THE BATTLE
I’ve never met anyone who did not
have a battle on their hands at some
time or another. Most people are
in a battle because the world is full of
trouble. If the devil is attacking you, don’t
be alarmed. Jesus never taught that life
would be problem-free. In fact, He said
the opposite: “These things I have spoken
unto you, that in Me ye might have peace.
In the world ye shall have tribulation: but
be of good cheer; I have overcome the world”
(John 16:33).
As long as sin remains in the hearts
of men, and as long as the devil is on the
earth, there will be trouble! The Good
News is that Jesus died on the cross to
give you power over all the attacks of the
devil.
You don’t have to experience anxiety
even if you’re going through the worst
battle of your life.
You can find peace
today in Jesus Christ. You can choose to
believe Him and be of good cheer knowing
that He overcame it all...and because of
that, you can overcome it all too.
The Battle May Not Be Your
Choice, But the Outcome Is!
Daniel was a man in the Old
Testament who was attacked because
of his faith and dedication to God. He
lived in a religiously intolerant country
and even though the king liked Daniel,
the king was manipulated into making a
law that forbade praying to God. Daniel
held onto his faith and was thrown into
the lions’ den for it. The battle wasn’t
Daniel’s choice...but the outcome was.
Now, it seemed, at first, that Daniel
wasn’t being taken care of by God. After
all, he had to spend the night with some
hungry lions. But, in the morning when the
king asked, “Is my servant Daniel still alive?”
Daniel said, and this is my paraphrase,
“God saved me. Everything’s fine.”
The battle was satan’s choice. The
outcome was determined by Daniel’s
choice. Daniel chose to believe in God’s
power to protect him, even when he was
in the lions’ den. Was it easy for him?
No. But it worked! God shut the lions’
mouths and Daniel was safe (Daniel 6).
Daniel wasn’t like some people today
who talk the talk but don’t walk the walk.
This is not something that you can pretend
to believe and see results. If you’re going
through a battle today, your relationship
with God must take priority in your life.
The Word must become so real to you that
you get beyond just “believing” it and start
“knowing” it.
Do you know that Jesus died on
the cross for your sins? Do you know
that *beep* were laid on His back for
your healing? Do you know that He was
chastised for your peace? Isaiah 53:5 is
for you! Jesus Himself preached from
Isaiah 61:1 saying, “The Spirit of the Lord
GOD is upon Me; because the LORD hath
anointed Me to preach good tidings unto
the meek; He hath sent Me to bind up the
brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the
captives, and the opening of the prison to
them that are bound....”
There is hope for you in Jesus Christ
no matter what is trying to mess up your
life.
Today, you may be held captive like
Daniel with some problem. The devil may
have attacked you simply because you’re a
person of faith. He’s a serial killer and out
to kill, steal and destroy anyone who is
affiliated with God – especially those who
are pleasing to God!
If you’re attacked without just cause,
remember that Daniel was too. But, he
kept the faith and God saved him from
harm. If you keep the faith, God will save
you from harm too.
The Battle Starts In the Mind
The devil wants to cloud your mind
with doubt. His strategy is to get your
eyes off of what God said and onto the
circumstances of the battle – and to throw
doubt in your mind about God. Don’t
let him play games in your mind. Refuse
to let that idiot paralyze you with fear to
such a degree that you forget that you’ve
got power. Show the devil that you won’t
stand for his criminal attacks on your life
anymore.
Remember, the devil is an enemy
of God. He hates God and attacks
His children out of spite – just to hurt
the Father. But the devil is a liar! Jesus
defeated him at the cross, but that
doesn’t mean he has stopped fighting
people like you and me. The devil is a
thief. Jesus called him that in John 10:10
when He said, “The thief cometh not, but
for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I
am come that they might have life, and
that they might have it more abundantly.”
The devil has no right to steal, but
he will try to do it anyway because he’s
an outlaw. But, if you submit yourself to
God and resist him, James 4:7 says that he
will flee from you. You will overcome the
attack. You have been given authority over
the devil because of Jesus Christ’s work
on the cross. When you resist the devil
and speak the Word of God instead of the
problem you’re facing, you’re enforcing the
devil’s defeat.
He may not like it, but it’s just his
tough luck. The devil’s the loser; God’s
the winner and you’re the enforcer on
this earth. If you speak the Word, then
what you say goes. “Death and life are in
the power of the tongue: and they that love it
shall eat the fruit thereof ” (Proverbs 18:21).
