In When You Need Victory in Your Battles, we prayed to trust in God’s perfect and unlimited power to bring victory in our battles. If you missed it, you can find it here.
Here we discover 3 ways to trust God and stay strong in the battle:
1. Ask
King David regularly talked to God about his enemies and the battles he faced. The Bible states this as: “David inquired of the Lord.” The Hebrew word for inquired, “yisal,” can also be translated ask, consult, or beg for. David prayed for God’s guidance and direction.
And, King David defeated enemy after enemy (2 Samuel 8:1-14) because “the Lord gave David victory wherever he went.”
Jehoshaphat, who we read about last week, faced a vast army coming to attack him (2 Chronicles 20:1-4). Naturally, he was terrified! But his first reaction was to: “set himself to seek the Lord.” Other translations say, like David, “he resolved to inquire of the Lord,” and he “begged the Lord for guidance.”
What “battle” are you facing that makes you alarmed? Have you made it your first reaction to run to God, and beg him for help?
Almighty God, I come to you right now to beg you to help me in the battle and struggle that I face with ___________________________. Give me guidance and direction. I trust in you leading me. Lord, I ask you to fight for me because this battle is yours. Give me victory so I can rejoice and sing your praises. Amen
God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up
Ephesians 6:10 MSG
2. Stand firm
Jehoshaphat received this reply after he inquired of the Lord:
“Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s … You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you’” (2 Chronicles 20:15-17).
When we are alarmed or terrified by what we face, standing firm is not our natural reaction. We can panic. We want to run away or take things into our own hands. And our trust in God can waiver. But, like Jehoshaphat, we are to trust God and resolve to “stand firm” against the enemy we face because God is not only fighting for us, but then we will see how he will bring us victory.
All-powerful God, when I’m in a middle of a battle or a struggle, it can seem like what I am facing is too much for me to handle. It can seem like this “enemy” I face is going to win. But I resolve to stand firm, to put my trust in you, and know that you are fighting for me. I will wait and watch for you to bring me victory in this battle. Amen
3. Put on your armor
God provides us with armor (Ephesians 6:10-18). As we stand firm, God doesn’t leave us vulnerable or ill-equipped. We have protection. Put on the protection God has provided you.
Your armor is doing what is right, using words from God’s Word to ready your mind and build your faith, and, most of all, praying.
By doing this, you will be able to stand firm and stay confident in God’s mighty power.
Sometimes we’re tempted to listen to other people and put on the “armor” they suggest—to do the things they recommend, and take things into our own hands—rather than waiting on God.
Saul gave David armor to go and fight against Goliath, but it didn’t fit well and he struggled to move in it. Instead, David went to fight Goliath with just his sling and his trust in the Lord. Because of this, David triumphed over the Philistines, and we know that it was God who gave David victory.
David won the battle and was victorious because he believed in God’s mighty power.
Almighty God, I put on my battle armor of trust and faith in you. I will stand firm in your power against what I am fighting believing you will bring me victory. Amen.
(In our next post, we will discover we can trust in God’s unlimited kindness even when we don’t deserve it.)
Those who are righteous … do not fear bad news;
they confidently trust the Lord to care for them.
They are confident and fearless and
can face their foes triumphantly.
Psalm 112:6-8 NLT