Fight

The Word for the week seems to be around war.  Some may not realize it, some may not think about it often, but the minute we gave our lives to Christ, we joined his Army.  The battle has raged for several millennial now, many great figures throughout the Bible have fought this battle, and only one has defeated it.  

The thing about this Army that we have joined, it is very different than the military that we know here in the earthly kingdom.  God's Army runs very differently, it seems to be upside down and backwards from that of the masterminds of war here on earth.  God removes warriors instead of adding them.  God promotes leaders that most men would never consider.  God destroys the enemy and credits and honors other's for winning the battle. God's battleplans require HIM, much more than they require us.  

My word for this year is FIGHT.  I was very displeased by this word and asked for a new one.  I feel as though I have fought for the past 6 years, and the last year was especially a difficult battle after battle.  The word remained, with the addition of Exodus 14:14.  Be still and I will fight for you.  The Amplified version: "The LORD will fight for you while you [only need to] keep silent and remain calm."  This may not be my strongest gifting....to remain silent and calm and let someone else do the fighting...  I have been a fighter my whole life.  I don't back down, even when it makes no sense for me keep fighting.  The "what" that I am fighting has changed, and the "how," but none the less, I still dig my feet into the ground to hold my position with my sword ready.  

This week the idea of our rhythms of wartime mindsets has come up and I just keep circling it.  I have gone at it from several different angles.  We are at war, we are at war against an enemy we can't see, but is very real.  We are strategizing and maneuvering when maybe we should just become silent and remain calm.  We have an opportunity to dive deeper into our relationship with our Father, to grow deeper with Him.  We have the ability to let Him draw up the battle plans, to let Him even the field.  We want to complicate it, God just wants us to become silent and remain calm.  Our warfare is not as complicated as we make it.  Our warfare is established by God, with God's protection and God's training, if we will just listen.  Maybe just maybe we need to rethink our battleplans.  Maybe we realize that He has equipped us, that He has empowered us with the tools and strength to fight.  Instead of asking Him to come and do everything, are we asking how we can do it with the weapons that He has trained us with?

Psalm 18:33-36 TPT
You’ve trained me with the weapons of warfare-worship;
now I’ll descend into battle with power
to chase and conquer my foes.
 You empower me for victory with your wrap-around presence.
Your power within makes me strong to subdue,
and by stooping down in gentleness
you strengthened me and made me great!
 You’ve set me free from captivity
and now I’m standing complete, ready to fight some more!

In this new time I have found myself listening harder than ever before.  The instructions I hear, the battleplan laid out, I do not question my inadequacies(much), I just continue forward with my yes and an expectation for God to prepare the way ahead of me.  I am finding myself in new territory daily, I am outside of my comfort zone by miles.  My comfort does not rely on myself, my comfort comes from the Great Comforter.  My prayer is that as we move into this new season of warfare, that we would all lean in and listen to what our part is.  My puzzle piece is different than any of the other pieces to this picture.  We all have a part to play, we all have a specific role.  I pray for faith to take the step out, the doing it even when it is scary, even if you can feel your pulse in your throat and seeing what God will do with all of our yes's.

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