The Word Is Your Weapon
When the battles of life are waging a
tough war, it’s time to find scriptures that fit
your situation and start speaking them to
yourself each day. Doing this is going to start
changing the way you think about things,
which will cause you to act differently. “And
be not conformed to this world: but be ye
transformed by the renewing of your mind, that
ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable,
and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:2).
When the Word is in you, you’ll be
able to fight off doubt easily. Instead of
feeling hopeless and trying to believe God’s
Word, you’ll start having real faith in God’s
power to change your circumstances and
that will enable you to start proving the
Word of God. You’ll gain understanding of
your authority in Christ and start knowing
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that God’s Word is His will – and it’s good,
acceptable and perfect for whipping the devil!
Some people say that God sends
sickness to teach you something, but
Jesus already told us in John 10:10 that
He came to give life and the devil is the
one who steals, kills and destroys. You
may learn something during a battle, but
that doesn’t mean God sent it to you to
teach you something. The Word is your
source for teaching!
The more you transform your mind
to the Word of God, the more you’ll
know and the bolder you’ll become.
You will get so bold in your faith that
you will stand up when the attack comes
and say, “Nothing is going to kill, steal
or destroy me! I’m not giving up. I will
fight the good fight of faith! The battle
may not have been my choice, but the
outcome is!”
Faith in God, confidence in what He’s
done for you and boldness in speaking the
Word of God will be your weapons for the
battles of life.
Fight the Good Fight of Faith
Some people choose to fight against
faith. If you want to overcome these
problems, you’re going to have to fight
the good fight of faith – in other words,
you’re going to have to fight for faith.
1 Timothy 6:12 says, “Fight the good
fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life,
whereunto thou art also called, and hast
professed a good profession before many
witnesses.”
The devil may be the one starting every
troublesome battle in your life, but it’s your
faith in God that is going to finish each
battle. The circumstances may not look
good, but God says you’re going to make
it – you’ve got to say it too. Profess a “good
profession” like the scripture says, and do it
“before many witnesses.” Make the Word
of God the final authority for each situation
that you face.
If doubts arise, cast them off and
re-establish what
God says about
your situation.
When you commit
to doing these things,
you’re fighting the
good fight of faith.
This charge I commit
unto thee, son Timothy, according
to the prophecies which went before on
thee, that thou by them mightest war a
good warfare;
Holding faith, and a good
conscience; which some having put
away concerning faith have made
shipwreck.
1 Timothy 1:18-19
In tough times, it’s especially important
to keep your conscience clean and hold onto
your faith. You may feel weak, but the Lord
calls you strong, and it’s time for you to pull
yourself up by the bootstraps and start calling
yourself strong too (Joel 3:10). Don’t let the
devil tell you that you are weak and nothing
works for you. It has worked for others, and
it will work for you too.
Stop Re-Playing Past Mistakes
Watch Out for Satan’s Tool
– Disappointment
Disappointment is one of the greatest
tools satan uses against the Body of Christ.
He will always try to get you disappointed
in yourself, your family, and in your social
life. He wants you to replay every mistake
and become preoccupied with past losses.
In ministry, many times pastors get
disappointed by the size of their church.
Success can’t be measured by how many
have come. However, it can be measured by
how many have stayed, been changed and
are affecting others. Jesus had thousands
coming to His meetings but only a 120
stayed. Yet, that small group transformed
the Roman government into a Christian
nation – I’d call that success!
One person can make a difference.
One act of faith can make a difference too.
Don’t be disappointed with yourself. Just
thank God for what He’s already done and
press forward knowing that each step you
take closer to God is a good step – your
faith is growing.
Discouragement may lead you to agree
with Paul in Romans 7:18 “For I know that
in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good
thing: for to will is present with me; but how
to perform that which is good I find not.” If
you look a little further, you will find that
as Jesus sets us free from the law of sin and
death; we can live victoriously in this life.
If you are a believer but you’ve
stumbled, ask for forgiveness and forget
about it! That was in your past, and the
past never sees the future. Don’t waste
your time worrying about what happened
yesterday. It’s forgivable. And, after God
washes it away, it’s forgettable!
Don’t waste time worrying about
what tomorrow may bring. Instead,
concentrate on what you’re going to do
today! Today is another opportunity
to have faith in God. Today is another
opportunity to speak your future into
existence with the Word.
Deal with today. Make goals for
tomorrow. Don’t let disappointment in
where you are right now steal your future.
Have faith in God. Be of good cheer.
You can overcome ALL of these battles
and God can use you to help others
overcome too! a
(This message is an excerpt from Dr. Jesse
Duplantis’ mini-book “The Battle of Life”
and is also available in its entirety on
DVD.)
jdm.org/magazine/pages.htm
19.06.2005 02:30 •
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