Are you in the middle of a battle? Does it seem as though you are in a constant battle over one thing or another? Are all those battles really worth fighting over? Or are you fighting the wrong battle? There is some battles worth fighting.
We fight many battles throughout our lifetimes. Some are petty while others are very important. Some come to us unexpectedly while others we see coming way down the road. Doing battle is exhausting. Therefore, battles don’t typically last for long periods of time.
Research conducted to discover the effectiveness of units in battle found five key characteristics that impact success: Weapons Proficiency, Situational Awareness, Tactics and Drills, Cover and Concealment, and Leadership/Communications. Do these look familiar? You don’t need to be a military person to recognize them. You will see these referenced, perhaps a little differently, in Ephesians 6:10-20 when Paul exhorts us to put on the full armor of God. The study also found the unit became more efficient with experience. No surprise there! The more you are engaged with any task, the more efficient you become.
As we go about our lives, we need to become efficient and effective in battle. Not battles over minor disputes such as what we will eat, when we will see a pay raise, or what is going on in a different department. No, we need to ask ourselves the age-old question, “Are you willing to die on that hill?” If not, don’t fight the battle. Let it go.
Battles we should fight are those that include the battles against evil. In order to know the difference, we need discernment—the discernment only provided by God. So, pray that God gives you discernment to know what battle is worth fighting.
Most of us are fighting the wrong battles. We need to focus our attention on the battles God wants us to fight. He will equip us to not only fight those battles, but to win them. How do we gain the knowledge and skills to win? We train. Our training comes through interaction with other Christians, being in a constant learning state of mind, practice and experience, and spending quiet time with God. The more we know how to use the defensive measures and weapons God grants us, the more successful we are.
I pray all of us take up the fight against evil. I pray we seek God to gain discernment. I pray each one of us spends time training, practicing, and gaining experience for the battles we will face. Know that God will equip you for battle. Seek His discernment to know which battles are important. Stop fighting the unimportant battles. Spend time training and practicing. Prepare yourself for the battles you will face.
1 Timothy 1:18-19 Timothy, my son, I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well, holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith.
Marty Pressey 