Fight like there is no tomorrow

After exploring the land for forty days, the men returned to Moses, Aaron, and the whole community of Israel at Kadesh in the wilderness of Paran. They reported to the whole community what they had seen and showed them the fruit they had taken from the land. This was their report to Moses: “We entered the land you sent us to explore, and it is indeed a bountiful country—a land flowing with milk and honey. Here is the kind of fruit it produces. But the people living there are powerful, and their towns are large and fortified. We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak! (Numbers 13:25-28)

The moment we let our eyes 'see' as only we can see is the moment the odds against us might seem a little too great to handle. We need to begin to see life through God's eyes, but how do we do that in the face of such great odds against us? There will always be circumstances that seem to be out of our control, beyond our natural means of handling or muddling through. When we only focus on the issue, we begin to feel a heaviness in our spirit that literally weighs us down. We soon lose any 'umph' to move forward when that weight becomes so heavy, don't we? We feel like we might as well give up, but that only serves to make us more and more vulnerable to the attack of the enemy in our lives. We open ourselves up to temptation at that point, giving into what seems easiest because the other choice seems way too hard.

Have you ever noticed that when you are experiencing deep discouragement, you are not open to God? You seem to trust anything or anyone other than him. It isn't because we don't know his promises, or have previously experienced his goodness and grace, it is just that we don't 'feel' like God is going to come through for us. One thing I have discovered in those discouraging moments is that no amount of 'positive words' will break us free from the fear that comes when deep discouragement grips our hearts, minds, and very soul. We are almost paralyzed right where we are. Why is that? We took our eyes off of Jesus and put them on the problem. We are rehearsing that problem a thousand different ways. Our focus determines our course.

So much energy is wasted on discouraging thoughts, isn't it? We have to remember that discouragement is really a well-oiled, frequently used tactic of our enemy, Satan. He puts out all this stuff that looks so overwhelmingly hard just so we can lose focus. In fact, he loves to use those things that we might label 'bigger than life' to bring us down a few notches. Once he has us there, he knows we are 'game' to continue down that path to a full-fledged melt-down. It is what people in religious circles call 'oppression'. We counteract oppression with a 'rehearsal' of a different kind. We rehearse God's promises, get into the Word of God, and times of worship. There we find God's touch that will recenter our focus. Remember this - faith is a fight. It isn't a passive thing at all. We need to fight even when all the odds seem like they are stacked against us, trusting that the one who fights for us is bigger and stronger than any of those 'giants' in our path. Just sayin!

A temporary escape

I look up to the hills, but where will my help really come from? My help will come from the Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth. He will not let you fall. (Psalm 121:1-3)

I have spent many hours looking for some form of help simply because I got myself into predicaments that were of my own making - my own stubbornness, pride, fear, or anger getting me all muddled up in some situation I didn't really want to be involved in. It happens to the best of us, my friends. We say something without thinking it through and then wonder why we are 'reaping' such a backlash. We get involved in issues not our own, then wonder why things get out of control. The more we want to be in control of our lives, the more we can expect to encounter these kinds of troubles. The more we desire to allow God's control over our lives, the more likely we will be to avoid such conflicts and concerns. There is but one place to look to when we are in need of help (even when we are in the muddle because of our own making), and that is to him.

Our help isn't man-made. It is God-prepared, God-implemented, and God-delivered. We might think we can 'help' our way out of a particular challenge in life, but if we are to be honest here, we don't have any idea how to 'manage' the challenge, much less redeem ourselves! God's assurance to us is that difficulties may come (even those of our own making), but he will not let us fall. That means we may encounter a bit of a rocky course for a bit, but we won't allow us to end up in a place we don't belong. When we fall, we are where we don't belong! God doesn't want us to end up being pulled into compromise, much less full-on sinful acts. When we are in need of his help to avoid sin, do you think he just lets us fall since we were tempted? Absolutely not! He does wait for us to ask for his help, though!

Let's remember what God says here - we are to look to him for help - not the protection of any other source. In the times this was written, attacking armies would put the cities they were attacking into a 'flight' or 'fight' mode. Those who would not stand to fight would flee to the hills, hiding in caves or other outcroppings that would offer them temporary escape. God says we aren't to look to the 'hills' to find our help - simply because they offer us only TEMPORARY escape. God's plan is that we look to him when tempted - because his plan is to deliver us fully from that temptation! Just sayin!

