Are you fighting a battle right now? I believe we all have battles to fight at different times in life. But I want to encourage you. Whatever you may be facing today, know that, in Christ, you are more than a conqueror! Romans 8:37 (AMPC) says, “Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors and gain a surpassing victory through Him Who loved us.” Think about it. Meditate on it. Let this truth of God’s Word settle in your heart.
As I said before, we each have battles to fight at different times in our lives. Sometimes it’s a financial battle; it can be a family or relationship struggle; or we might be in a personal emotional conflict in our soul. Whatever it is, the truth is this war is spiritual…and we must learn to use spiritual weapons in the fight.
What do I mean by that? Well, 2 Corinthians 10:4 (AMPC) tells us that “the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds.”
That word strongholds refers to areas where the enemy entrenches himself and takes control. It’s very important to realize that the greatest part of the fight is often in our minds. The enemy’s tactic is to gain ground and build strongholds by influencing our thoughts. Even a lie will become truth to us if we believe it. And Satan is determined to try and make us believe his lies and gradually build these strongholds in our mind.
Pay attention to the things you think about most of the time. Are they thoughts that encourage and motivate you? Or do you more often think of things that actually hinder your progress… things that don’t agree with God’s Word? If so, it may be that the enemy has gained a stronghold.
For example, I’ve often talked about when Dave and I were first married. It wasn’t very long before he wanted to know what was wrong with me…why I was so negative all the time. I was still very hurt and angry about things that had happened to me in my past. I told him that I’d come to believe if I didn’t expect much good to happen, then I wouldn’t be disappointed when it didn’t! That attitude was a stronghold in my mind.
These kinds of attacks are spiritual warfare, but remember, as followers of Christ, we are not fighting alone. We have a Mighty Warrior and His host of angels on our side. That makes it a totally different fight. The Holy Spirit is in each of us. He is our Helper, and that makes us more than conquerors (John 14:26, Romans 8:37)!
The Holy Spirit wants to lead us through each battle we face. But there are also some things we can do to prepare ourselves as well.
Eat right and get some rest. You may wonder what that has to do with being a conqueror. Well when you take better care of yourself, you simply feel better, and you will be stronger, more alert and ready.
Pay attention. Sometimes you may just have a “feeling” about something you’re doing or thinking or saying. Many times it is the Holy Spirit trying to guide you in a certain way. I remember one morning I had been studying in my office at home. It was early and I still had on a long nightgown. I was planning to go to the ministry office that day to do some work and I needed to carry some things downstairs. I had gathered some Bibles and a coffee mug in my hands, and just as I got to the top step, I had a “feeling” that I should probably hold up the nightgown so I wouldn’t trip over it. But I just dismissed the thought. Then just as I started down the stairs, I almost took a tumble!
Now, I know that is a very simple example, but the thing I’m trying to point out here is, that “feeling” I had was probably the Holy Spirit trying to warn me that I should do something about that gown. But I ignored it and almost paid a high price for it had it not been for God’s grace.
Needless to say, I won’t do that again!
Beware of thoughts like I know I shouldn’t, but… or, Maybe I should, but…
Learn to listen to that simple unction, that nudge, that knowing. It’s most likely the Holy Spirit trying to lead you in the midst of whatever your battle is. Don’t ignore Him. He wants to equip you for your battles and help you become more than a conqueror!
Joyce Meyer is a New York Times’ bestselling author and founder of Joyce Meyer Ministries Inc. She has authored 130 books, including Battlefield of the Mind and her newest devotional, Quiet Times With God (FaithWords). She hosts the Enjoying Everyday Life radio and TV programs, which air on hundreds of stations worldwide. For more information, visit joycemeyer.org.
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