Pt 2: Face Your Battles Without Fear
In my blog post Face Your Battles Without Fear: Part One you learned where to find help so you can be bold during a crisis. Read Part One before you discover three keys to greater faith in this post of my three-part series.
Does it seem like you are always fighting through one crisis after another? Do you fight cancer or chronic pain like I do? Does it seem like your fights with a wayward teenager will never end? How can you continue to face battle after battle without being completely destroyed by them? Scripture gives us wisdom and shows us principles that will help our lives. Sometimes Scripture gives us a direct command, but other times we must look deeper into a passage to learn how to apply it to our lives. Get ready to discover three amazing Scripture-based principles in this post.
Three Principles to Face Your Battles With Greater Faith
1. A Stance of Submission Deepens the Work of Worship:
How do you respond when God gives you direction and encouragement during a life-threatening crisis? Do you immediately text a friend or post it to your Facebook page? After fasting, praying, and hearing from God,
"Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the Lord" (2 Chronicles 20:18).
Jehoshaphat, King of Judah, did not assert his authority to protect himself and his family. Instead, he recognized in front of everyone that he was under another authority. The Israelites followed his lead and fell down to the ground in worship.
Bowing face down is a physical stance of submission. If you are physically able to do so, have you tried kneeling as you pray or worship God? There are times when I cannot kneel because of my physical challenges. But I keep a thick blanket in the room where I do my quiet times and use it while bowing down even for a few seconds. I feel God's awesome majesty as I humble myself before Him this way. If you are unable to bow physically then bow your thoughts and fill your mind with praise for God's faithfulness.
Worship before and during your battle. This lesson is repeated throughout Scripture. When the Israelites were enslaved in Egypt they worshiped as soon as they learned the Lord was concerned about them. (Exodus 4:31) They were not yet delivered, but they worshiped their Deliverer. Jehoshaphat and all the people of Judah and Israel bowed and showed reverence to God even as a mighty army was approaching. Bowing down to worship God may seem like a waste of time when you could be reading advice books and searching for Internet cures. But what do you have to lose except the weight of your burdens? Worshiping God in a posture of humility and submission reminds us that we are under a greater authority.
Faith blossoms best in the soil of humble worship.
2. Immediate Obedience Can Require Delayed Action:
I have a confession: I am a "type A" person, so one of the most frustrating things about living with illness is that it slows me down. I have days when I am bedridden with pain, and cancer fatigue keeps me from being very active. Sometimes I push myself through pain and fatigue to accomplish important tasks, but I end up feeling mightily burned out and resentful. Have you ever felt this way? Do you push through pain and fatigue just to make it through every day? I have great compassion for you because I know what it is to live this way. God also knows, has compassion, and understands.
We are called to be a blessing and to do good works. But we are also called to rest, and sometimes we are called to wait.
God told Jehoshaphat and the Israelites His battle plan for victory against their enemies by saying,
"Tomorrow march down against them...You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you" (2 Chronicles 20:16 and 17, emphasis mine).
A mighty army was marching towards them, and every moment counted. But God told them to face their enemies the following day. Perhaps they needed to get rest that night. Maybe they needed bright daylight to witness their upcoming victory. Whatever the reason, they left early in the morning to meet their enemies. They obeyed the Lord by waiting. Immediate obedience can require the faith to delay action.
But I want to fight my health battles right now! Do you ever feel this way?Every moment counted when I was diagnosed with aggressive advanced-stage cancer a few years ago. But a surgical error occurred during my biopsy; I had to have two additional surgeries. The complications delayed my chemotherapy, and I was desperate to heal so I could finally receive my life-saving infusions. God used that delay to broaden my perspective, widen my support, and deepen my faith. Sometimes facing a battle means we must wait on God's timing instead of depending on our plans.
The battle belongs to God, and He knows exactly what we need for victory.
3. Speak Words of Faith to Encourage Those Who Fight Alongside You:
Who helps you fight through your battles? My family has been on the frontlines with me during my health challenges. It has not been easy for them. My husband has driven me to the hospital more times than I can count. My children grew up watching their mother endure pain and disability. Health issues are also painful for family members to bear. We have all been hit by the heavy artillery of my severe medical issues.
It is dangerous to think your health battles only affect you. Self-absorption and self-pity can fuel feelings of isolation. How can you guard against this?
Embrace the wonderful blessing of speaking words of faith-filled encouragement to those around you. It has taken me years to recognize this principle, but family members take their battle cues from the person who is undergoing direct attack. They will notice how you bear up under suffering. Sharing your faith can make an eternal difference in the lives of those who are watching your battle. Let's visit Jehoshaphat again to learn what he did as he was heading out to battle,
"As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, 'Listen to me, Judah and the people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful" (2 Chronicles 20:20).
A bold word of courageous faith encourages those around you. You may think, "I am the one facing disability! I am the one with cancer! They should be encouraging me." Soak up this truth:
You have a precious opportunity to help strengthen those who are helping you to fight. Just like Jehoshaphat, you can lead others in battle by reminding them to have faith in God. You might not see any fruit at first. But let me encourage you by sharing part of my teenaged son's testimony with you. (I have permission!) He writes:
"My mother has been sick for as long as I can remember. It started with chronic pain that got worse as the years went on, then she got diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. She was and is extremely faithful to Jesus, so I wanted nothing to do with a God who would make one of His most faithful servants suffer so terribly. I was resentful to God for this..." He goes on to share the details of his testimony and how God led him to faith in Jesus Christ, and then writes this, "When I keep my mind on Jesus...I never feel alone or depressed. I now know why my mom clings to Him throughout all her pain and fatigue."
You never know who you will influence when you boldly share your faith. My health battle initially made my son resentful towards God. Your children or family members may also struggle with resentment. You may, at times, struggle with resentment. But the Lord is merciful and kind. He will lead you through seasons of anger, bitterness, or resentment as you confess your feelings to Him. Press into greater faith. Fix your thoughts on Jesus; remind those around you to do the same. Your testimony of God's faithfulness in your battle will encourage those around you.
Every word of biblical truth that you plant into someone else's discouragement or resentment can spring up into powerful faith.
Next week is my favorite post in the Face Your Battles Without Fear Series. You will learn my two greatest secrets for embracing joy throughout my two decades with life-altering illness.
These two key principles will open avenues for joy and keep you from becoming bitter in your battle.
Do you need prayer support? Sign up at www.andreaherzer.com to receive a weekly Scripture-based prayer! I'll also send you a free monthly newsletter to encourage you and strengthen you in your faith. You are not alone!
I love to read your comments! Which of these three principles challenges you? Why? How will you commit to pursuing the Lord this week?
