NOVEMBER’S THEME — “SEEING THANKSGIVING FROM GOD’S PERSPECTIVE”
BEATS FROM YOUR PASTOR’S HEART
THE BATTLE BEHIND THE BATTLE
Ephesians 6:12, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
SOMETIMES WE ARE FIGHTING THE WRONG BATTLE
Some of our greatest battles appear to be with people. Someone disappoints us, speaks harshly, misunderstands our intentions, questions our motives, or wounds our hearts. Almost immediately, something begins happening inside us. We feel the need to defend ourselves, explain our actions, prove we are right, or make the other person understand how deeply they have hurt us. Sometimes we retaliate with angry words. Other times we withdraw, become silent, and allow resentment to grow. But the Apostle Paul reminds us that our ultimate enemy is not the person who hurt us. There is a spiritual battle taking place that we may fail to recognize because we are so focused upon the visible circumstances. Satan delights in exploiting conflict between people, especially in marriages, families, friendships, and churches. He knows that if he can fill our hearts with bitterness, suspicion, resentment, and unforgiveness, he can distract us from the very things God has called us to do. Think about how easily this happens. You can begin your day with a peaceful heart, enjoying fellowship with the Lord, and then one unpleasant conversation changes your entire attitude. Hours later, you are still rehearsing what someone said, imagining what you should have said, and allowing that encounter to rob you of your peace. The enemy may not be able to control your circumstances, but he will certainly tempt you to respond to those circumstances in the flesh. Here is the important question: Am I fighting the person who upset me, or am I recognizing the spiritual battle over how I will respond?
DON’T FIGHT THE WRONG ENEMY
When someone hurts us, it is easy to make that person the center of our attention. We begin concentrating upon their faults, their attitude, and everything they have done wrong. The longer we rehearse the offense, the more justified we may feel in our anger. But we seldom stop to consider what might be happening in that person’s life. They may be carrying burdens we know nothing about. They may be struggling with fear, disappointment, insecurity, or wounds that have never healed. That does not excuse their behavior. Wrong is still wrong, and sometimes loving someone requires us to confront destructive behavior and establish appropriate boundaries. But we must never allow another person’s wrong actions to become an excuse for our own sinful reactions. Someone else’s behavior may explain why you are hurting, but it does not have to determine how you respond. Jesus demonstrated this truth when He was mistreated. First Peter 2:23 tells us, “Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously.” Jesus did not allow the sinful behavior of others to determine His character. He entrusted Himself to His Father. That is the response God desires to develop within us. Before you respond to someone who has offended you, ask yourself, “Am I trying to restore this relationship, or am I trying to make this person feel the pain they have caused me?” You cannot win a spiritual battle by fighting with fleshly weapons. Anger cannot produce the peace of God. Revenge cannot produce reconciliation. Pride cannot produce humility. Only Christ can produce His character through a surrendered believer.
SATAN WANTS TO DIVIDE WHAT GOD WANTS TO UNITE
Ephesians 4:26–27 warns us, “Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil.”
Notice how unresolved anger can give the enemy an opportunity to influence our attitudes and relationships. Satan knows that division often begins with something small. A careless remark becomes a misunderstanding. A misunderstanding becomes resentment. Resentment becomes suspicion. Before long, two people who once loved and trusted each other begin interpreting everything through the pain of past offenses. This happens in marriages when husbands and wives stop listening to understand and begin listening only to defend themselves. It happens in families when old wounds are repeatedly brought into new disagreements. It happens in churches when believers become more concerned about personal preferences than preserving the unity of the Spirit. The enemy wants us to concentrate so completely upon what someone else needs to change that we never allow the Holy Spirit to examine our own hearts. One of Satan’s most effective strategies is to turn a temporary disagreement into a permanent division. But God’s Word calls us to a different response. Colossians 3:13 says, “Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.” Forgiveness does not mean pretending nothing happened. It does not mean allowing someone to continue hurting you without accountability. It means refusing to allow bitterness and revenge to control your heart. Sometimes reconciliation takes time. Sometimes trust must be rebuilt. But regardless of another person’s response, we can surrender our hearts to the Lord. Before reacting to conflict, ask yourself: Am I allowing Christ to govern my response, or am I allowing my wounded feelings to control me? Remember, the enemy wants to use your wounds to produce bitterness, but Jesus wants to bring His grace into those very places.
YOUR GREATEST WEAPON IS DEPENDENCE UPON CHRIST
Galatians 2:20 declares, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.”
