Battles

Lying in bed my thoughts were racing.

Things flashed in and out of my minds eye and came in no particular order or no particular shape. My body was screaming out for sleep but sleep wasn't coming that night.

I just could not settle.

Life had been so hectic in the preceding days and I was sick of the busyness, of the noise, of the constant combined pressures of life and work. The build up of pressure had finally filled my life to the point of exploding. I clambered out of the warmth of the bed trying not to wake my deeply sleeping wife. I slipped on my black toweling dressing gown and crept down stairs. I flipped the light switch in the kitchen, and headed straight for the kettle and turned it on. Once I had made a fresh cup of tea I went into the lounge and sat on the red sofa. I opened the curtain and gazed out at the darkness of the night interrupted by the yellow glow of the street lights.

The street was still.

The peace began to somehow transfer in and settle in me.

I took a sip of my tea, straight, black and hot.

The extreme heaviness of the life I'd been leading seemed to lift slightly. I had an overwhelming desire to read scripture. So I flipped the on button on my HTC one and pressed the bible app. The verse of the day filled the HD screen.

In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:6)

My mind turned its attention to the week I've just had.

I've known recently how much the spiritual battle is not a concept but actually real. Dawn and I have had a battle for our ministry and that's been probably one of the hardest battles I've had to fight. But it's sitting amongst other people's battles that has put some extra weight on our shoulders. I am so privileged to do that. I sat for the most part yesterday with a young guy who was desperately fighting withdrawal from drugs. He was aggressive, abusive and almost uncontrollable. Later that afternoon we sat with a girl who is facing losing her baby to adoption because of the life she finds herself in and felt almost helpless as the tears ran down her face for close on an hour. A few of our homeless guys had got hold of a large quantity of alcohol from somewhere and were already drunk before going off to drink more. Another guy wanted to tell me he was going away for six months to start rehab to try and kick his drug habit.

Battles.

That's just a fractional glimpse of the battles we sit amongst daily. And I guess many reading this can relate to that.

Paul says, for our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6: 12)

Struggle, battle, war, whatever.
We are in it.

But the amazing truth of the matter is that its a battle won.

At the cross.

A battle where every human being can draw the victory into our own lives.

A victory that changes everything.

If.

In all our ways we acknowledge him. Then he will make our paths straight.

For every battle I have or experience from others or indeed fight on behalf of others I see the shining face of victory.

After a while I fell asleep and awoke the next day on the couch.

Then today at work, I felt the need to write.

Even as I write this a guy just came in and interrupted me. This guy is a troubled man. In and out of homelessness, severely locked into alcoholism, prone to fighting and has seen the inside of both police and prison cells frequently.

He comes to Sanctuary 21 every day, including our Sunday morning gathering.

Last Sunday it was my turn to speak and I spoke on forgiveness. This guy had asked if he could read a poem he had wrote in the service. He stood shaking from the DTs and read out his poem.

It was incredibly moving.

But back to this morning he came in and interrupted me.

Excitedly.

He said that Sundays service had changed something in him. He had understood that forgiveness was the key to freedom. And he asked me to pray with him. And I have to say I felt something lift from him. It's not always like that but something did change.

The first glint of the victorious Christ in his life?

Time and time again I see rescue Spirit of Jesus saving lives, changing lives, redeeming situations.

The battle is raging in the heavenlies. That's a certainty. The thing is are we going to just let the battle lay heavily on us? Or are we going to stand in the battle in the light of victory?

So the spirit of God says this day, rise up and face the battle. Stand in the midst of it and acknowledge me in all your ways. Take a hold of my right hand and I will guide you through the battles you are facing. Allow my victory to transfer its power into your life. Don't lose sleep over the intensity of the fight, rest in the knowledge that I am victorious. You cannot lose if you cling to me, don't run away from the battle, don't turn your back. Stay and fight. Allow my Spirit to connect you to the victory. Ask me for the strength and confidence that you require to be strong in the battle. Stand. Stay close to me and you will negotiate the dangers because I have already negotiated them. The way to victory is a straight path in my realm. Bless you this day. My favour on your life is assured because I absolutely love you and cherish you. You are my child, my treasure, my everything. So stand child. Rise from wherever you are and join me in winning this world to my kingdom. I adore you.