Some spiritual battles are impossible to fight at all. I’m in one right now. I can’t do anything. All I can do is wait until is over. It is one of those in which no matter what I try to do, nothing works. It is one of those in which I actually don’t want to do anything. It is one of those in which I want to be in the pit. It is one of those in which I actually choose to dwell in darkness. It is one of those in which I don’t want to lift a finger.
It sure seems hopeless; but is it? Of course it is not. There is always hope in the Lord.
I wonder if there is something I can do even when I don’t feel like doing anything at all. There is. I can release it to the Lord. I can wait in the Lord. And I can believe that there is victory in Him, and that victory belongs to me as her adopted daughter. That victory will come to me for it has already been declared in the heavenly realm. That victory will become evident as the Lord fights this battle for me.
I realize that I go through these kinds of battles more often than I would like to so I wonder if there is some sort of spiritual “procedure” that the Holy Spirit can provide to those, whom like me, go through these struggles at times. As I type, my mind goes to the Bible, my compass. I decide to let the Bible guide me in my present visit to this current valley/pit in which I find myself today.
I search and I realize that there some steps to follow from a Biblical perspective. In my case, the first thing I need to do involves the process of recognizing. I have to recognize that spiritual warfare is real, as Paul warns us in Ephesians 6: 12, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (NKJV) I have to recognize that it can happen to me; and I have to recognize the moment when I am in the middle of one. I also have to recognize that sometimes the battle pushes me down into the depths of the pit and makes me feel like I would drown, like David felt in Psalm 69: 2
I sink in the miry depths,
where there is no foothold.
I have come into the deep waters;
the floods engulf me.
Like David, I also feel like God is nowhere to be found for…
I am worn out calling for help;
my throat is parched.
My eyes fail,
looking for my God. (Psalm 69: 3)
As I recognize that I am engulfed by the waters in the bottom of the pit, I also realize that there is not much I can do for I am indeed weak and helpless on my own. In that state, my eyes fail me and I can't see my Lord.
I recognize that not only I am weak, but I sometimes choose to dwell in that pit and mire. Left to my own device, I choose the pit. Not only I cannot fight, but I don’t want to fight. So, in that moment, when I realize the condition of my soul, I let go and I let God be God. I remember who He is, and I accept that sometimes I need to let Him fight the battles for there is no way I can do it myself. I recognize that “the battle is the Lord’s” (1 Samuel 17: 47) I recognize that “I shall not fear for the Lord my God will fight for me.” (Deuteronomy 3: 22) I try not to fear for
though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (Psalm 23: 4)
As this truth sinks in, the next step kicks in. I acknowledge that despite feeling like a failure, there is victory; but that such is only found in the Lord. He fights my battle and He is victorious, and so am I. In time, the sense of that victory will become evident in my life, but in the meantime, I wait in the knowledge of this truth: that God gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15: 57)
I wait. I allow the knowledge of His goodness and of His power sooth my depressed soul and I wait. When I’m too weak, too tired or too unwilling to fight, I sit still and let the Lord fight for me and I wait. I wait and I remember that His grace is sufficient for me, and His power is made perfect in my weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)
While I wait, I follow 1 Thessalonians 5: 17 and “pray without ceasing.” I “rely on the Lord” even while in the depth of the abyss.(Psalm 27:14) I trust His word when He assures me that He will lift me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire and that He will set my feet on a rock and give me a firm place to stand. (Psalm 40:2)
I know that victory has already been won because I belong to Him. I don’t trust my feelings, but I trust His word when he says that “whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world-our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:4-5)
Victory is here. Even if my eyes are not ready to see it and my feelings betray me, I know it for He said so, and I trust Him. I believe His promises, and He is faithful. He promises that He will deliver me and draw me to Himself from every assault of evil. He will preserve and bring me safe unto His heavenly kingdom. (2 Timothy 4: 18)
He promises that “...in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:37-39 NKJV)
Victory is here, it just needs to be revealed. In His timing, He will let us see it, feel it, and experience it. In the meantime, I wait in Him, pray without ceasing and trust His promises for they are all true. I wait for darkness to dissipate and for morning to come.
He will bring me out of darkness and the deepest gloom and break away my chains. (Psalm 107: 14)
Therefore, today, as I choose to dwell in my own personal pit of dissatisfaction, I remain hopeful because I know that He will lead me to triumph!
As this truth sinks in, the next step kicks in. I acknowledge that despite feeling like a failure, there is victory; but that such is only found in the Lord. He fights my battle and He is victorious, and so am I. In time, the sense of that victory will become evident in my life, but in the meantime, I wait in the knowledge of this truth: that God gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15: 57)
I wait. I allow the knowledge of His goodness and of His power sooth my depressed soul and I wait. When I’m too weak, too tired or too unwilling to fight, I sit still and let the Lord fight for me and I wait. I wait and I remember that His grace is sufficient for me, and His power is made perfect in my weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)
While I wait, I follow 1 Thessalonians 5: 17 and “pray without ceasing.” I “rely on the Lord” even while in the depth of the abyss.(Psalm 27:14) I trust His word when He assures me that He will lift me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire and that He will set my feet on a rock and give me a firm place to stand. (Psalm 40:2)
I know that victory has already been won because I belong to Him. I don’t trust my feelings, but I trust His word when he says that “whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world-our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:4-5)
Victory is here. Even if my eyes are not ready to see it and my feelings betray me, I know it for He said so, and I trust Him. I believe His promises, and He is faithful. He promises that He will deliver me and draw me to Himself from every assault of evil. He will preserve and bring me safe unto His heavenly kingdom. (2 Timothy 4: 18)
He promises that “...in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:37-39 NKJV)
Victory is here, it just needs to be revealed. In His timing, He will let us see it, feel it, and experience it. In the meantime, I wait in Him, pray without ceasing and trust His promises for they are all true. I wait for darkness to dissipate and for morning to come.
He will bring me out of darkness and the deepest gloom and break away my chains. (Psalm 107: 14)
Therefore, today, as I choose to dwell in my own personal pit of dissatisfaction, I remain hopeful because I know that He will lead me to triumph!
I am confident in this, that He who began a good work in you WILL BE FAITHFUL To COMPLETE IT IN YOU!
ReplyDeleteHe is faithful! Love to you,
Kim