Here is the secret to spiritual victory that many believers have never fully understood. The Christian life is not simply trying harder to act like Jesus. It is learning to depend upon Jesus to live His life through us. When someone provokes us, our flesh naturally wants to react. We may promise ourselves that we will be more patient, more understanding, or more forgiving next time. But sooner or later, we discover that human determination cannot consistently produce what only the Holy Spirit can accomplish. Jesus said in John 15:5, “…for without me ye can do nothing.” We were never intended to fight spiritual battles through our own strength. Christ lives within every believer, and through our dependence upon Him, His Spirit produces the character we cannot manufacture ourselves. When someone speaks harshly, Christ can express His gentleness through us. When someone disappoints us, Christ can give us patience. When someone wounds us, Christ can enable us to forgive. When circumstances frighten us, Christ can fill our hearts with His peace.This is the exchanged life: Not I, but Christ! Instead of asking, “How can I make myself respond better?” we begin praying, “Lord Jesus, I cannot respond as You desire in my own strength. I surrender my emotions, my words, and my attitudes to You. Please live Your life through me.” Spiritual warfare is not won through shouting, arguing, controlling people, or proving ourselves right. It is fought through prayer, truth, obedience, forgiveness, and continual dependence upon the indwelling Christ. The greatest evidence of spiritual victory is not that nobody can upset you. It is that when you are upset, you increasingly allow Jesus to govern your response.
Imagine a soldier standing on a battlefield. He hears gunfire, sees movement, and realizes that danger surrounds him. Immediately, he begins fighting with everything he has. He is courageous, determined, and willing to sacrifice. But there is one serious problem. He is facing the wrong direction. While he is exhausting himself fighting what he believes to be the enemy, the real enemy is advancing from another direction. How often does that describe us spiritually? We spend our strength trying to change people, defend our reputation, correct every misunderstanding, and convince others that we are right. Meanwhile, the enemy is exploiting our anger, resentment, pride, and unforgiveness. We become so occupied with winning the argument that we lose sight of what God wants to accomplish in our hearts. Sometimes the greatest victory in spiritual warfare is not winning an argument. It is refusing to allow the argument to rob you of the character of Christ.
LET CHRIST WIN THE BATTLE WITHIN YOU
Not every disagreement is a direct attack from Satan, but every disagreement gives us an opportunity to choose between the flesh and the Spirit. You cannot control everything people say about you. You cannot make everyone understand your intentions. You cannot force another person to apologize, forgive, or change. But you can surrender your response to Jesus Christ. The next time someone disappoints you, remember that your greatest battle may not be with that person. It may be the struggle between what your flesh wants to do and what the Holy Spirit is calling you to do. You do not have to let another person’s behavior determine your spiritual condition. Through Christ, you can respond with truth instead of deception, patience instead of uncontrolled anger, forgiveness instead of bitterness, and love instead of revenge. Remember who your real enemy is, and refuse to give him an opportunity to use your reactions to destroy what God desires to build. THE GREATEST VICTORY IS NOT GETTING EVERYONE ELSE TO CHANGE. IT IS ALLOWING CHRIST TO CHANGE THE WAY YOU RESPOND.
WARFARE PRAYER — LORD, HELP ME FIGHT THE RIGHT BATTLE
Heavenly Father, I come before You in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, acknowledging that I cannot overcome spiritual opposition through my own strength. Open my spiritual eyes to recognize the enemy’s schemes and give me wisdom to distinguish between the actions of people and the spiritual temptations surrounding my responses. Forgive me for the times I have allowed anger, resentment, pride, and wounded feelings to control my attitudes. Forgive me for fighting against people when You were calling me to demonstrate the character of Christ. In Jesus’ mighty name, I reject bitterness, unforgiveness, retaliation, and division. I refuse to give the enemy a place in my heart through unresolved anger or sinful attitudes. Father, protect my family, my marriage, my friendships, and my church from the destructive influence of pride and resentment. Where relationships have been wounded, give me wisdom to pursue peace without compromising truth. Lord Jesus, I surrender my emotions, my thoughts, my words, and my reactions to You. When my flesh wants to retaliate, express Your patience through me. When I feel misunderstood, give me Your peace. When someone wounds my heart, help me respond with truth, grace, and forgiveness. I confess that I cannot live the Christian life through my own determination. I need Christ living His life through me. May the enemy find no willing cooperation in my bitterness, pride, or anger. Let my responses become a testimony of Your transforming grace. In the victorious name of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Saviour, Amen.
DAILY CHALLENGE — STOP BEFORE YOU RESPOND
Today, when someone frustrates, disappoints, or hurts you, do not immediately defend yourself or react emotionally. Pause long enough to acknowledge the presence of Jesus Christ within you. Ask yourself, “Am I responding through my flesh, or am I allowing Christ to respond through me?” Then pray: “LORD JESUS, I CANNOT CONTROL WHAT OTHERS DO, BUT I SURRENDER MY RESPONSE TO YOU. LET THEM SEE YOU IN ME TODAY.”
TODAY’S TRUTH TO REMEMBER
MY REAL ENEMY IS NOT THE PERSON WHO HURT ME.
MY GREATEST WEAPON IS NOT MY OWN STRENGTH.
MY VICTORY IS FOUND IN JESUS CHRIST LIVING HIS LIFE THROUGH ME.
1 John 4:4 — “…greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”
MONDAY’S PRAYER NEEDS
Carol Rhodes & Family
Pat Chupp
Britany Smith
Darlene Kelley
Darlene Thaxton
Ginny Ford
Kim’s McClain’s Mother & Sister
Paula Ferus – Hip Replacement
Rob Davis
Rose Fuller-Chronic Back Pain
Susan Bankston