The secret to victory is relying on God, not ourselves.

For the Christian, battles are unavoidable. Though we sometimes feel as if the battle is our fault and that we shouldn’t even have to fight, being engaged in a spiritual war is the indicator that our Christianity is working. Satan fights against God and those that are His. Though Christ had won the war against satan on Calvary, we are not exempt from fighting in order to enter into His victory. The most important thing to keep in mind during our battles is that God has not deserted us and He is still to be trusted with our lives, no matter how long it takes to step into the victory.

For most of my Christian walk, I’ve been on the battlefield. I used to think that there was something I was doing terribly wrong, when in fact, I was doing the exact opposite. At times it seemed as if satan was opposing me on all sides and there was no possible way out. During every battle, there is a period where we feel powerless and we simply dread going any further. You know, the times when every day is a struggle and your prayers are no more than a muffled cry to heaven. Battles are never easy and they call for every ounce of our strength and endurance. However, when we rely on our strength alone, we will fail. That’s why in the very thick of the battle we must look away from ourselves and to God. In the mist of our deepest despair, we would do well to learn from David, who even though was so aware of the struggle that was crushing him on all sides, looked to God, But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors! Psalm 31:14-15 ESV. When it seems hardest to trust in God, that’s when we need to force ourselves to look up! The enemy might be trying the best of his arsenal against us but God is aware of our battles and our times are in His hand. If we cry out to Him to deliver us, He always will!!! Sometimes the victory might come later than we expected but it is sure to arrive. Whatever you do, put every ounce of your faith in God and focus your mind on Him and not on the arrows of the enemy.

There is another side to our battles. It is the turmoil of a heart that needs to be made right with God. For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my iniquity, and my bones waste away. Psalm 31:10. Do you know this feeling? When it seems like the weight of your turmoil is eating your life away? There is a difference between the battles God wants us to face and the distress of our own being. When we have unconfessed sin, we will be tormented by its crushing weight. When you feel God speaking to you about something that you have been hiding, bring it to Him and He will free you from the burden of guilt. Sometimes the greatest battle is fighting our own pride. In our prideful hearts, we sometimes create a reality to our struggle that suits us, instead of facing the underlying cause of the struggle. We are not responsible for the sins of others but are always held accountable for our own sin. We will receive victory over our sin only when we acknowledge it before God and allow Him to purge it from our lives. The process is never simple and God might allow us to go through a prolonged period of facing the consequences of our sin. Be assured, He knows your desire to change and will fulfill it in His time and way.

Take time in the midst of your battle to not just single-mindedly trust God for victory but also to look ahead to it. This is also what David did, I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love, because you have seen my affliction; you have known the distress of my soul, and you have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy; you have set my feet in a broad place. Psalm 31:7-8. God sees our affliction and knows our many distresses. He will not deliver us into the hand of the enemy because His desire is to give victory and rest to our soul. He will set your feet into a broad place, a place where your soul will be able to roam peacefully. The greater the battle is, the greater the victory will be!