“The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.” (2 Corinthians 10:4, NIV)
How many times I have read this verse and this morning, it falls fresh.
God has given us some great and wonderful promises for each of our lives. I cannot help but wonder why it is I would expect them to come easily, with no fight.
Yes, God has given us promises. They are for us today. And He also tells us, we will engage in a fight to live in the fullness of all He has for our lives.
Case in point …
God promised Abram land – The Promised Land. God Himself says to Abram:
“To your descendants I give this land, from the rivers of Egypt to the great river, The Euphrates..” (Genesis 15:18, NIV)
God promises the land, even telling Abram the boundaries. He was quite clear on what was being given to him and to future generations.
God, in His great mercy, also continues to tell Abram what to expect within those boundaries:
“… the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites.” (Genesis 15:19, NIV)
God tells Abram, the land is yours, but there will also be a fight to gain it as there are people living in that land.
Now don’t get me wrong, God is mighty and with one swell breath, He could have wiped the land clear of those occupants. But He did not.
God knew the land was way too tall of an order for His people to obtain all at once. They needed to grow in number to have the strength and abilities, to not only continuing to conquer the land, but to maintain the land.
In a nutshell – they needed to develop. The same is true for us. God desires for us to grow in strength and depth of relationship with Him.
I recently heard a loved one say, “I am a cancer survivor!”
The joy in being able to say this was obvious in her words, her tone, and her face. It had been a long, hard year. A battle. It did not come easily. But she knew the joy of the victory which God had brought to her.
God has purposes for each of our lives. He reveals them. He gives His promises.
And He gives us all we need to fight to obtain what He has promised us.
So we can know the thrill of victory with Him.
May we fight hard – each and every day!
Today I am joining … Testimony Tuesday and Unite and True Story and #RaRaLinkup and Reflect .
Good word today. Thank you.
Good point, Joanne. What is it with us thinking that life and faith should always flow on flowery beds of ease?
He’s with us in the fight, isn’t He! And He gives that victory we’re craving.
Linda, I know it was a rhetorical question but I have no idea why we think this life should be easier. I have been thinking on this for a few days now. All I do know, along with you, is that He truly fights for us. Grateful you stopped & shared your thoughts!
I was in Junior High when Israel was declared a nation. What a skirmish when the Arabs and Palestinians wanted it all. I remember the 6 day war when it seemed God fought the battle. Our battles are not with guns and swords but through prayer with spiritual weapons. I am happy for your loved one who won her battle over cancer. Such a war to win. Thank you for sharing with us here at Tell me a Story.
Thank you, Hazel. I so appreciate all that you shared. Even though it took 6 days for Israel to win that war, God was with them the entire time. May we always remember He fights for us. You are a blessing to so many!
Am I ‘fighting’ for His promises? That is the question, isn’t it? Thanks for this thought provoking post. Blessings to you and yours! Marie
Marie, that truly is the question! Something to think on.
I rejoice with you and (y)our loved one, Jo! A difficult battle, for sure.
Angela, I know you do. You are a faithful prayer warrior & encouragement. Precious to us – that is for certain! XO
Love this! Just as you pointed out, the Promised Land was theirs for the taking. It was a promise of God that they could hold on to, but God wanted them to fight for it. He wanted them to learn the art of relying on Him as they grew stronger in battle. God has given us so many promises as believers. Many of us are choosing to live without them because we aren’t willing to fight for them.
Thank you for your insights!
Alyssa