I’ve always been a fighter. Sometimes it’s my greatest weakness; other times, my greatest strength. But over the years, I’ve found that a choice to fight doesn’t guarantee that the cause I’m fighting for will be fulfilled. It’s when I fight right that the battle is won.
That’s why Jesus said in Mark 10:34-35, “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother…”
Now, here’s what Jesus isn’t saying. He’s not saying that He came to bring strife. What He is saying is that there are things worth standing for.
I know it seems odd that for us to live at peace with God, we sometimes have to ruffle feathers with people who don’t understand. But there’s one thing that’s for sure: when we prove our honor for God by standing for Him, He always proves His love for us in immeasurable ways.
There are two steps to fight well. The first is to live in His positional peace. Job 22:21 describes it well when it says, “Submit to God and be at peace with Him; in this way prosperity will come to you.” Living at peace with God is all about submitting to His way over our own.
Then, we’re to live with conquering faith. Joshua is one of our best biblical examples of this— of what to do and what not to do. And as with any battle strategy, it’s important to know both.
Here’s what not to do. First, never choose self-confidence over God-confidence. That’s what happened to the Israelites in our story. After spying out the land they were setting out to conquer, Joshua’s soldiers told him, “We don’t need our full army. We can take them with 2,000, maybe 3,000 men.”
They were confident in their men over God. Their focus was off. And guess what? That lost them the war.
Something else that thwarts our victory is self-pity. After the war was lost, Joshua pouted, asking God, “Where were you?” The problem with this is that things don’t change when we pout; they change when we pray.
So now, how do we win? By living set apart. Once Joshua got up out of his pity party, God told him, “Go and consecrate yourselves to me. I have something good coming for you tomorrow.”
Friends, God has a good tomorrow for you, too. And if you will consecrate yourself— valuing His thoughts above your thoughts, He will take you places you never thought you could go. If you’ll live with conquering faith, not in self-confidence or self-pity, you’ll win the war.
That marriage you thought was in the gutter, that dream you’re about to give up on, that job you’re believing for… it’s just beyond the fight. So today, decide to let His peace rule, and set yourselves apart for His purpose. He’s got a good tomorrow coming for you!
