Pick Your Battle
Have you heard the saying, pick your battles? Well, I want to pick my battle but I need to know something first…who do we fight and what are we fighting for?
Ephesians 6:12 says: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
I’ve always heard this verse and translated it quickly into the idea that my fight is with the demonic. In other words, I fight the bad guys, right? I must admit though, that this contradicts another teaching I believe wholeheartedly- that Jesus already defeated those guys. So, up until now, I haven’t allowed those thoughts in my head at once because I wasn’t able to reconcile those two ideas. Why am I, for some reason, battling the same demons that Jesus has already paraded around Heaven in defeat?
It’s ok. You don’t have to pray for me. (I mean, you can but…) I’ve got it now. In a moment, in God’s presence, the eyes of my understanding were opened and I will never be the same.
Jesus is such a passionate God. He saw my position without Him- filthy rags, enslaved to sin, powerless to change, broken beyond human repair. But He also saw my position through Him- clean, righteous, holy, empowered, free- and He went for it. He fought for me. He battled sin nature in human form. He gave it all- blood, sweat, and tears for my victory. He set Himself like a flint. Hyper-focused on the joy set before Him, me, He allowed nothing to stand in His way. And because of His passion, the passion of Christ, I’m a champion. I stand in the palm of His hand, in the freedom He paid for, and nothing can take it away.
In a moment in God’s presence, as I peered at that picture of myself, free in His hand, I heard Him ask me a question: “Are you as passionate about living in that freedom as I was to give it to you?”
Wow. Am I fighting with all that I have, giving my all, to live in freedom? I’m not talking about putting all my energy into fighting sin. Sin was paid for on the cross and defeated by the resurrection. I am talking about living in that victory. Am I valuing myself as someone who is already righteous? I’m not talking about trying to be obedient. I am talking about being zealous in how I stand guard against anything that would try to take me out of the position of holiness that I now have freely received.
Now this fight makes sense.
Who then, am I fighting?
Not flesh and blood. I’m a new creation. I have been crucified with Christ and the life I now live in my body is by faith in the Son of God. Faith in who He is and faith in who I am in Him. That is the faith I live in. My flesh is dead and dead things don’t fight. My only defeat would come from bringing that dead flesh back to life. Why would I allow that ? My flesh kept me burdened. My flesh kept me small. My flesh that doubted my worth, lied to me about who I am, caused me to settle for less, why would I revive that for one second? My Jesus rose from the dead into new life and His Spirit, the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus now lives in me!
I’m free. I will not be led by what is dead.
Against principalities. Principalities are kingdoms. I am of a Kingdom far higher and greater than all the other kingdoms of this world. Their ways are not my ways. Their laws are not my laws. The truth of this Kingdom, God’s Kingdom is the only truth. I will fight to keep my mind in the mind of Christ, to have the culture of His Kingdom as my culture. I will live to see His Kingdom come on earth as it is in Heaven. I do not fight to attain but to invade- to occupy the land that has already been given to me and rescue those who are imprisoned in the earth. I am fighting from a position of victory. My weapons? The blood of Jesus and the power of my testimony of a winning life! My currency is not gold or silver but God’s currency of hope, faith, love, peace. I am living and giving and serving out of rest, passionate and energized by my purpose as a citizen of God’s Kingdom and as a soldier of God’s great army.
Against powers. Powers are the abilities, strengths, and permissions given to someone; the authorities and the privileges with which one is endued. The Holy Spirit is my might. My liberties abound in the freedom of Christ Jesus. My source is Him alone. I align myself under Him and His rule. I am chosen. I joyfully take my place in the ecclesia, called out of darkness and now walking only in light. I’m an overcomer. I’m a winner. He always leads me into victory. All I do is win, win, win.
And finally, against rulers of darkness and hosts of wickedness. Guess what? They are powerless against free me. My fight is to keep living free. No compromise. No fractional parts of me. I fight for wholeness. I fight for integrity. I am passionate for unity. I am zealous to bathe regularly in the blood of Jesus, to forgive, to cast down high minded thoughts that exalt themselves above the mind of God, to pursue God’s heart, to talk and listen Him, to believe what He says without doubting, care about what He cares about, keep myself under His wing, allow myself to be led and follow wherever He leads. I will live to be fruitful, to have a return of investment for Him when He returns for me, to receive a well done good and faithful from my Father.
Yes Jesus! I pick this battle- to love to live free.
