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The Battle Rages On
Andrea Lende • October 12, 2021
Romans 8:5
The Battle Rages On
You can also listen to the devotion and prayer at: https://anchor.fm/andrea-lende/episodes/The-Battle-Rages-On-e18ibmi
Romans 8:5
“For those who are according to the flesh and are controlled by its unholy desires set their minds on and pursue those things which gratify the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit and are controlled by the desires of the Spirit set their minds on and seek those things which gratify the [Holy] Spirit.”
I am reminded about how powerful our thoughts are through this scripture.
Paul is talking about being controlled by the flesh and Spirit.
It is true once we are saved and accept Jesus in our hearts, we are saved and granted eternal life.
However, our belief in Jesus doesn’t mean we will have victory against the war waging within us and around us.
We have to continue to strive to win the war.
In Ephesians 6:12, Paul says, “For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness…”
He goes on to tell the people to put on the armor of God.
We fight against the enemy which means we have to intentionally put on the armor of God and seek the Lord in order to win the war.
It is a constant battle.
The only way I know how to win this battle is to spend time with the Lord, maintain peace, praise God in good times and bad, and pray the Lord will be our strength.
The Lord will strengthen us.
He will send His angels to care for us.
And Jesus is constantly interceding on our behalf.
He is our Help.
Lastly, we need to control our thoughts.
We have to control what we think on in order to win the inner battle.
Today I choose to set my mind on the Lord and all His Power and Might and pray He guards me closely.
May you find as you set your mind on the Lord and His will for your life that He will keep you His.
Daily Prayer:
O Lord, my God, thank You for keeping me in Your care. Thank You for choosing me to know You and worship You. Keep me at Your feet, Lord. Keep me seeking You and Your will for my life. Strengthen me in every way so I can withstand all the attacks of the enemy. Your Word says You have given me power over the enemy. Help me wield the sword and put on all the armor You give me to win the battles he brings against me. May You guard me and protect me, Lord. Lead and guide my every step I take today. Light the path and increase my knowledge and wisdom so I do the right thing according to Your Word. Do not let me falter, Lord. Keep me standing to win the battle that wages against me. Help me bless someone this day. Thank You for hearing my prayer.
Answer: I AM with you My child and will strengthen you to fight the battles in your life.
Response: Thank You, Almighty God and Father.
We start a New Year! How exciting! Paul had just finished telling the Ephesians to put off their old nature. They had been run around by their feelings and desires. He told them to be renewed in their spirit. The Amplified Bible defines this to be “having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude.” As we say goodbye to this year, let us put on the new and leave the old behind. We have an opportunity to reflect on what to bring forward into this New Year.
This is a great message for the New Year. We can be in control of our own words. As a mother, I used to tell my children to use their words to explain what was happening in their minds. I tried to help them find the right words. Words that would help the situation and not make it worse. I must do the same thing when talking to them. It’s important to use words that do not damage their spirits. Words that lift up instead of tear down. Even though my children have grown, I still want to be careful how I speak to them because my worlds will impact them for the rest of their lives.
As we approach the New Year, it is a perfect time to take inventory of what part of our lives, our hearts, and our souls are not bearing fruit. What can we give up as this year comes to a close? What do we need to give to the Lord for His cleansing and pruning? The answers to these questions take time. Time with the Lord. We are creatures of routines and habits which serve us well. But we can also change our routines and habits to serve us and the Lord better. So, we can ask God to show us what He wants us to give up so that He can have more of us.
I cannot think of a better verse to meditate on as we approach the New Year. Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]." For so many years I believed I had to wait to go to heaven to experience the kingdom of God. I have longed to step into heaven and meet the Lord and His Son. However, as we read the Gospels and study Jesus and all that He said, we begin to understand the kingdom of God is all around us. The kingdom of God is within.
Paul wrote to the Colossians and told them he was praying for them. He prayed they would be refreshed, renewed, and invigorated. He also prayed they would be strengthened. May his prayer be heard by the Lord God Almighty on our behalf today just as it was received two thousand years ago. God is the Source of all things beautiful and wonderful. There is no shortage of renewal, refreshment, or inspiration in His kingdom. And as the Creator of this universe, He continues to pour all good things into His people. Paul wrote that refreshment and strength are needed so we may have endurance.
This verse is the perfect verse to reflect on as Christmas comes to a close. The Lord sent His Son to us. He sent Him to this world as a babe. Jesus was given the task of growing up. A difficult one for all of us. He endured the awkward stages we all go through as we grow past them. I look back at old picture and cringe, yes, I cringe. This life provides plenty of opportunities to feel awkward and just plain weird, but our Father loves us as though we are perfect every day of our lives. This is why Jesus came. He came to make us perfect in God’s sight.
God made Himself flesh so He could take away the sins of the world. The story of the very first Christmas was humble, yet the most powerful and loving birth ever recorded in history. All humanity changed in an instant. When Jesus was born, love filled the earth. Love came down and lifted us up. The angels came to tell the shepherds of this beautiful birth. The stars in the heavens also told the story. As we do all tasks that we do to ensure a beautiful Christmas day, may we remember the miracle that God sent long ago. The miracle of all miracles.
The first Christmas was going to be documented, so that it could be read many times over for all Christmas’ to come. It was also documented so the prophecy of the Messiah’s birth would be known to be fulfilled. Prophets of old foretold Jesus would come from the house of David. They also prophesied that He would be born in Bethlehem. And all this came to pass. Even though Jesus would be known as a Nazarene, His beginning began in Bethlehem. God’s divine plan was set in motion with the first census while Mary was at the end of her pregnancy.
What a wonderful passage to read during Christmas week. Our passage touched my heart as I read it through the lens of Jesus’ birth. “It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself.” We have so much to be thankful for in these few short words, “restoring the world to favor with Himself.” So undeserved and yet so graciously given. We are offered favor with the Lord. Imagine having favor with the almighty God, the Creator of the universe. Jesus chose to leave heaven’s door where all was perfect. He chose to be born into this dusty messy world.
Jesus had just spoken to a fig tree and deemed it unworthy to live because it had no fruit on it. His disciples were amazed when they saw the fig tree wither and die. Then the Lord talked to them about prayer and belief. He told them that whatever they asked for, if they had the faith and belief, they would receive it. I remember the day I started hearing music and lyrics. I had just bowed my head at the piano and asked if the Lord would bless praise and worship music. As soon as I prayed that prayer, the Lord bestowed the gift of song writing upon me.