Saturday, July 18, 2009

A Fixed Fight


"Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great
multitude, for the battle is not yours but God's.
'You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves,
stand and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf,
O Judah and Jerusalem.' Do not fear or be dismayed;
tomorrow go out to face them, for the LORD is with you"
(2 Chronicles 20:15-17).

If you are a boxing fan, you are familiar with the
statement: "the fight was fixed". If there was ever a
fixed fight, the one in 2 Chronicles 20 was just that.
Three nations, that God forbade the nation of Israel from
destroying earlier, has now come together to destroy them.
The Bible records the Nation of Israel saying to God:

"Now behold, the sons of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir,
whom You did not let Israel invade when they came out of
the land of Egypt (they turned aside from them and did not
destroy them), see how they are rewarding us by coming to
drive us out from Your possession which You have given us
as an inheritance" (2 Chronicles 20:10-11).

Unbeknownst to the Nation of Israel, God was using these
nations to serve a higher purpose. This seemingly
impossible situation was orchestrated by God to: (1)
demonstrate to Israel that He was able to care for them,
no matter how severe their situation seemed, and (2) that
their ability was not determinative of their success, but
their faith in Him. God allowed Israel's problem to grow
until it was out of their control. Now they stood face to
face with a situation that they could no longer avoid.
This situation was not to destroy them but to teach them,
that the battle is not theirs, but the Lords.

Many of you may be facing situations in your life that
seem to have come out of nowhere, when in reality they are
old problems that have re-surfaced. This problem seems to
be unavoidable and insurmountable. You've thought about
and considered every scenario, trying to find a way of escape
and delivery but none have been revealed. You've prayed to
God about it but He seems to have turned a deaf ear to your
prayer. Now it appears that you are on the brink of losing
everything. Just remember, that God did not allow the
problem in your life to destroy you but to develop your
faith in Him. He already knows how you are going to win.
The fight has been fixed! Weeping may endure for a night,
but joy is coming in the morning! (Psalms 30:5).

This problem is only temporary. God never intended for you
to have to fight this fight. It is too big for you. God
has allowed the situation to get to this point to reveal
to you that: (1) no problem is too big for Him, (2) you
are never alone, even when it seem like it, and (3) that
the fight is really His. Understand, that the decisive
factor in your success is not "what" has come against you -
but Who is with you. Remember, it may look like you are
insufficient, out numbered and unable to overcome what is
facing you. In the natural this might be true if it was
up to you alone. However, the battle is not yours but
the Lords.

Before the battle ever begins, God has already declared
you delivered and victorious. Your fight is not against
the problem, but yourself. You must fight to hold onto
your faith in God, even when the facts contradict what
God has promised. Remember, facts change everyday, but
the truth of God's word never changes regardless of the
facts. When your opponent or problem raised up against
you, it was already defeated. The fight has been fixed -
it just has to be told so.

1 comment:

  1. So true Ed. Moses spent 40 years on the back side of the desert probably wondering what in the world is God doing with me. I spent 20 years in a spiritual desert and now God is starting to use me again. Blogging seems to be one means.
    I Timothy 4:1 talks about people in the latter times giving heed to decieving doctrines and spirits. Jesus said that the very elect could be decieved if possible. Evangelism is important but the church needs sound doctrine as well. The New Age is a serious threat to those who do not hear the word. We must proclaim the whole counsel of God.

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