Margaret Smith, said “I love fights. Well, actually, I don't like the fight, I like the loose change I find on the floor afterward”. Mark Twain said, “When you’re in a fight, never punch a man in the cheek who's chewing tobacco”. Woody Allen says that “He was so timid in school, he was beaten up by the Quakers”.
And here’s what the final authority says about it…..2 Chronicles 20:17 You will not have to fight (law-kham'… be ever fighting) this battle. Take up your positions (yaw-tsab'….evaluate the situation) stand firm (aw-mad'….get confirmation) and see the deliverance the LORD will give you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.'"
One thing we all must learn is that not every battle you could fight is a battle you should be fighting. A child feels the need to fight every battle, because they want what they want….butwhen we become adults, we should be able to evaluate the situation on the basis of need.
Actually, very few fights that we are pulled into, are really worth fighting. Most battles we find ourselves fighting are because of someone else choosing the wrong battles to fight.
Like the fellow who walks into a bar and starts a fight, and while everyone is fighting his fight, he walks out and leaves them fighting a battle that wasn’t even theirs!!
These fights that we get pulled into are usually a distraction that draws us away from our destination and rob us of precious time and valuable resources that end up being wasted on the wrong battles. On Palm Sunday, Jesus showed us that the way to defeat the enemy is surrender to the will of God. He knew that the favor of God was far more to be desired than the favor of men. Jesus took the praise of Palm Sunday with the same grain of salt that He took the clamor of the crowd that shouted “Crucify Him, Crucify Him”…. Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy (the fulfillment of) that was set before him endured (surrendered to) the cross, despising (taking away the power of) the shame, and set down (resumed His position) at the right hand of the throne of God.
When David arrived at the encampment of Israel as they faced the Philistine army, lead by their champion Goliath, listen to what David said…..
1 Samuel 17:26 David asked the men standing near him,"WHAT WILL BE DONE FOR the man who kills this Philistine and removes this shame from Israel?
David was told the reward was great wealth, the king's daughter in marriage (which meant that the winner would become important and powerful), and the man and his family would be exempt from taxes. THAT’S A WIN, WIN….David concludedthat this was a battle worth fighting. There were spoils and rewards and it would advance the purpose of the anointing which Samuel had spoken over him. (The anointing will attract the connections and opportunities you need)….
The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing! It’s far to easy to major on minors. I have done my share of majoring on minors…..
Notice that immediately, when David chose the right battle to fight, there were distractions….from the very ones that were closest to him…who knew him well and could exploit his weaknesses, instead of covering his back….
1 Samuel 17:28 But when David's oldest brother, Eliab, heard David talking to the men, he was angry. "What are you doing around here anyway?" he demanded. "What about those few sheep you're supposed to be taking care of? I know about your pride and dishonesty. You just want to see the show!"
But David’s answer revealed that he was looking at the bigger picture, and not being led emotionally or selfishly… 1 Samuel 17:29 And David said, Whathave I now done wrong? Is there not a cause? (David saw something much bigger than his brothers
David could have become occupied with defending himself to his brothers, and wasted the energy he needed to defeat Goliath. But he didn’t allow his brother to draw him away from the real cause that he needed to fight for. He wanted to choose a battle worthy of fighting and worthy of winning…
Matthew 16:13-14 Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” and they replied: “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” Notice all the ideas men had about who Jesus is were wrong. The Lord went on to ask them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter spoke for all when He answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God!”
When we win the battle within ourselves about who Christ is, and who we are in Him, it will go a long way in settling the issue of what battle is important to fight and what is not….. I quote John Stott…”Many people are rejecting our gospel today not because they perceive it to be false but because they perceive it to be trivial. They are looking for an integrated worldview which makes sense of their own experience”. So, our priority is to live what we say we believe and manifest it where the rubber meets the road!
A certain pastor and choir director got on the outs with one another…One week the pastor preached on commitment, and how we should dedicate ourselves to service. The director then led the choir in singing, ‘I Shall Not Be Moved.’
