surrendering the battle... day 26

...all the assembly will know that the LORD

does not deliver by sword or by spear,

for the battle is the LORD's

and He will give you into our hands.

1 Samuel 17:47 (NASB)

I've been burdened lately with a battle.  A battle bigger than the one a young shepherd boy walked into many years ago... an ancient battle between the Israelites and the Philistines and a huge man named Goliath... between good and evil. 

Be of sober spirit, be on the alert.

Your adversary, the devil,

prowls around like a roaring lion,

seeking someone to devour.

1 Peter 5:8 (NASB)

The battle continues today.  The enemy of young David has not given up these thousands of years later.  He still fights to the death to seek and destroy.  Jesus acknowledged the battle...

The thief comes only to steal

and kill and destroy: I came

that they may have life and 

have it abundantly.

John 10:10 (NASB)

There is nothing fair about this battle.  Unlike young David, I battle that which I can not see.  The apostle, Paul, recognized the unseen enemy...

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood,

but against the rulers,

against the powers,

against the world forces of this darkness,

against the spiritual forces of wickedness 

in the heavenly places.

Ephesians 6:12 (NASB)

My burden is this... this unseen enemy is not only battling for me... he battles for my children as well.  He will use any measure at his disposal to get to my children.  He's the worst bully ever and his greatest desire is to steal, kill and destroy.  He wants to destroy any testimony that my kids would have... he wants to steal them... he wants to kill them.  

Look who's here: Mountain-Shaper! Wind-Maker!
   He laid out the whole plot before Adam.
He brings everything out of nothing,
   like dawn out of darkness.
He strides across the alpine ridges.
   His name is God, God-of-the-Angel-Armies.

Amos 4:13 (message)

My enemy doesn't play fair and neither do I!  I have the greatest weapon on my side... the God of the Angel Armies!!!  This ugly enemy has tried to convince me that this is my battle and I must fight it on my own.  I have been overwhelmed and out-numbered for far too long.  Just this week, a friend posted this verse from Amos on her facebook wall and to me she said, "Look who's here!"  

 “Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving
And pay your vows to the Most High; Call upon Me in the day of trouble;
I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me.”

Psalm 50:14-15

He fights my battles for me... in fact, they aren't my battles... the battles aren't even my kid's battles.  Instead, when I surrender the battle to Him, I can echo young David's words...

...for the battle is the LORD's

... and I've read the end of the story... the LORD wins!