It’s Important to Remember – The Battle is Real

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Sometimes we forget that the battle is real.

I’ve been gathering with a group of friends at church to work through Annie Downs’ Study, Looking for Lovely. I actually started looking for life’s lovely moments when I began Counting My Blessings years ago.

So, I expected a “lovely” time doing the homework and meeting with friends. But something unexpected happened instead…

From the first day of homework, I noticed a heaviness in my heart. My grief increased, and worry and agitation became more noticeable.

Honestly, it took almost a week before I realized this was a spiritual attack, that the battle is real! It’s easy for us to ignore the spiritual warfare going on around us, to forget that the enemy of our souls uses his army of fallen angels to discourage us with words of fear, doubt, and despair.

We’re tempted to give in to discouragement, but we don’t have to. This is just a skirmish. The battle has already been won. The enemy has been defeated. When we have Jesus, we can live in victory.

I need help sometimes. That’s why I looked up verses to encourage me through yet another assault.

I pray that they bless you…

We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.

2 Corinthians 4:8–9

God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

2 Timothy 1:7

The troubles are real and the enemy is relentless, but the One who is in us is greater. He promises to give us everything we need to have courage and stand strong.

I read a devotion by Max Lucado this morning, where he wrote about telling a 7-year-old boy to grab hold of his fearful thoughts and mentally throw them in the trash. Then to replace those thoughts with one of God’s promises.

We’re prepared when we have put on God’s armor…

Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

Ephesians 6:10–12

If we want to withstand the enemy’s attacks, we need to be covered in God’s truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and saving grace. It’s only when we are covered in His armor that we can live without fear, doubt, or despair.

So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

James 4:7

It is humbling. I can’t resist the enemy on my own, but I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. He is our shield and the power that saves us.

The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my Savior;
    my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the power that saves me,
    and my place of safety.

Psalm 18:2

The battle is real, and the enemy is persistent. But we can live in victory. Jesus, the One who defeated him, is with and within us. With His help, we can count our blessings and see the lovely around us.

Let’s pray…

A Prayer for Days When
The Battle is Real

Heavenly Father, Your Word tells me that the fruit of Your Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control. It proclaims Your promise to give us those things we need.

The battle is real, and the enemy persists. He still catches me by surprise sometimes. I get frustrated and disappointed in myself when I foolishly give in to the lies of fear, doubt, and despair. I’m sorry.

It makes me think of the saying, “God whispers, but the world is loud.”

Please help me resist the enemy with the TRUTH that makes him flee. Help me look for the lovely people and things You place around me. Help me intentionally count my blessings and look to you with a heart full of worship and praise.

Jesus said I would have troubles, but He also promised never to leave or forsake me. I give myself to You. I surrender my struggle to Your loving care. I trust You and Your wonderful promises in the precious name of my Savior, Jesus. Amen.

Here are some additional quotes and verses that blessed me…

“In place of our exhaustion and spiritual fatigue, God will give us rest. All He asks is that we come to Him…that we spend a while thinking about Him, meditating on Him, talking to Him, listening in silence, occupying ourselves with Him – totally and thoroughly lost in the hiding place of His presence.” ~ Chuck Swindoll

You are from God and have overcome them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

1 John 4:4 (NIV)

“The joy of the Lord will arm us against the assaults of our spiritual enemies and put our mouths out of taste for those pleasures with which the tempter baits his hooks.” ~ Matthew Henry

The Lord is faithful; He will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.

2 Thessalonians 3:3

May the Lord be with you and help you fight every spiritual battle. It’s a blessing to know that the Lord will give us what we need when we need to resist and stand in faith. Let’s pray, praise, and give thanks to the One who will never leave us or forsake us to fight alone.

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