The next Sunday, the preacher preached on how we should gladly give to the work of the Lord. The choir director then led the song, ‘Jesus Paid It All.’
The next Sunday, the preacher preached on gossiping and how we should watch our tongues. The hymn chosen, was ‘I Love To Tell The Story.’
The preacher became disgusted over the situation, and the next Sunday he told the congregation he was considering resigning. The choir then sang ‘Oh, Why Not Tonight.’
When the preacher did resign, he told the church that Jesus had led him there and Jesus was now leading him away. Thechoir director then led in the song, ‘What A Friend We Have in Jesus.’
Paul told his spiritual son Timothy…2 Timothy 4:7 “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.”
The battles we are to fight are referred to as “The good fight”…. A good fight is the war against poverty at it’s very roots. A good fight is a war against ignorance as we declare the truth that exposes error and de…..
Stan Mikita, was a professional hockey star. He had a reputation for getting into a lot of fights during games. It seemed that he enjoyed Hockey, because it gave him a chance to fight. But it was his eight-year-old daughter who turned his entire attitude and reputation around, by asking a very grown-up question: "Daddy, How can you score goals when you’re always in the penalty box?
You have to pick your battles…. It is said that People who always fight fire with fire usually end up with just ashes.
Proverbs 21:30 There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD.
The devil said to Jesus, "If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread"….Satan said cast yourself down, and the angels will keep you from harm… Another time the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and tested Him asking that He would show them a sign from heaven. In each case Jesus was pushed to prove who He was and in each case, He refused to engage at that level. Jesus knew Who He was and had no need in Himself to prove to Himself who he was!
All the things that were putting pressure on Jesus to fight the wrong battles, were to draw Him away from the real battles which were part of His purpose. He would pick the battlefieldwhich He would fight on.
We must be intentional about selecting the battles we choose to fight!
We opened with the statement in Chronicles that “The Lord would fight for us”… but we must be mindful that the Lord will fight for us if we pick the right battles!! Don’t go and do something STOOOOOPID!
The heaviness of the dark valley can crush us and kill us, or the same dark valleys can bring us to the foot of the cross where we realize the battle is too much for us, we need God to fight for us! And that critical part of the process, my friend, is up to us.Winners, understand that you don’t have to fight every battle!
Matthew 24:22 (MSG) “If these days of trouble were left to run their course, nobody would make it. But on behalf of God's chosen people, the trouble will be cut short”.!
When Israel stood at the Red Sea, with the Egyptian army bearing down on them, the people panicked because of how hopeless it looked. But Moses calmed the people, because he knew they were there because they had picked the right battle to fight, so he knew that he knew God would fight for them!!!
God had set this thing up, so, God would bring it to the right conclusion!
Moses and Joshua understood that the real battle was not between Egypt and Israel, the real battle was between Egypt and Jehovah!
The best win is when God wins and uses us to show His Lordship!
When Christians trust God to fight their battles, because they have chosen the right battles to fight, it enables us to transform, panic, fear, doubt and hopelessness, into faith, hope, confidence and assurance…
Colossians 2:15: “Having disarmed principalities and powers, He (Jesus) made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.”
We Fight the avalanch of lust, by wanting God more than anything else. We Fight entitlement by keeping in mind that everything God has given us, we don’t deserve but it comes by grace. We Fight pride by recognizing that without God’s help, we will surely fail.
Christ has “disarmed” the powers of darkness. Jesus is theConqueror! He has given us His name, His authority, His blood, His power and the keys to the kingdom.
Before Moses reached the Red Sea, the headlines had already been printed in heaven…. Before they reached the promised land, the reception had already been prepared….
The headlines of your victory have already been printed and handed out all through heaven. When we pick the right battles, heaven starts rejoicing before the first shot is fired!!!
When Israel sent spies into the land of promise to check out the land, the real issue was about which battles were worth fighting, and they chose the wrong battle… they concluded that they were unable to go up against the Canaanites, who were too big and too strong. Due to choosing the wrong battle, they were not allowed to enter the Promised Land and spent 40 more years in the desert, and lost an entire generation of people.
