Under Fire
Let’s face it—life is hard! Whether you are 15 or 105, the struggles we all encounter will sometimes be overwhelming. From physical to spiritual, we are not immune from enduring them, but we do have instructions on how to overcome them.
Jesus says in John 16:33b, “In this world, you will have trouble.” In this verse, Jesus is speaking to His disciples and letting them know that they would face extremely difficult challenges ahead as they followed Him. We can also see that the message He spoke was for us as well. We, as followers of Christ in the present day, will walk through difficult circumstances that can take the wind from our chests.
In my lifetime so far on this earth, I have seen hard things. I have been through physical and spiritual challenges. I have felt that, at times, I was in a battle and I have been under fire by the enemy. Ephesians 6:10-18 has words for us to use when we are in the heat of war:
“Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength. Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the tactics of the Devil. For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. This is why you must take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. Stand therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteous like armor on your chest, and your feet sandaled with the readiness for the gospel of peace. In every situation take the shield of faith, and with it you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take up the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is God’s word. Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert in this with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints.” Ephesians 6:10-18
Without “suiting up” for battle with the whole armor of God, we will not be able to get through!
There have been seasons of my life where the enemy fire and spiritual attacks have been intense. If not for my Jesus fighting on behalf of me, I would never have survived. I have had battles where there seemed to be no reprieve, and I could not seem to gain ground; then, God would send another believer alongside me to fight in prayer. Never underestimate the power of prayer!
In the entirety of John 16:33 I quoted Jesus from earlier, it says this:
“I have told you these things, so that in Me, you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
When the enemy tries to tell you lies, and they are like rapid fire in a war zone, remind yourself of this truth. We can find peace in Jesus alone, and the only way that we can endure the battles we will face is if we put on the whole armor of God.
I don’t know what you are walking through at this moment, but I do know that chances are you are facing a battle. I will leave you with these words the apostle Paul said:
“What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” Romans 8:31
Amanda Patterson
Lean into Jesus Ministries
#amandapattersonblogs
