Surrounded by the enemy...

Sometimes in life, we are surrounded by the enemy and don't even know it... Sometimes he has already attacked and we didn't feel a thing.  I'm sure you have been there.  He attacks our thoughts, our bodies, our health and our relationships with other people.  There are times when he makes things look pretty good... and there are times when we see everything we love disintegrating before our very eyes.  He likes to rob us of a few things too... like our health, our goals and visions for life... our hope and often our dreams.  

A friend of mine has battled leukemia for years.  In January of 2005,  she had written a letter to me and claimed this passage of scripture for the year.  She would cling to it for dear life.  

     "O Lord, God of our fathers, are you not the God who is in heaven?You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations.  Power and might are in Your hand, and no one can withstand you.  O our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend?  They have lived in it and have built in it a sanctuary for your Name, saying, If  calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and You will hear us and save us."

     "But here are men from Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, whose territory you would not allow Israel to invade when they came from Egypt; so they turned away from them and did not destroy them.  See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession you gave us as an inheritance.  O our God, will you not judge them?  For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us.  We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you."

     

     "All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood before the Lord."

     "He said; "Listen, King Jehosphaphat 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."

              II Chronicles 20:6-13, 15

Our battles are oftentimes so huge we cannot fight them.  But my friend Lois held onto God's word and trusted.... It doesn't always turn out specifically the way we want it, but Lois told me this past month that she is in remission.  

We all have battles that we are fighting.... can we trust Him to fight them for us.... even if it takes longer than we want it to?  I had much rather God fight the battle for me than try to fight it myself.  My strength is weak and powerless.... His is matchless!!!