The battles you avoid choosing today, that God has appointedfor you, will determine what battles you’ll be forced to fight tomorrow, or the next time, or the next time…but they will be fought. (Get them over with)…
Jazz Musician Eubie Blake, who lived to be 96 years of age, and died in 1983, is quoted as saying, “If I had known I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself!” How many folks would have fewer health issues if they chose the right battles….Eubie would have made better choices, if he knew ahead of time where those choices were going to take him…
One old man said, “When you get old, all you care about is just getting older and older and the number of doctors, and clinics, prove it!
How often have Christians unwittingly become tools of the enemy instead of ambassadors of the Kingdom because they focused the fight on other people and even fellow Christians, instead of the real enemy who’s the force behind all the wrong battles we fight… Jesus knew where the lines were drawn and would not be distracted or pulled off mission….
1John 3:8 “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil”.
Christ in us, is manifest to do exactly that…. That manifestation may be a marriage saved, helping a troubled teen make the right choices, encouraging a brother or sister to not give up, or to get their priorities right, or bringing a soul from darkness into the light of salvation….
A pivotal moment in any battle is where we place our confidence. Israel avoided the battle, because they lacked confidence that God had already chosen the battles for them which they were to fight. They failed to understand that when God chooses the battles, He always has a way for us to win, when we see the battle from His perspective….our hope, our faith, our confidence is in Him….
Psalms 20:6 Now I know that the LORD saves His anointed, He will hear from His holy heaven with the saving strength of His right hand. v7 For, some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we will remember the name of the LORD our God. v8 They are brought down and fallen, but we are raised, and stand upright”.
Paul refers to the people of God as “More than conquerors”, because every time God wins, we become winners with Him. He fights the enemy and hands us the victory!
Our battle is not one dimensional, it is always on two levels,Victory is assured, when the battle is fought in both arenas… The natural realm and the physical realm.
Exodus 17:9 “And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose your men, and go out, fight with Amalek, tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God raised in my hand”.
God calls intercessors to intercede, while those chosen to fight in the natural realm can then win the battle.
There is a sweet spot near the heart of God and it is the role of the intercessor. If most people told this story, they would say that Joshua won the battle, but it was prayer on the hill top, that brought victory down to the fight being waged in the valley!
Scotty is one of my favorite characters on Star Trek. Captain Kirk is the man out front that everyone sees, and who seems to be in charge. But behind the scenes, we find Scotty… he is the actual link to the crews survival. Usually Kirk is saying “I need more power”… and Scotty is saying “I’m givin her all the power I can,” but he always manages to somehow come up with more power and is able to repair the unrepairable. Captain Kirk gets all the credit. But without Scotty’s engineering skills, behind the scenes, Captain Kirk and the Enterprise would be toast, my friend.
It is the role of Satan’s strongmen, to bring heaviness, weariness, fear and doubt into the hearts of those fighting the fight in the natural realm. When the intercessors (the Scottys)behind the scene, break through the ranks of these strongmen, the path is cleared to victory. AND JOY, PEACE, FAITH, HOPE AND STRENGTH RETURNS, AND A NEW INTENSITY comes to cross over into victory! More power is on the way!
God’s people have always experienced a power that even today’s greatest physicists cannot quantify, and that is prayer power.This is the real power that wins the battles….and brings the victory.
TAP INTO GOD’S AWESOME POWER….
Into all of our lives comes seasons of testing, but they are also seasons of growth and development. The rain falls on the just and the unjust, and the sun shines down on all of us the same. The difference is where we look and where we go for the answers and where our help comes from….
Isaiah 61:1 “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD has anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound. v2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all that mourn. v3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He might be glorified”.
Choosing the wrong battles to fight can change history….
Pearl Harbor proved to be one of the greatest military miscalculations in history by the Japanese. Or we would be speaking Japanese….
Hitler’s attack on Europe proved to be his undoing, because it drew the U.S. into the war. Otherwise we could all be speaking German….
