I've had to fight for EVERYTHING that's good in my life!
Haven't you? Isn't it the shallow relationships that are easy? Why do we get so angry with the ones we know love us and the ones who will forgive us so easily? Why do we say the mean things or blatantly hurt them? This is the truth that I'm eager to share.
For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12
That's right friends, the battle is not against the person; the battle is spiritual. I remember a very difficult time in my life when my husband and I butted heads. Reese was just born, and she was very sick, and I was very sick. We had full blown active Lyme disease, but we did not know it. There wasn't a day for 2 years that we were well. At that time we were also in the middle of starting a church with our best friends. You better believe that the devil wasn't going to let that happen easily. Matt and I were NOT on the same page. He thought I over reacted and that I couldn't be sick every single day. The Lord was getting ready to call Matt and I into something HUGE for the advancement of His Kingdom through our church Commissioned. So we fought... and we fought. I was a mess, sick, and tired. I'm sharing all of this with you so you can see! Open your spiritual eyes my friends. It wasn't Matt or me that was the problem (even though I wanted to blame him). The devil was out to steal our marriage, kill my life, and destroy our new endeavor with Commissioned.
Here's what I did to gain the biggest breakthrough of my life:
I worshipped... and I prayed... and I read the Word... I spoke God's promises over our family... I spoke against Satan's lies... I played worship songs loud in my house.
And then... after two long hard years, GOD broke through.
Matt and I grew so much through that time. We learned how to fight. We learned that we were NOT fighting against each other, but that we were fighting TOGETHER. We were in this war called life to fight for everything that's good. Stand together with your spouse or friends or sisters in Christ. Stand together with your children.
Next time you find yourself fighting against one another, pray that the Lord will open your spiritual eyes to see what's really happening. When you are in the middle of a fight, blame is easy. But stop and ask God to soften your heart and love the other person through the problem. Watch God do His mighty work and leave the battle to Him. God is in the business of changing hearts, but He wants you to ask and trust Him.
Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love. 1 Corinthians 16:14