“No weapon formed against you will prevail”
ISAIAH 54:17
We like those verses … all the time. But we don’t have to read far into the Bible to see that God’s people have trouble. That’s why we are studying spiritual warfare – right? So we can fight the battle with God on our side and win!!
Not exactly the full story.
Sometimes a spiritual battle needs the weapon of submission.
What kind of a weapon is that? !#*/!
There are particular spiritual battles that we bring on ourselves. Let’s be honest we have all sinned, turned from God’s ways, sought our own plans. God is His infinite wisdom does not allow His children to disobey without consequences.
It’s really the same pattern of any parent worth their salt. We teach boundaries for safety; values for moral compass; we model love and healthy relationships … we try to never give up.
As children move to teen years and make more of their own calls about life, we struggle to let go and hold on at the same time. The charts with stars and the time out chair fall by the wayside as life’s natural consequences take over.
Our perfect Heavenly Father also uses the consequences of sin to teach us, even as He lovingly waits for us to turn around and behave ourselves. So that spiritual battle that we seem to be fighting? Take a look and see if we are really just facing what we have brought on ourselves by disobedience.
Failed to forgive and now estranged from a friend?
Lashed out in anger and a family member not so close now?
Someone who needed compassion that we refused?
Kept our money to ourselves?
Turned away from our Heavenly Father but still expecting His help?
Check out the solution God gave in Jeremiah 29 when His people were in exile. Oh it was their own fault they lost their homes and favor. They had been warned numerous times to leave their sin, to turn back to God, to stop disrespecting God’s prophets, His house and His laws … but like us … they kept on disobeying and now they were in exile paying the consequences.
The Lord never changes – He still loved His people – He promised to restore them – but first … they were exiled from their true promised land. Consequences of sin.
So what was the battle plan?
Fight the unbelievers who now controlled them?
Civil disobedience to the government?
Angels descending to deliver them?
24 hour prayer vigil?
This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel gave them to do:
Jeremiah 29:4 – 9
Build houses and settle down
Plant gardens – eat
Marry and have families
Seek the peace and prosperity of the place where the Lord has carried you
Pray for the place you are in – because if it prospers- you will too
Don’t listen to other people tell you that you don’t have to accept this
They are lying.
The Lord then reminded the people of His great love for them and His plans to give them hope and a future …
at the end of those consequences.
There are some spiritual battles we have gotten ourselves into … submitting to the Lord’s discipline is the only way back to a hope and a future.
Let today be the day we turn back to the Lord and stay there!