What battle are you fighting ?

What are you fighting today? Every one of us is in a battle. Maybe your health is declining or your job is a struggle.  Maybe your teen is driving you nuts or your baby keeps you awake all night.  Maybe you are concerned over the health of an ailing parent? What's your battle? If you say you don't have a battle, I am inclined to say you are not being true to yourself.  We all face battles.  Last Monday morning my teen did not like me at all ( rules are rules and life isn't always fair and we can't always be happy ) so goes life.  I had applied for a job and last Monday I was emailed that the position had been interviewed for and filled.  I never even had a chance.  Last Monday was a tough day.  I was hormonal and cried at the drop of hat.  I can remember washing a pan in the kitchen sink and the soap bubbles reminded me of when Olivia was a little girl and we laughed over bubbles; those bubbles last Monday made me cry.  My girl is growing up.  Times are a changing. I emailed DSS and Adoptions last week trying to get some answers about my other girl.  Will she come home to us or go to a new home? I've been waiting for months ... she's been waiting for years ...still no answers; life isn't fair.  What battle are you fighting?  Sweet Chris works so hard and provides so much for us.  Thanks to my medical bills ( you know 3 times $1300 for steroid shots in my ear and the two crowns on my teeth at $900 each) I have really taken him for that "better or worse, richer or poorer" clause.  I'd love to work to help pay off those thousands of dollars in medical bills caused by me.  What battle are you fighting?

How do you win a battle? You would think if you knew what type of battle you were facing, then you would know what type of weapons or tools would be needed to fight it.  Joshua had a battle to fight.  Are you familiar with the story of Joshua and the wall of Jericho from the bible? Read Joshua 6. Do you know what tools he used? Do you really think the walls of Jericho came down because of seven trumpets? You better believe it.  Was there power in the trumpet or the person blowing it? No.  The battle was Gods and He caused that wall to fall flat because Joshua obeyed his instructions.  Were those instructions clear? Yes. Did they sound like they would work? No way.  If you were to tell me to get 7 priests to walk 7 times around a wall and blow a trumpet and that would make the wall fall flat, I think I'd be shaking my head.  That sounds impossible, doesn't it? How in the world can the sound of a ram horn, turned trumpet make a wall fall?  Because nothing is impossible with God.

What battle are you fighting? By now you've got a clear idea of the battle you are fighting.  I've asked you over and over. Now WHO is helping you in your battle?  Are you fighting it alone? Do you think no one cares? Do you think you are the only one with a teenager? Are you the only one caring for a sick family member? Are you the only middle aged woman trying to find a job? Are you the only one with health problems? Are you the only one with more month than money? No, no, no, no; You are not alone.  No matter how big your problem is or how impossible winning the battle seems, YOU ARE NOT ALONE. The wall of Jericho came down because those people had faith in God.  He used priests walking around blowing trumpets (in faith) to show us in this day and age that nothing is impossible if you just believe in Him.  God is with us, He has a purpose and a plan for our lives and the best part is we don't have to do it alone. 

Some of you know I am prayer coordinator in our Sunday school class.  I think talking with the Lord is essential to life ( I don't know how people make it without the Lord).  Anyway, on the way home from my teens bible study Sunday night, Chris and I asked her how her class went? She said she enjoyed it and that she closed the class in prayer.  Her and dad and I in almost harmony asked if she volunteered or if someone called on her.  She said, "Oh I volunteered, I must take after you mom, because I wrote down all of the prayer requests." Wow, my heart was so happy.  That made up for how much she didn't like me last week.  Don't give up parents.  Being firm is tough, but raising a godly girl is so important.  We have to fight our battles on our knees in prayer and in Gods word.  I may think my shot at getting a job at my age is kind of like blowing trumpets to make a wall fall, but if that is God's will for my life and our family, He will provide.  Last Monday our home phone rang and a woman identified herself as a friend from the community. She asked if she could share a bible verse with me? I said yes and she paraphrased Jeremiah 29:11 that says,  ^"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."

God thinks about me??? He knows me and because I talk with Him throughout my day I am getting to know Him more and more.  He wants me (and you) to have peace and He holds our future and fills it with hope. He has it all worked out !! No matter your battle, He still wants you and me to have HOPE.   Man if that doesn't make you smile and let you know that your battle is already won, then I don't know what will.  I like the analogy my mom shared with me last week.  She said she once heard a young pastor say he had taken his son to the mall.  He told his son to stay close by, but he would wander under the clothes racks.  The first time his son disobeyed the dad warned him, the second time he disobeyed and wandered off the dad gave the boy a spank on his bottom.  That didn't seem to work and the little boy wandered off again. This time the dad stepped to the side and watched his son go in and out of the racks.  Suddenly the little boy realized that he couldn't see his dad.  He began to search, but didn't know where to look, he was small and those racks were tall.  He began to panic and cry, then his dad stepped out in the aisle so his son could see him and the little boy ran to his father and hugged him.  The dad never let his little boy out of his sight, the dad never went away, even though the little boy could not see him, his dad was there looking out for him and protecting him... God is our Father and He is watching out for us just the same. 

What battle are you fighting? Victory is the Lords. 1 John 5:4 "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world --our faith." I just had to share with you this sermon the Lord is playing out in my life right now.  I don't know how it is going to end exactly, but man this Monday I have hope and I am happy with my future.  God is so good.

Go be a blessing.