THE BATTLE BELONGS TO THE LORD
II Chronicles 20:15
This is what the Lord says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's.
It was late afternoon and there were bull elk bugling below us on the mountain. We were sneaking through a beautiful stand of big aspens with a lush bed of green grass under the towering trees. I glanced to my right and noticed something sticking up out of the grass. At first I thought it was just a shed antler, then it looked like a skull with both antlers... but as I got closer I was shocked to find two huge skulls with locked antlers.
As we looked on we could see that they bulls had died a year earlier in a terrible and sad battle. A pile of bones and antlers was all that was left. I was excited for what I found, but it was a difficult thing to consider what it must have been like. Both bulls must have fought until they were too weak to stand up and they likely lives for a few days with no hope. Why? Because both of the combatants were giving their all in a losing battle. They could have pulled back before getting locked up... but they have it their all.
There are times when it seems like we fight a constant battle. We have adversaries coming against us at every turn... Sometimes for years on end. We struggle against evil people that want to bring us down. Sometimes these same people claim to be friends or even Christian brothers or sisters.
Why do we waste our energy on such things. God promises us that the battle isn't ours, but His. He has total control over what goes on in this Huge World and what goes on in our little lives. We need not worry when we are following Him in our lives. He alone stands before us in battle, we can count on Him to guard us and fight our spiritual battles.
Back in 1989 Petra rerecorded a song that tells this story... "THE BATTLE BELONGS TO THE LORD".
In heavenly armour we'll enter the land
The battle belongs to the Lord
No weapon that's fashioned against us shall stand
The battle belongs to the Lord
We sing glory and honor
Power and strength to the Lord
The power of darkness comes in like a flood
The battle belongs to the Lord
He's raised up a standard, the power of His blood
The battle belongs to the Lord
we sing glory and honor
power in strength to the lord
When your enemy presses in hard do not fear
The battle belongs to the Lord
Take courage my friend, your redemption is near
The battle belongs to the Lord
Its HIS battle and HE NEVER, EVER let's go of me.
Rest on this today...
Help achieve the mission - GIVE today
Click the button to sign up for Dean’s Daily Devotional. FREE and delivered daily.