A New Way to Fight

Today the theme of our church service, as directed by God, was gaining our victory and freedom in Christ. As we were singing  God very clearly brought me to a story of Moses. It is found in Exodus 17: 8-13. This is the story of the Israelites battle against the Amalekites. Joshua was leading the army into battle and Moses was standing on a hill over the fight with his hands raised to God. When he got tired and would drop his hands, the Israelites would start to lose, but when he raised his hands, God would bring the victory.

Many time we (and by we I mean me) go about fighting all the wrong way. We come to God, laying our burdens, our struggles at his feet, and beg and plead for him to bring us to victory. We tell him how to fix each part and how to bring it all together the way we think it should happen (again, I am sure I am the only one who has it all planned out and am glad to share some of my insight with God because I know he needs my opinion).

But we need to learn to fight like Moses did. With upraised hands. With our worship. If we will lift up the victor, who has gone before us and already won the victory through his sacrifice on the cross, we will see His hand moving and bringing us to the victory. And quite honestly, our perspective changes when we look to the victor and remind ourselves of who he is, getting lost in worship, lifting him up instead of fighting the fight by carrying our burdens and bringing them to God again and again. There is nothing wrong with bringing our needs to God. He actually tells us to do that. But I think we forget the part that says the battle isn't ours. That says cast all your cares on him and he will sustain you. That says fix your eyes on Jesus. Not on the battle, not on the problem, but on the problem solver. On the way maker. On our victor.

We must learn to worship through the struggles. Through the storm. To lift God higher so he can be bigger in our lives. To thank God for the victory instead of begging him to help us. The victory has already been won. The devil is defeated. Praise God!

God just keeps reminding me that he knows the end from the beginning. I don't see it all. I really wish I could sometimes, but I don't. God knows it all. Where he is leading me through this journey. How he is going to use me and my struggles for his glory. What he had prepared for my kids. How he is gonna show himself in their lives. In our lives. 

If I can learn to fight like Moses did, always giving God praise. Always coming before him. Thankful in advance for what he will do even though I don't see it, I can live victoriously. Not because I see the end or that the struggle is over, but because the journey too will be a time of living in God's presence. Not a time engulfed with the fears of tomorrow and the worries of "what ifs." But a time of being drawn closer to his side. A time of rejoicing in how great my God is!