I often wonder why it seems as if life is a daily battle…. Why we have to fight for things that seem so basic, so common, as Lisa says, we don’t have to fight for the words of Galatians 5:19-21.
Galatians 5:19-21 (NKJV)
Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
But we do have to fight for the words of Galatians 5:22-26.
Galatians 5:22-26 (NKJV)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
Jesus fought a battle larger than any we could imagine. He died on the cross and won that battle. He won that battle so w could handle the battles He knew would follow. “This means, that sometimes we must battle to become one.” We must battle to become one with Him. We must battle to become the mothers He created us to be, to become the wives He designed us to be, and we must battle to become the women He designed us to be. He knew what we would be facing. He knew that our lives would seem like battlegrounds, that’s why He gave us the tools we would need. He placed the sword in our hands, and told us what to look out for, what to avoid. He told us what Satan would use to attack us, what weapons he would throw in our path.
When I am counseling someone at work one of the things I tell them that they can use to their benefit is the knowledge of what may happen—knowing what may come down the road can help prepare them for it. We have a list printed up of some common reactions to their situation. This list can be used as a tool when things arise. It allows each person to develop the tools needed before the “attack” comes.
The same has been done for us. Listed above (Galatians 5:19-21) are the attacks Satan uses on us and will continue to use on us, to try to divide us and separate us from our Heavenly Father. God has also created a list of tools (Galatians 5:22-26) we need to carry with us to fend off these attacks. We would be wise to use these God-given tools each and every day in our lives!
“You don’t set up camp in hell…you journey through it.” Life was designed to be peaceful and pleasurable, but yes there are times where we have to hold up our swords to protect our joy and peace; times when we are walking through rough patches in our lives. As Lisa says, we journey through it.
Ladies, keep this in your heart, “There are times you must battle to become one.” So, let’s pick up our swords and push forward.
*****
Let’s Pray:
Lord, I pray Galatians 5:22-26 over our lives. I pray for love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control as we journey through our battlefield. I thank You for the tools we need to counter Satan’s attacks. I thank You that no weapon formed against us will prosper. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
About Tonya Ellison
Amen Tonya! Great blog. I have my tools ready. Ready to join together with all of you to fight for Galatians 5:22-26. As my mother always told me – “Good is always worth fighting for”
Very wise words 🙂
Sometimes that daily battle wears a person out! I’m so thankful that as a child of The King we each have His Holy Spirit and each other to help hold up our arms as we raise our swords against the enemy. As I reminded a Christian friend of mine last night, that when she walks into the courtroom this morning she doesn’t walk alone. She is The King’s daughter and He is right by her side and will walk into that courtroom with her. Today in prayer, I will help her hold her sword up, and remind her to “keep going.” No matter what the ‘worldly’ outcome is in the courtroom today, as long as she keeps “journeying forward’ with Him she wins. Tonya, thank you for your prayer this morning. I believe I’ll send it to my friend. 🙂
Praying alongside you for your friend, Clella. God is BIGGER!
been praying for our sister, too, clella! <3
Thank you ladies, for praying! A brief text from my friend said that things went better than expected in court today. PTL. I’m anxious to hear the details to give God the glory. I hope it’s not “against the law” 🙂 but I forwarded her this study this morning. She replied back that it was what she needed this morning, and that another friend had sent her the same Scriptures. Isn’t God good!!
It can truly wear us our, but thankfully we can find peace and rest in our Heavenly
Father, no matter how beat down we feel He is there to continue to hold us up. I hope the prayer touches your friends heart and reminds her that He is by her side.
Amen!!
Tonya thank you for these words of encouragement!! The battleground often is not the world but my reaction to worldly things. I will hold God’s Word in my heart so I will allow Christ to work through me.You are right we must be prepared!!
I am so thankful that we don’t have to figure out how to be prepared on our own, He tells us how, I love the direction God gives.
I agree with you Clella. Fighting daily is getting difficult, especially in light of the tragic events that have taken place. My town was rocked last July with the Theater Massacre and since then all the other ones with Sandy Hook being the most senseless, and now the newest one, Boston Marathon. I am not one of those people that can get up in front of a crowd and try and convince them that they need to turn to Jesus so that we stop all this madness. I often think to myself, how can I, one insignificant person that believes in God, change Congress, change the path that the government is taking us, the killing of innocent people during a “safe” event, how God? I am only one. I am like Job arguing with God to save the nation because there IS ten righteous people. I cannot change anything and I often feel helpless. So I read Romans 12-14 (The Sword) once a month to remind me how I am to live and it helps me fight the daily battle. God has a plan and He is in control and with that knowledge I can get through each hour, each day, each month, and each event of destruction.
Jackie, when you begin to question what God can with someone like you, think about Moses. Moses believed that he was not fit to pull off what God was asking Him to do, either. He even tried to convince God to use his brother instead!! But God said, No, I want YOU. God used just ONE person to fulfill this plan that He had. When God calls us to do something, He will never call us without equipping us!! Just remember that. All God is looking for is someone who is willing….even if it is just YOU! 🙂 I love your heart!!
Good point Christi. Thank you.
That is what stuck out with me also. Don’t camp in hell. Keep moving.
When I read your comment here, I immediately thought of the song “Enemy’s Camp”. Don’t FEAR going into the enemy’s camp because God has given us the tools to fight the enemy and take back what he has stolen from us!!! Amen??!! If you’ve never heard this song, check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Jgye4hAhfM
Could you all please pray for me. Under attack. Don’t have church home here or family.
praying for you, nicole…if you would like pm me or send me an emai i would be blessed to pray with you.
Praying for you Nicole.
Praying for you Nicole.
beautiful, thanks for sharing. So thankful for the battle that Jesus fought and won for us, giving us strength to fight…I need to remember that God gives us strength!