Living Changed: Overcoming Spiritual WarfareSample

Less Obvious Weapons

We have a whole arsenal of weapons we can use in times of war. We can choose love, forgiveness, serving others, and creating rhythms of rest. Jesus modeled all of these as a perfect example. He demonstrated the love we can give others by forgiving us from His position on the cross and showing compassion despite our ignorance.

How can we take back the battleground? By forgiving yourself and those who hurt you. Forgiveness puts God back at the center, freeing you to live life to the full (John 10:10). It will likely be difficult, but you will not see redemption without forgiveness. Without forgiveness, the war could be lost.

Maybe the enemy is trying to distract you from God's calling on your life by trying to convince you that you are selfish or will never have enough. Serving will change your perspective. Serving gives you a front-row seat to the battles others are facing. While your battle doesn't disappear entirely, if you are meeting a need, you become less concerned with what you don't have or your current situation.

In the Bible, Joseph was committed to serving others, even when it landed him in jail. Serving placed Joseph in positions and places to find freedom. Joseph was where he was meant to be, even if culture told him differently. By choosing to serve others, God saved Joseph's family and His people.

Your life may feel like it is on fast-forward; there are always things to clean, errands to run, and work to be done. Rest during warfare doesn't sound like much of a weapon, but we see Jesus do just this on a boat in the middle of a storm (Matthew 8:23-27). While everyone else was worried, anxious, and fearful of what they were facing, Jesus wasn't.

If we don't rest in the middle of a battle, we can forget who is in charge. Rest shifts our mindset, reminding us that we're not in control and don't need to be. The Bible promises that God will lead you beside still waters and restore your soul so you can be refreshed even as you walk through the valley of the shadow of death (Psalm 23:1-6). Not in the absence of hard things but through them. Choose to rest in Him and trust Him fully while in the middle of the storm.

Rest restores your body and gives your mind a moment of peace. In war, soldiers will take turns keeping watch and staying alert so others can rest.Jesus tells us in Matthew 18:20, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there among them." Don't fight alone. Invite others to keep watch; once you have rested, it is your turn to watch for others.

The battle isn't as overwhelming when you share the burdens and the breaks with others. The way through warfare is forgiveness, serving, rest, and community.