We or He

If we are to look at the life of King David, we will observe how he reminds us no king succeeds by his own doing. Big armies and lots of loyal servants does not make one successful - indeed, it gives an "appearance" of success, but it is nothing compared to the glory of being anointed by the Most High God. It is noteworthy to mention how many times he points out the futility of thinking a warrior's strength is his own. This is often a struggle for us because we see our "strength" as something we possess, but in truth it is something we are "granted". David lays out the silliness of thinking having more "horsepower" or "brute strength" will win battles. When we "count on" the wrong stuff, we often don't really "win" the battles - sometimes we don't even make it through them at all!

Watch this: God's eye is on those who respect him, the ones who are looking for his love. He's ready to come to their rescue in bad times; in lean times he keeps body and soul together. We're depending on God; he's everything we need. What's more, our hearts brim with joy since we've taken for our own his holy name. Love us, God, with all you've got—that's what we're depending on. (Psalm 33:18-22)

As I speak with many of my friends these days, I hear one common theme - the battle is tough! This pandemic has 'kicked us in the butt'. Not to mention that the struggles with life-debilitating disease processes almost overwhelms families in the throws of a world in chaos. The constant changing environments within work, home, and community seem to be pulling us in all different directions - oftentimes quite stretched beyond capacity. Grief doesn't seem to pass because the losses are so great; despite the passage of time, seeing loved ones go from vital and strong to being ushered into heaven's courts is just plain too much for some to bear. In short, the outlook might not seem to "clear up" for some who are battling so much - it continues to be a little more than challenging!

Watch this! This is a call to pay attention to what David is going to lay out that we all need to hear and understand fully. He has taken hold of something that has been able to take him through similar tough times and he is calling us to pay attention to what he has to share with us - things that he has learned in his times of experiencing the greatness of God in the midst of the worst the world has to offer. Wouldn't it be a shame to have the answer to our "need" right there in front of us and miss it totally? God's eye is on us! Our part is to respect him and look for his love. Now, don't get this wrong - respect is more than just holding God in "high regard". It is giving him the foremost part of our being - our attention focused on him above all else. Too many times, we think we can be "casual" with God - just holding him in "high esteem", but his instruction is clear - have no other god before him. When he has the right focus in our lives, it is natural for us to actually look for his love - with expectation and hope. We begin to "count on" his love. What excites me most about this is the "face-to-face" contact we have with the one we honor! His back is not to us - it is his face! You cannot "eyeball" someone with your back toward them! When seeking God, holding him in the center of our focus, we are completely in his! 

He is ready! God doesn't delay - although we may think the answer is slow coming! Bad times and lean times come - there is never any assurance in scripture of these being totally avoided by service to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Too many times I think we have a little bit of warped belief here. I think we believe God should "keep us from" these bad and lean times. I challenge this. In the lean times, I have come to appreciate how little I have and how much I need what he has! In bad times, I have drawn closer to his heart - just to hear it beat a little faster when I draw near! Going back to God's eye being on us - his hands are also ready to intervene for us. Look at the outcome - body and soul are kept together. In the bad times, doesn't it feel like we are being "ripped apart" by the struggles we are in? This is another word picture to show us how much God is the "cement" which holds us together even in the midst of forces who'd like nothing more than to see us "undone"! We can depend on him! The instruction here is not one of living "independent" of God - it is one of relinquishing our control and giving it to him. In the times of challenge - don't we always want to "fix" whatever we can first, then ask God to help us with the rest? Or is this just my struggle? I think I might be in good company here - we try the best we can to "fix" the leanness or change the outcomes of the bad stuff. When we just can't get it done - then we turn to God. Oh, what a warped sense of importance we give ourselves! We try to live independent of God while all the while he is saying he is the one we can depend upon!

I associate with David - he wanted nothing more than to serve his God well. He struggled with the "real stuff" of life and yet each time he found God utterly and totally faithful in his life. He leaves us with this thought - "God, love us with all you've got!" Now, isn't it interesting - he doesn't close with, "So, God I am going to love you with all I've got!" Instead, he brings us back to what brings us through the challenges unscathed, stronger than we went into them - God loving us with all he's got! It is good to keep the right perspective! We "make it through" or we are "brought through" each battle- which would you prefer? Quite honestly, I'd prefer the latter! Just sayin!

