He Will Fight for You

God has fought many battles on behalf of His people which are recorded for our learning in God’s word. Romans 15:4, 1 Corinthians 10:11

These lessons should encourage us to be faithful as we all face the spiritual forces of wickedness in daily combat today. Ephesians 6:12, 1 Peter 5:8


God has promised that He will never allow us to be tempted beyond our ability to overcome and a way of escape to endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13


Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might”. Ephesians 6:10


Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. Psalm 30:5

Today I am pondering the feelings of joy and pain. These emotions are certainly not easy to embrace especially when your heart is heavy. Yet today that's just what I feel. I'm pained by the struggles that a few of my family members and friends are dealing with as well as a few unspoken of my own. I pray relentlessly for each one and it seems at times that my prayers are being intercepted before reaching God. I know that is not true and that He hears every thought. He feels every pain. He experiences the tough times right along beside us. We are never alone. Satan's hope is that you and I will become so overwhelmed with our struggles that we begin to believe his lies. Let me tell you that I may have plenty of storms raging in my life; but I will never believe Satan is capable of stealing my joy.

Joy is a gift that God has given us so that we may glorify Him. Joy is the feeling of contentment or the realization that everything will work out. Joy is an act of obedience to God; especially when we are joyful during tough times. Proof of joy's gift is in David's beautiful words, "This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it". He didn't say today will suck so come back and rejoice tomorrow when things are better for you. No, he said rejoice now; because this is THE day that God created and therefore be joyful...even in the midst of a tsunami.

If you are struggling with pains in life (who isn't?) write them down; but don't stop there. Turn those pains into blessings of joy. Paul says "take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ". In other words discipline yourself to change your negative thoughts into positive ones. Here are a few examples...

I am not feeling well; but I am healthy and I will feel better soon; yet so many continue to battle earth shattering illnesses that may not get better.

I miss my daddy; but I am blessed that I had 31 years with a daddy that so many in this world do not have an opportunity to know.

My Papa has been battling cancer for the past few years and I am worried about him; but no greater man exists today in my life that knows...whether here on earth or in heaven, he's "a winner either way."

It saddens me that my children are no longer small enough to crawl into my lap so I can rock them to sleep or hear the pitter-patter of their tiny feet; but what joy I have experienced to be a mommy while so many have suffered the loss of their own children.

 I have circumstances that are too private to share that are troubling me; yet joy abounds because my God is who He says He is and He will one day restore all things with His unimaginable plan.

Yes I will experience painful circumstances throughout my short life on earth; but I am never alone. In the midst of my pain God speaks to us and I can only imagine all of heaven bowing down as He begins to heal my temporary wounds.

 Paul says that "His grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness". Pain is an opportunity to strengthen our faith because there will be "joy in the morning". Like the song we will sing this morning says, "we fall down," sometimes I find myself falling to depths that seem to swallow me entirely...but as I lay my crowns at the feet of Jesus...I feel joy. My God is able to strengthen me despite the "pains" of life.

Your circumstances are small in comparison to how mighty God is and He is already at work to restore joy where you are experiencing pain. An old 80s (teeny bop) song comes to mind that says, "joy and pain are like sunshine and rain."

Think about that for a moment...

Joy and pain...sunshine and rain. Out of pain (rain) there will be joy (sunshine) or maybe they coexist at the same time. When I think of rain and sunshine...I think of the beautiful flowers that begin to grow. Out of our trials come joyful experiences. In 1 Peter 1:6, we are reminded "In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials".

My heart is so heavy for the struggles of a dear friend. The situation is out of my friend's control; but it is not out of God's control. He is up to something so profound and astonishing that I can't wait to see the day when things will be better than they once were. Until then, I will help the best I know how by lifting prayers to heaven daily and try to encourage and remind my friend that this is not the end.

The Christian group Selah sings a beautiful song called, "He Will Hold You". The lyrics bring me joy just listening to them. I have listened to them so many times because the words speak to my circumstances and remind me that God's "got my back". The lyrics to this song say, "storms may come, storms may go, the pain may linger like melted snow". Some days I have to reach so deep inside myself to find a reason to believe that my pain (whatever it may be) will melt away. The next few lines remind me that they will get better in time. They say, "He'll hold you when the tempest rages all around. He'll hold you, plant your feet on solid ground."

Your circumstances may seem too big for you to survive but God is holding you through it all. The tempest smiles at our failures and struggles in life. He rejoices each time we doubt that things will get better. Yet, God will "hold you when the waves come crashing down" and that is joy. The tempest cannot steal our joy. It is God's gift to us and we can thank him by remembering "He will hold us through it all". So dig in your heels, stand firm and face the tempest head on; because you are not just standing on solid ground...you are standing on God's Holy Ground. He will fight for you and these storms will strengthen you for the next tsunami.