Muhammad Ali was in the waning years of his fighting careerin the late seventies. But, he was a star, he had a devoted following, and then of course, there was the money. So, he decided to fight an up and coming boxer, Leon Spinx, who had only had seven fights as a professional. Ali figured with his skills and experience, Leon wouldn’t be that much of a challenge, but he picked the wrong battle and was defeated by Spinx in one of only five losses of his 61 career fights.
As we think about causes worth fighting for…..I want you to hear Patrick Henry’s famous speech given during the Virginia convention, at St. John’s Church, Richmond, VA in March 1775, it demonstrates the spirit necessary in choosing battles. This is an excerpt of that speech:
“If we wish to be free – then we must fight. An appeal to arms and to the God of hosts, is all that is left us! Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction? Sir, we are not weak, if we make a proper use of those means which God has placed in our power. Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone. It is to the vigilant, the active, the brave. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! - Our chains are forged. Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitable - and let it come! Gentlemen may cry, peace, peace, but there is no peace. The war is actually begun. The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field. Why stand we here idle? Is life so dear or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take, but as for me - give me liberty or give me death!”
We were made to win…and It’s all about choices. The God of the Old Testament said, “Choose you this day whom you will serve”… and the God of the New Testament still says the same…. It doesn’t matter if we are on the sidelines or if we are on the front lines, we cannot escape the battles which are ours alone to fight. There. are some moves that only God can make!
God is looking for those who are willing to join His redemptive work in this fallen world and look beyond the immediate concerns of our own life and take advantage of these greater and more important opportunities which will enrich all of our lives.
Bring your God-given gifts and strengths into the battle. Don’t waste the gifts that God has given you that He wants you to use to serve Him and improve the lives of those around you. Ask Him and He will give you wisdom to discern the best ways you can put your gifts into action to help everyone experience their own win/ win situations.
Choose to be led by the Holy Spirit rather than your emotions.Don’t allow anger, hurts of the past, regret, unforgiveness, anxiety, fear, and wrong thinking be what you base your choices on. Rely on the Holy Spirit to give you guidance that reflects God’s unchanging wisdom in the constantly changing world that we live in.
Battles will always bring change…..Speaking of that, someone asked how many Christians does it take to change a lightbulb? It only takes one Charismatic—their hands are already in the air. It takes 10 Pentecostals—one to change the bulb and nine to pray against the spirit of darkness. It takes no Presbyterians—because lights go on and off at predestined times. It takes no Catholics—because they only use candles. It takes 15 Baptists—one to change the bulb, and three committees to approve the change and decide who brings the potato salad. It takes 3 Episcopalians— one to call the electrician, one to mix the drinks, and one to talk about how much better the old light bulb was. With Methodists—it is still undetermined—because if yourlight is bright, dim or completely out, just bring the bulb of your choice and a covered dish, you are still loved.. It takes no Lutherans—Lutherans because they don’t believe in change. And the Amish—are still asking
“what’s a light bulb”.
So, As God turns on the light and shows you which battles, He wants you to fight, do it with the confidence, knowing that Satan has been defeated, and that God will use your life in ways that will powerfully impact the world for His time and His reasons.
Live your life in surrender to God every day. Make a daily habit of surrendering your own plans to God, invite God to use your life every day to accomplish His plans for you (which are greater than what you could ever figure out or imagine on your own).
Remember that everything you need for where you are, is right where you are, not where you hope to be or want to be…
1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
The battles you are facing now have already been won. When Jesus said “It is finished” on the cross, he meant that in your present “now” of life, it is finished. He has prepared what you need for this time, He has made you to be what you need to be for this time.. Be strong in the Lord and in the Power of His might!!!! This battle has been chosen for you and you have been chosen for the battle.
The Holy Spirit is showing you which battles are worth fighting. You have what it takes to be more than conqueror.Present yourself to Him, and move in confidence, knowing the battle is the Lord’s !!!
Romans 8:37-39 “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord”.
Because He overcame, we shall overcome also in His name!!!