Fair isn't always fair

Have you ever heard someone say, "That wasn't a fair fight"? In terms of "fairness" they were looking at the two parties in the fight and seeing if they were "matched up" evenly. When I was young, Dad liked to watch an occasional boxing match on TV - it was a pretty big deal back then. There was always lots of talk about "heavyweight", "lightweight", "welterweight", and "featherweight" - something I just never really understood, but knew it meant how someone was matched with someone else. The term described their overall weight - giving the boxer a "competitive class" ensured they were not pitting a man over 175 pounds with a man of 130 pounds. This was designed to give a man a "fighting chance" at winning. Each of the fighters had someone in their "corner" who fulfilled the role of their "trainer". This individual had the responsibility to keep track of how the other guy was throwing his punches and then alert the fighter how to counter those punches. In life, it just isn't this easy, is it? The "fights" just don't seem truly "fair" - it isn't as though we are always aligned with someone else in our "competitive class". Wouldn't it be nice to never have to fight in an "unfair fight"? In terms of "fairness", we often feel outnumbered, outwitted, and outdone!

Blessed be God, my mountain, who trains me to fight fair and well. He's the bedrock on which I stand, the castle in which I live, my rescuing knight, the high crag where I run for dear life, while he lays my enemies low. (Psalm 144:1-2 MSG)

I think we often forget we have the best "trainer" of all in our corner! We have been given the Holy Spirit as our "trainer" - preparing us for each and every swing the enemy will take in our lives. We do well to remember he teaches us to fight fair AND to fight well! Just as the trainer in the corner of the ring, watching each swing, following the footwork, and adding up the sequences the other fighter is using, the Holy Spirit is "calculating" the preparation we need for each fight we enter into. Sometimes we don't feel like doing a whole lot of "training". We want to skim the Word of God, hoping something might just sink in. We hope an hour in church each week will lift our spirits. We turn on the worship music on the way to work hoping it will fill our minds with peace before the chaos begins. Then we wonder why the punches seem to be coming in such rapid succession and we seem to be unable to dodge them! Well, it is all about the 'quality' of the preparation.

He's the bedrock on which I stand. Did you realize the bedrock level of rock is the lowest, most stable level of rock - simply because it is unbroken by anything. God provides foundation for our lives, but we have to stand upon what has been provided in order to realize the safety and security of the bedrock. In other words, we cannot climb to the cliffs until we are sure about the bedrock below. He's the castle in which we live. He is a place of shelter. I don't know much about castles (there aren't any in my neighborhood), but those I have seen on TV seem to be big, have lots of room, and are really well-built places able to endure the changes of time. This is our God - really big, able to endure the changes of time, and there is lots of room in his shelter for both you and me! It isn't a visit to the castle that makes us strong - we have to live there! Casual relationship with our trainer will never yield the same results as living with him 24-hours a day, 7 days a week!

He is a rescuing knight. Gals, have you ever wanted a knight in shining armor? Guess what? You have one! Guys, have you ever wanted a man of valor as an example? You have one! His mission is to keep us out of the place of danger - but, knowing us like he does, he is there to rescue when we wander into stuff too much for us to handle! Just some thoughts on "fighting fair" this morning! It may not seem like a fair fight to our enemy, or to us at times, but God is in our corner! When he is, no one and nothing can stand against him! Listen to your trainer - he knows the fight ahead and has calculated the moves you must take to overcome! Just sayin!

Never to be seen again

Battles come our way - not those fought on enemy soil with automatic weapons, tanks, and grenades, complete with every 'military tactic' operational - but those things that give us "fits" internally (emotionally, spiritually, and sometimes even physically).  We struggle with the outcome because we try to remain in control of the situation instead of turning it over to God.  The battle becomes a burden we "slug" through rather than having the unlimited resources of heaven at our disposal. It is time to stopping being 'slugs' when it comes to these battles - they need a quicker end than we are capable of in our own efforts!

Moses spoke to the people: "Don't be afraid. Stand firm and watch God do his work of salvation for you today. Take a good look at the Egyptians today for you're never going to see them again.  God will fight the battle for you. And you? You keep your mouths shut!" (Exodus 14:13-14)

Moses was given a direct message from God to tell the people - the battle lies ahead and here's what you should do in the midst of the battle!  Most of us don't get some "authoritative" messenger of God sent into our lives after having had such a dynamic conversation with God himself, armed with the message to stand firm in the midst of the fight.  At least, not one that we recognize as a messenger!  The message God gives him to bring to the people tell us a great deal about how it is we are to face the battle. Let's look:

