Invitation to the Fight
- christiantouch1
- Oct 28, 2019
- 3 min read
Updated: Jan 8, 2020
Psalm 37:8
New Living Translation (NLT)
Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper— it only leads to harm.
A coworker once shared this philosophy with me and it’s something I have replayed in my head many times. She said, “I have come to realize I don’t have to participate in every fight I’m invited to.” This is so true and if you really think on it, then live by it, it will change your daily life. This will help to eliminate so much frustration and negative energy and allow more pleasant experiences to come your way.
All throughout Scripture, it is said that our battles are not ours to fight. God fights for us. Each biblical victory is won through God’s presence in the situation and over the enemy. In biblical stories, the enemies seemed to have been more powerful than those opposed, more skilled, and even more in numbers. However, God continuously exhibited to His believers that He not only would fight for them but He would win, and win He certainly did. The key to each victory was their belief in the promises of God and their obedience to the instructions from God, regardless of how the situation appeared.
Daily each of us receive an invitation to fight. Whether it’s a disrespectful word spoken to us, a disobedient or rebellious child, an irritable commuter, or any unpleasant incident we encounter, these are invitations to respond unbecomingly as if we are not believers in God’s promise to fight for us. Immediately when we respond in a negative manner, we have just accepted the invitation rather than obeying God’s instructions.
The thing to know is, the fight is not with the person who extended the invitation. The fight is actually with Satan and his running buddies. They are fighting against God through the attacks on God’s people. They use people around in everyday life to try to entice you into behavior that is contrary to your faith in God. He wants to inhabit your mind in an attempt to make you doubt God and not obey God, thus losing your soul to him. By inhabiting your mind, he can deceive you just as he has deceived the person who invited you to the fight. Therefore, your part in this fight is to control your mind. Controlling your mind means you must hold on to your belief in God’s promises and you must do as God has instructed us to do. When you do that, you can move on to bigger and better things.
A few instructions for when you receive an invitation to fight, have self-control:
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.
Cease from anger and forsake wrath; Do not fret; it leads only to evildoing.
This you know, my beloved brethren But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.
He who is slow to anger has great understanding, But he who is quick-tempered exalts folly.
A gentle answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.
God’s promises to always be with you and the win is yours when you exhibit self-control:
Exodus 14:14
The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.
Isaiah 54:14
No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the LORD.
Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing… Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”
“And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.”
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