Doing Battle

I felt it again this morning. It has been a while but the heaviness was unmistakable. Iron clad with no promise of release. Fear took only a few seconds to grip a firm hold of my heart. It fed on my doubt. It knew my weaknesses. It found me and held my mind captive. The pressure it brought with it manifested in physical pain and stress, tension, worry, discontentment.

How did it sneak up on my like that? It roars like a lion once it has found me, yet its approach is always silent.

I remembered a song from my childhood- one we sung in church. The words found themselves on my lips spontaneously, "No weapon formed against me shall prosper. All those who rise up against me shall fall. I will not fear what the devil may bring me; I am a child of God."

My new mantra- sung over and over again as I waited for the panic to subside.

And the panic did subside as I did battle over the ugliness that was warring against my spirit. The promise of release was found. Because there is a promise. There is a Word that I can stand upon, that I can trust.

The fragile life growing inside me feeds my desire to fight. Before I might have laid down and given in. Today I refused. I did battle and I will do battle again tomorrow and the next day and the next day after that. I will not allow my spirit to be tormented by this thing anymore.

So take note, thing- and you deserve no more recognition than that- I am waging a war against your presence in my life. I am driving the stake in the ground. And I claim victory. Today. Right now. Because the blood of Jesus conquers all and I have His blood covering me. I have His promise- and His promise sure beats the hell out of your lies.

Afflicted city, storm-battered, unpitied:
I'm about to rebuild you with stones of turquoise,
Lay your foundations with sapphires,
Construct your towers with rubies,
Your gates with jewels,
and all your walls with precious stones.
All your children will have God for their teacher-
what a mentor for your children!
You'll be built solid, grounded in righteousness,
far from any trouble- nothing to fear!
Far from terror- it won't even come close!
If anyone attacks you, don't for a moment suppose that I sent them,
And if any should attack, nothing will come of it.
I create the blacksmith who fires up his forge
and makes a weapon designed to kill.
I also create the destroyer-
But no weapon that can hurt you has ever been forged.
Any accuser who takes you to court will be dismissed as a liar.
This is what God's servants can expect.
I'll see to it that everything works out for the best."
This is God's Decree.

Isaiah 54:11-17 (The Message)