• Don't be afraid - the idea is that we are not to be filled with fear or apprehension.  Our concept of the situation (perception) produces either fear or trust. Another word for these perceptions is suspicions - we develop various suspicions about the reason for the battle, the outcome, and even the enemy we are battling. Anticipation and awareness of danger both produce fear and anxiety. Do not be anxious about ANYTHING, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. (Phil. 4:6) There is a time in the battle when we have to "reign it all in" and lay it all out before God. In so doing, we begin to be in a place to see clearly what it is that is before us. Our suspicions are addressed, not with our ideas, but with God's accurate perception.
• Stand firm - maintain your position, hold your course, and remain firm. To maintain your position is to hold the position of a witness - be alert, be attentive, be accurate. Weakness and uncertainty do not play a part in being a witness in the courtroom of life. The witness is to give a testimony that is free of revision or change. God is asking us to be well-founded in our beliefs and values. Steadfastness is really what is pictured here - accurately perceiving the circumstances and then able to navigate them.
• Watch for the deliverance - it is inevitable when the battle is in his hands. We may lose the battle in our own ability, but in his hands, the deliverance is sure to come. When we actually see something, we are recognizing it and placing that into actual experience. In other words, stand firm, without fear, and God will be on the scene to bring the deliverance (making it a reality). Deliverance is liberty - it is rescue, or being set free. The promised, desired, and expected results will be -produced - when we stand firm, with our fear under his control.
• You will never see that enemy again - Moses was speaking to Israel about the Egyptians. They were an enemy that could have slaughtered them, bringing an end to their existence. Yet, he says with total assurance, that they would never see them again. What is pictured is the idea of total deliverance from the bondage of a task-master that is demanding, unyielding, and controlling. Kind of like the image we have of sin's control in our lives, huh? God is the one that will cause it to become a reality that we move from a place of total bondage into total freedom - never to be under that condition of bondage again.  
• Keep your mouth shut - this is not easy in the midst of the battle. Instead of being still, at peace, and in control of our emotions, we are a miserable wreck! It is not easy being in a place where we stand with an assurance when the end of our bondage seems to be impossible, and then to stand settled, calm and in a place of peace. Yet it is the very thing that God expects of us in the midst of the battle. When trust is placed in the right (true and accurate) place, the battle is assured.

To that, I can only add some words from David: Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. (Psalm 46:10-11) See the emphatic statement here: I WILL BE EXALTED! God is not a mamby-pamby kind of God - he is supreme, sovereign over any other force on this earth, in your life, or in mine. He WILL be exalted - stand firm, be assured, and be still. He is in control! Just sayin!

Fighting the inanimate

“The Lord says, ‘Don’t be afraid! Don’t be paralyzed by this mighty army! For the battle is not yours, but God’s!" (2 Chronicles 20:15 TLB)

There are times when we know we are fighting a battle because the bombs are bursting, bullets are flying, and there is so much chaos we just know we are in the midst of the fray. At other times, it feels as though we are fighting some type of "inanimate" object - not seen, not heard, but somehow wreaking havoc in our lives. Let me ask - which battle is the hardest to fight - the one where you see the enemy and hear his attack, or the one where he is cleverly hidden and you have no idea where? Both could be equally similar, but one reveals himself while the other remains hidden. We can fear them both - right? The thing with the attack from the enemy who remains cleverly hidden is that we have no idea what our "counter-attack" should be until he reveals a little about himself! We might do best when we know the enemy we are fighting, but there is just as much resource at our disposal for the enemy we see as there is for the one we don't! 

Our response to the enemy can be that of fear - paralyzing us in our progress and keeping us bound by that which we see or sense. It could be that we want to turn tail and run, but find ourselves "stuck" as though some huge weight was keeping us from actually moving. Honestly, that is why the Philistines sent out Goliath everyday to taunt the Israelite army - his shear size, booming voice, and formidable armor made it look like there was no way past him. He invoked fear in those who took in his appearance, but never forget that even the most formidable opponent has at least one weak spot! David knew the weak spot was known by God and that God knew exactly how to deal with this "threat"!

Why does the enemy use threatening attacks at one point in time, then remain hidden at others? In battle, there are times it takes a good while for those under fire to locate their "threat". Why? That threat has "dug in" and is really well disguised. What advantage does the enemy have? His cover! His position is just perfect to hurl attack after attack without us knowing exactly where he is attacking from because he has a "perfect cover". Remember that scripture warns us Satan can come in many ways, even as an angel! So, we don't always recognize him or see him moving "into position" for the attack because we aren't aware of his tactics.

This might be why scripture also reminds us that God doesn't want us to be "unaware" of his wiles - we are to be wise and use that wisdom to our benefit. There is no greater wisdom than to realize we cannot take up weapons we are not familiar with. David was offered the sword, shield, and armor of a mighty warrior, but the only weapons he was familiar with were the stone and sling. He didn't attempt to use what he had never used before - he relied upon the weaponry he had come to appreciate as "reliable" when God was behind each stone launched. Just sayin!