Warrior

What image or feeling does that word evoke? Out of all the images I have seen of warriors, my reflection would not be one of them. Yet, this is who God sees; who He is calling me and you to be. As we continue talking about dealing with what keeps us from fully aligning ourselves with His Word and walking in His freedom and purpose, we need to take a look at this part. Our self-talk. How we view ourselves.

I walk around with doubts about who I am and I fear having them confirmed.

I see all the ways I failed in a day. I have a list and I can see everything that didn’t get crossed off. When I feel frustrated and overwhelmed by a flare and that my body is once again betraying me.

We can get so busy trying to stay ahead of these feelings, we really don’t deal with them. They stay just below the surface, quietly dictating responses and reactions.

“The Sovereign Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like a feet of a deer. He enables me to tread on the heights.” Habakkuk 3:19

Habakkuk 3 is declaring the mighty power of God and all the things He has done to save Israel. For the sake of time and space make sure you check it out, especially verses 16-18. How can “Habby” be joyful when he is “waiting for the day of calamity” and there is no provision for them?

Because: “God is my strength” ~ our confidence, assurance, courageousness in the face of external afflictions comes from the inward strength we get from God.*
“I have the feet of a deer”~ the swiftness, security, power and confidence in action is drawn from God.*
“I can tread on high places” ~ expresses freedom, superiority to hinderance of restraint, power from the strength of God.*

Do you see the common thread? Everything we need comes from the power and strength in God!!

This a picture of a warrior, who overcame his dislike of running. Each time he ran, he fought and overcame all the thoughts and reasons why he wasn’t a runner or should be doing this. He finished a race that he never dreamed he would be in.

Showing up and doing the hard work prepared him for the race. That’ll preach! ;)

Can you picture a deer bounding over mountains but hesitates when he comes to the steep or slippery part? He is going to slip and fall. He needs to have confidence, a knowing deep within that he can make that jump, climb that narrow passage and scale that mountain. He knows he can because he watched his dad do it, he has been preparing for it his whole life.

What do we do in our “day of calamity” when what we feared most is happening, or we feel alone and forgotten, or when our thoughts and doubts plague us and tell us we are not enough and will never make it?

Do we draw on the strength from God? We cannot forget Who we belong to. We cannot forget that we are no longer called by the names that used to define us. When we forget who we are in God, we shrink back. We hide instead of fight. We allow that old way of being define us instead of God.

We are at war. We war against our sin nature. We war against Satan and the power of darkness. We war for our families, friends, those in need and those who cannot fight for themselves.

There is no power of Satan that can pluck us out of God’s hand. We can stand in God’s power or we can jump out of God’s hand and go it alone.

“Give us aid against the enemy, for the help of man is worthless.
With God we will gain the victory, and He will trample down our enemies.” Psalm 60:11-12

God calls us to be warriors and the best part is God doesn’t leave us in the battle alone. He does call us to train: to fill our minds with truth, scripture, prayer; to wait for His command; to lean into Him; to let Him be all He says He is: our strength, peace, grace, love, joy.

It can be easy to see who we are not, but if we are going to make an impact in this crazy world, we need to know who we are in God and believe Him, even when our mirror tells us otherwise.

Just this morning I woke up and couldn’t go back to sleep and I was bombarded with all kinds of negative thoughts and scenarios. It was like a loop in my mind, just going round and round. The choice is to lay there being buried by the what-if’s and doubt or fight. Fight back with what I know…and to get up, make a cup of tea and write to you. ;)

So, Warrior of God! Go and conquer your mountain today. You are equipped for all that is before. Your strength and security is from all the strength and power that is God’s!!!!

Have the most fab day!
All my love ~
Jodi Beth xoxo

Don’t forget to subscribe below so the blog comes to you each week. xo

*Cambridge Commentary