secrets

Dear Friend,

 

Have you reached a point in your life where you want
more than forgiveness?

The time comes when, although we're eternally glad
for forgiveness, we want to possess and be possessed
by the kind of grace that overcomes.

Here's what you need to know:  you can overcome.

You can win the battle.

You can be victorious.

But it doesn't happen through sheer will power.

Nor does it happen by thinking God will do your
thinking and make your decisions for you.

In Psalm 18, David tells about a battle he almost lost.

"The ropes of death were wrapped around me, the
torrents of destruction terrified me," (Psalm 18:4).

He was going under for the third time.

"I cried to my God for help...He heard my voice," (verse 5).

Whatever threatening, troubling or perilous situation
you're in, call to God for help.

He will hear you.

But He does more than just hear.

"He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from
my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too
strong for me," (Psalm 18:16-17, NIV).

Death was overpowering David -- it was getting the best
of him.

His situation was stronger than him.

But God was stronger.

God didn't keep David from being pulled into the battle.
And He didn't abandon him during the battle either.

They fought it together, side by side.

There's power in God's presence.

There's strength in His companionship.

There's fearlessness in His shadow.

With Him, we are never hopeless.

Here's the secret to victory that David realized and
shares:

"He (God) trains my hands for battle; my arms can
bend a bow of bronze," (verse 34).

Although God didn't keep David from fighting the battle, He
gave him exceeding strength -- and God taught him how to
fight!

Now consider this verse -- let's finish the secret:

"You give me your shield of victory, and your right hand
sustains me; you stoop down to make me great," (verse 35).

God gave David the strength to fight. That's grace.

God sustained David during the fight. That's grace.

God guaranteed victory -- He compensated for David's
weakness. That's, grace.

Here's the secret to victory: fight your battles with God.

Remember, though, that our wars are spiritual ones.
Whatever battle we're in right now, there's a spiritual
dimension to it.

Winning a spiritual war requires spiritual skills, insight,
wisdom and unquenchable conviction.

I like how Paul puts it in 2 Corinthians 10:3-5,

"For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as
the world does.

"The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the
world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish
strongholds.

"We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets
itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take
captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ," (NIV).

Consider that last sentence:

"We take captive every thought to make it obedient to
Christ."

The battle is waged in our mind.

God gives us the power to control our thoughts, beliefs
and our attitudes.

This is grace.

So, whatever battle you're fighting
today, don't even think about giving up, or running
away, or hiding under your bed.

Fight.

Put on your spiritual armor (Ephesians 6) and fight.

You're a warrior.

You're God's kid.

Be bold.
Be courageous.
Be hopeful.

Deliverance is on the way.

Victory is your destiny.