Winning the Next Battle

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Winning the Next Battle

Maybe there wasn't a Mariusz Pudzianowski in King Hezekiah's day. Pudzian has won the title of the World's Strongest Man five times - more than any other athlete. If you were nervous about the current state of things, you might be able to relax more if this Polish 6'1", 291lbs world champion had your back covered.  But there are some struggles and battles in life that even a muscle-bound champion cannot win. 

King Hezekiah's people may have been biting their fingernails in fear when they saw the massive military might of the enemy approaching the city of Jerusalem. "Jobriah, there's no way we can win this one. We're as good as dead. It's all up with us now. Forget it - there's no sense of us even trying to resist this enemy. There are some battles you just can't win and this is one of them." 

Ever feel that way about the battles you find yourself in?  

Here is what King Hezekiah said to the people to encourage them: 

"Be strong and courageous.

Do not be afraid or dismayed

before the king of Assyria and all the horde that is with him,

for there are more with us than with him.

With him is an arm of flesh,

but with us is the LORD our God, to help us and to fight our battles."

And the people took confidence from the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

(2Chronicles 32:7-8)

All the King of Assyria could rely on was human strength, ingenuity and skill. In the absence of other displays of strength, human-designed weapons and warfare can be formidable. But Godly King Hezekiah looked at all their military might and recognized it as an arm of flesh. Biceps, brains and bullets - or their equivalents. He was upbeat and optimistic because he knew God's people had the Lord. Even if their own biceps were flabby and their own brains cloudy - as long as their hearts were focused on the Lord and dependent upon Him, they would score a victory. And that's exactly what happened.

God simply commissioned ONE angel and the rest is history. The five-star generals and captains and possibly as many as 185,000 soldiers were wiped out and the enemy king retreated with ... well it doesn't say with 'egg on his face', it says: "...He returned with 'shame of face' to his own land." (v.21)

Are you trying to win a battle with some external or internal enemy who is claiming to be the World's Strongest Champion? Has the enemy won that title the last five times? Are you despairing of ever winning the battle? What's your battle plan? What's your strategy? How are you fighting this battle?  Have you taken your eyes of your own puny pipes and wimpy abs and scrawny physique and looked to the Lord for His intervention?

Romans 8 is the only successful victory strategy. Study carefully the ministry of the indwelling Spirit of God who is the source of divine power for sanctification and victory in our lives. The moment you received Christ as your Saviour, the Spirit of God moved in and took up His residence in you and He will never leave you. You will never get more of Him but as He gets more of you, you will experience increasing amounts of power in your life. Read also and study this verse: "...walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh." Galatians 5:16

Walk carefully and closely with the Lord today,

Warmly in Christ,

Peter Ramsay