August 28, 2020.
When I was an adolescent in middle school, I was confronted on the playground by a girl in my class over something I presumed was very trivial…a boy. She was very upset with me and wanted to resolve her anger with a physical match. Well if you know me you already know that that would not end well, at least not for me. I remember thinking to myself, “Should I fight?”
Who was I fooling? I was just as clumsy and uncoordinated as a dump truck in mud. I really didn’t know how to fight. I had witnessed many girls rolling around on the floor, pulling each other’s hair, grabbing spaghetti straps, bra straps and whatever else they could get their hands on while others stood on the sideline encouraging the animal-like behavior.
I was not a fighter. And although I could be talkative at times, I honestly preferred to be by myself listening to the sound of my favorite songs. Well to everyone’s surprise, I ended up fighting that day. It was a quick decision because I really didn’t have time to think. I’m not sure what came over me but it was a day that I will never forget. It was the only time I can ever remember going to the principal’s office and it not being for an award or for running errands for the teacher.
Sometimes we spend way too much time contemplating situations in our life. The enemy is beating up on us and pushing us around. He is taking things he doesn’t have any rights to. He is raising havoc in our homes, calling us names that our Father did not give us, and expecting us to be okay with it. He is stealing our joy and our peace and walking away as if he owns them.
We keep allowing the enemy to throw darts at us while we play the dodging game. How many times do we withstand getting hit and knocked down before we decide it is time to fight?
I refuse to continue to let the enemy walk all over me. I refuse to allow him to take what God has said I can have. The enemy cannot have my mind or my marriage. He cannot have my children or my health. And he definitely cannot have my peace. Enough is enough.
It is time to fight. We cannot continue to stand around watching others fight while we go back home to the reality of our own mess. Sometimes we just have to jump in and not look back. We cannot wait for calming rains. We must step out into the storm and we must command the waves to be still.
What bullets have you been dodging that you simply need to face? What thoughts have you been entertaining that you should be silencing? What strongholds have taken up residence in your home that you really need to evict? What small issues have you ignored that have grown and now stolen your peace?
Ephesians 6:11-12 tells us to Put on all of God’s armor, so that we will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh and blood, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
I encourage you to stop running and to start fighting. God has equipped you for spiritual warfare. Things may get ugly before they can get better. You may get hurt in the process but you will surely recover. You may feel afraid but don’t let that discourage you; simply do it afraid.
This is your season. Are you ready for battle? Are you ready to fight?
God is with you. Now let’s do this.