The Bible tells us there is a battle raging all around us. It is a spiritual battle between the Kingdom of God and the forces of darkness, a battle that has a genuine impact on our lives today and a battle that our lives impact in a very real way.
War is waging in the spiritual realm, with consequences in eternity and here on earth. And whether we realize it or not, every one of us is involved. We’re all warriors on one side or the other.
This battle is fought on different fronts. It takes various forms. We experience it on different levels, in different seasons of our lives.
For many of us, the fight for health and wellness is where we’re most aware of it. It’s a battle worth fighting because the stakes are high.
The enemy of our souls knows that if he can keep us feeling sick and tired and miserable, he can rob us of the abundant life God has promised us. He tries to use our relationship with the scale to destroy our relationships with our family and friends, to deplete our time, energy, and resources, and keep us from the Kingdom work God has called us to do. If the enemy can keep us in an endless cycle of gaining and losing weight, constantly ducking out of family photos, saying no to meaningful connection, ministry, and relationship opportunities; if he can keep us weighed down by guilt and shame over our eating habits and exercise (or lack thereof), he can also keep us from so many good things that God has planned for us. Things God wants to do in us and through us.
But the glorious truth is that the enemy is defeated. Ultimately, we are already victorious through Christ. We are “more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37)
We just have to learn to live like it! We need to understand what it means to be victorious, learn how to face our biggest battles, fight them, and win!
Of course, we don’t fight with earthly or worldly human weapons. We don’t use anger, violence, or hate. We don’t try to gain power or position that we can leverage; we don’t resort to manipulation or deceit. We don’t fall for quick fixes, quack remedies, or worthless schemes.
No, we put on the armor of God, piece by piece, and step out onto the battlefield armed with the supernatural weapons He has given us. These weapons have divine power to demolish any stronghold or fortress of evil, whether in our hearts and minds or in the world around us.
And God promises that He will be with us. He will give us all the wisdom, courage, and strength we need, moment by moment, for every battle we face. He will not only fight alongside us but fight for us! He will give us victory.
Are you living like it?
Christin Ditchfield-Lazo
Christin Ditchfield-Lazo is a popular conference speaker, Bible teacher, and author of more than 80 books, including Finding Your Victory and four other First Place for Health Bible studies. www.ChristinDitchfield.com