Everyone is Fighting Something
Hey There! As I have gone through the past few days, ok, years, I have come to possess a basic understanding of the reality that everyone, everywhere is fighting something. None of us are immune to challenges, struggles, or problems. While not everyone's challenges are as traumatic as everyone else's, everyone is facing something hard. Hard is simply a relative term that can mean horrid or just a bit rough.
Not only is everyone facing some kind of hard, but each hard varies from season to season. Also, not every single day or season is filled with constant hard. There are spots of sunshine and comforting relief dotting the road of life's journey too. When smack dab in the middle of the roughest of the rough, however, those spots of sunshine are often a vague memory that seems way too far away to be relevant to the current fight.
No matter where each of us finds ourselves today, whether in sunshine or storm, I'm pretty sure someone we know is in the middle of a tough go. It may be the toughest, fiercest battle they have ever fought. Today, let's remember each other in loving prayer. Let's join hand to heart and lift our hearts up in petition to the Lover of Our Souls, the One who took all of our sorrows and griefs upon Himself, the One who fought the fight for us that we might live victorious and free. Jesus, the One who has known sorrow and overcome.
Perhaps today is the day to get our Bibles and pray the scriptures. Praying scripture verses such as Isaiah 41:10,14 - Lord I pray for (fill in name of loved one or friend) that they will fear not for You are with them; that they will not look around them in terror or be dismayed, for You are their God. You will strengthen and harden them to difficulties, yes, You will help them; You will hold them up and retain them with Your victorious right hand of rightness and justice. You hold their right hand; You are the Lord their God. Lord, I ask that You would say to them, fear not; You will help them!
This is only an example of one of the many, many scriptures we can pray. Maybe it isn't a loved one or friend fighting the fight. Maybe it's a personal battle raging loud and long. We can pray and declare His Word over ourselves. Using the above verse as a continued example, "Lord I thank you that You are with me. I will not look around in terror or be dismayed, for You are my God. You will strengthen me and harden me to difficulties, yes, You will help me; You will hold me up and retain me with Your victorious right hand of rightness and justice. You hold my right hand; You are the Lord my God Lord, You say to me, Fear not; for You will help me! Therefore, I fear not. Thank you for holding my right hand. Thank you for ... then I might continue on to Psalm 91 and other verses that tell of His protection and care for me.
Praying and declaring the Word of God over others and ourselves is how we put the Sword of the Spirit (Galatians 6:17) to use, for the Sword the Spirit wields is the Word of God. God says that His Word will not return without accomplishing what He sent it forth to accomplish. (Isaiah 55:11) He also tells us that His Word is alive and active. (Hebrews 4:12)
As we obey God's command to love our neighbor as ourself and lift those around us in prayer, why not put the armor He has given us to use? Praise the Lord! We don't have to fight the fight by ourselves, for He is with us. Even if there isn't any other friend or loved one on earth lifting us up, we can still pick up the sword and fight in the strength and might He provides knowing He is always with us and that He never leaves us or forsakes us. We are not alone. Yes, there will be trials and tribulations, but we are of good cheer for He has overcome the world! (John 16:33)
Remembering someone else in prayer is a priceless gift of love. Prayer is a gift that comes straight from the heart, a genuinely authentic act of love. When taken from the greatest love letter of all time, the Holy Bible, something wondrous takes place inside the deepest part of our hearts. Love give deep and free makes every day a celebration of God, who is Love. Wondrous Grace of it all.
Not only is everyone facing some kind of hard, but each hard varies from season to season. Also, not every single day or season is filled with constant hard. There are spots of sunshine and comforting relief dotting the road of life's journey too. When smack dab in the middle of the roughest of the rough, however, those spots of sunshine are often a vague memory that seems way too far away to be relevant to the current fight.
No matter where each of us finds ourselves today, whether in sunshine or storm, I'm pretty sure someone we know is in the middle of a tough go. It may be the toughest, fiercest battle they have ever fought. Today, let's remember each other in loving prayer. Let's join hand to heart and lift our hearts up in petition to the Lover of Our Souls, the One who took all of our sorrows and griefs upon Himself, the One who fought the fight for us that we might live victorious and free. Jesus, the One who has known sorrow and overcome.
Perhaps today is the day to get our Bibles and pray the scriptures. Praying scripture verses such as Isaiah 41:10,14 - Lord I pray for (fill in name of loved one or friend) that they will fear not for You are with them; that they will not look around them in terror or be dismayed, for You are their God. You will strengthen and harden them to difficulties, yes, You will help them; You will hold them up and retain them with Your victorious right hand of rightness and justice. You hold their right hand; You are the Lord their God. Lord, I ask that You would say to them, fear not; You will help them!
This is only an example of one of the many, many scriptures we can pray. Maybe it isn't a loved one or friend fighting the fight. Maybe it's a personal battle raging loud and long. We can pray and declare His Word over ourselves. Using the above verse as a continued example, "Lord I thank you that You are with me. I will not look around in terror or be dismayed, for You are my God. You will strengthen me and harden me to difficulties, yes, You will help me; You will hold me up and retain me with Your victorious right hand of rightness and justice. You hold my right hand; You are the Lord my God Lord, You say to me, Fear not; for You will help me! Therefore, I fear not. Thank you for holding my right hand. Thank you for ... then I might continue on to Psalm 91 and other verses that tell of His protection and care for me.
Praying and declaring the Word of God over others and ourselves is how we put the Sword of the Spirit (Galatians 6:17) to use, for the Sword the Spirit wields is the Word of God. God says that His Word will not return without accomplishing what He sent it forth to accomplish. (Isaiah 55:11) He also tells us that His Word is alive and active. (Hebrews 4:12)
As we obey God's command to love our neighbor as ourself and lift those around us in prayer, why not put the armor He has given us to use? Praise the Lord! We don't have to fight the fight by ourselves, for He is with us. Even if there isn't any other friend or loved one on earth lifting us up, we can still pick up the sword and fight in the strength and might He provides knowing He is always with us and that He never leaves us or forsakes us. We are not alone. Yes, there will be trials and tribulations, but we are of good cheer for He has overcome the world! (John 16:33)
Remembering someone else in prayer is a priceless gift of love. Prayer is a gift that comes straight from the heart, a genuinely authentic act of love. When taken from the greatest love letter of all time, the Holy Bible, something wondrous takes place inside the deepest part of our hearts. Love give deep and free makes every day a celebration of God, who is Love. Wondrous Grace of it all.