, has given us armor, has advised us of the battle plan. We are fighting a battle that we will win! The Holy Spirit was sent to us to be our guide. He helps us in our weakness and leads us in all truth. God’s Word illuminates our path, equips us for battle. Our worship to the LORD conquers even the fiercest of enemies. And prayer, oh prayer, Karl Barth put it this way: “To clasp hands in prayer is the beginning of an uprising against the disorder of the world.”
PREPARE FOR VICTORY
Today, create a Battle Plan on a small card that you can keep in your purse. You can decorate it with stickers, draw pictures of swords, or simply write BATTLE PLAN in bold letters at the top. On the card, write the following 3 action plans:
- A scripture that you can speak out loud when the battle comes close.
- A worship song you can sing that lifts your spirits and speaks of victory.
- A short prayer you can pray out loud in those difficult moments
Tuck it in your purse or a place close by so that you can use it when you feel yourself becoming overwhelmed with the battle raging around you.
Claire's Prayer 