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.” Ephesians 6:12 NIV
This week I made the mistake of trying to take a knife to a gunfight.
The Lord had to remind me of the unseen spiritual battle we are engaged in as we live with addiction or other strongholds in our families. We fight and plead and beg and threaten as we try to fight this very spiritual battle with physical weapons.
I heard him say this morning, “this one only comes out with prayer and fasting.”
“Which one, God?”
“The one that is waging war against your soul, robbing you of your peace, possessing your thought life, and, worst of all, separating you from me and the sweet communion I long to have with you.”
You see, I had made this battle about my addicted loved one, struggles with my father, and stress at my job, when really it was God revealing a heart issue to me.
As I look into those deep, dark corners of my heart where all the hurt is still stored, like cherished family heirlooms tucked away for safekeeping in the attic, I know it’s time to look at this battle for what it really is…a battle of the heart.
My heart.
The warfare we engage in, while we think it is about saving our children or spouses or hurting loved ones, really is more about God saving us.
We preach surrender to our wayward ones as though it is some small task.
“Just surrender your need for drugs to God. He will set you free.”
Oh, if only it were that easy as I sit here ruminating over the latest family drama and how to fix it. Worry appears to be my drug of choice. How do I surrender it?
“This one only comes out with prayer and fasting.”
Which one?
The one that has stolen your heart and taken it hostage, just like it has stolen mine. That worry, that fear, that need to control.
Release it. The enemy of our souls wants to steal our hope, our faith, our love, and our sanity. Engaging in the battle to fight for each of these is a good fight.
Today, I will remember the works of my Lord. I will acknowledge his ability to set me free…if I am willing to surrender and let go and fight for it!
There are many battles we can fight and few we should fight.
Let us choose our battles wisely.
Dear Lord of Lords,
You go ahead of us. You fight our battles for us. We will no longer fight with earthly weapons a physical battle. We choose to fight evil forces set to destroy us and our families with prayers of faith as we let go and trust you.
Amen.
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on The Faith to Flourish
Featured Image by Paul Barlow from Pixabay
That’s so true Dawn. The Lord has me on this journey too and gently placed A Hunger For God by John Piper in my hands. It’s about desiring God through fasting and prayer and that hunger eclipses all our worries as we hunger for Jesus and His will and return. I’m on the journey. Thank you for sharing this as we war for our beloveds ❤️
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