“Then some came and told Jehoshaphat, saying, ‘A great multitude is coming against you’ … And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. So Judah gathered together to ask help from the Lord; and from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord.” — 2 Chronicles 20:2a, 3-4 (NKJV)
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I’m outnumbered — the only female in a house full of testosterone and testosterone-in-training. When my boys were little, it wasn’t unusual to have Nerf darts flying by my head as I walked through the house doing chores. Of course, it also wasn’t unusual for me to gear up and give them a run for their money. As they got older, they wanted to wrestle. You would think they would go after their dad, but perhaps they were looking for an easy target.
What they didn’t know was that God goes before us. You see, God gave me two older brothers. I was ready. I’d be walking through the house when the challenge would come. They’d want to see if they could tackle me, but their challenge was not my first rodeo, so to speak. In fact, I’ve developed some of my own wrestling moves over the years. I’m not sure they are officially sanctioned, but I think they’re solid. My closer: When all else fails, go straight for the armpits. Have you been tickled in the armpit lately? Let’s just say it’s a hard move to overcome.
My time with the boys, whether Nerf guns or wrestling, was all in good fun, but in life we face real battles. The darts sent at us aren’t made of foam; they are made of fire. They aren’t designed to poke us; they are designed to pierce us. The forces that want to wrestle against us aren’t playing around; their intent is to take us down permanently.
That is one reason it is so important for us to know God’s Word. It shows us different moves and counterattacks, like in 2 Chronicles 20. It shows us the needed spiritual gear in Ephesians 6, where we are called to “put on the full armor of God” so we can stand against the enemy’s attacks.
Every once in a while, I’ll try one of my wrestling moves on my husband. Most of the time, he sees them coming. After 20-plus years of marriage, he knows me well. His response is usually the same: “You’re a lightweight.” I’m so glad God is not. When we seek His help against spiritual bullies, the heavyweights of darkness, He steps in with grace that is greater — grace earned in a fight we didn’t undertake, by the One who took the piercing of the nails so that we might have victory.
Thank You, Jesus! The enemy would make us feel like we have to “tap out” as we let lies and fear put us in a chokehold, but the truth is we were never called to fight in our own strength. We need to “tag in” the true Heavyweight Champion. We are told in Ephesians 6:10 to “be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.” God’s Word has a lot to teach us “lightweights,” including that “our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Corinthians 4:17). Glory to His name!
— Rachel Gibbons
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