I've always had a lot of fight. I'm strong-willed, and God has built me to be a protector. And as someone who experienced extreme bullying as a teenager, I had to find my fight. I had to survive.
Stepping into adulthood, and now looking at how I can consistently show up within the context of my calling, the Holy Spirit has been reminding me that I need to stand my ground. To stand firm. This is foundational to the ability to walk out the calling He has for my life.
What He is teaching me though, is that in our humanity we "stand firm" and fight from a different position than the one He puts us in. From a human perspective, our tendency is defensive - fighting from a place of survival.
"I just need to get through this day."
"Push through."
"Get to the other side."
But fighting from a place of survival takes us out of position. As sons and daughters of the King, we have positional authority. We are heirs to the Kingdom alongside Jesus, but we forget. Instead, we lean on our self-protective instincts and fight to stay alive. It's purely defensive and often has us in retreat.
"Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory." (Romans 8:17 NIV)
But that stance isn't our birthright. We are fighting a battle that's already won. It's a fixed fight.
Fighting from a place of survival is fighting from a place of forgetting whose we are. It's fighting from a place of forgetting what Jesus has done.
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 NIV)
Satan has already lost. But until Jesus comes back, we still fight against an enemy who is attempting to create as much chaos and death and destruction and deception as possible. He's trying to keep as many people from coming home as possible.
So instead we stay put. Because God is with us and that makes this Holy Ground.
And we put on our armor from a place of victory.
"Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil." (Ephesians 6:11 NLT)
We fight REMEMBERING that He's already won. We find our fight in His strength and in His courage. We let the Holy Spirit change the way we think.
"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.” (Joshua 1:9 NIV)
Look, life will have challenges and setbacks. The enemy will do his best to trigger the things that take us out. But we remember this - "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." (Galatians 5:1 NIV)
This is daily and continual work. Without a daily relationship and walk with God, we have no hope of standing firm from a place of victory - it's too easy for the enemy to get a foothold. But when we spend time with God, as He renews our minds and our strength, we can be unshakeable, immovable, and steadfast.
"Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain."
Today, we get our fight back.
Marching with you,
Juli