You are in the fight of your life. You are in a fight for your life.
And you are fighting not only for your life, but other peoples' as well.
Time is getting short. The world is getting darker.
Many people are lost, especially young people. They don't know what to believe.
Because this world is getting darker, people need to see the light of Jesus' love in action.
That is where we come in.
Letting Our Light Shine
In John 13:34, Jesus said:
By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Others need to see the light of God's love lived out before them.
But many Christians are unable to answer the call; they are trapped in cycles of destructive habits, like emotional eating.
I know this well because I was there.
When I suffered from overeating and bingeing, I once counted the number of times each day I thought about food.
I counted 77 times.
If I wasn't thinking about what I was eating, I was thinking about what I had eaten, or what I was going to eat next.
The enemy likes it that way.
The more he can get us fixated on food, the less time we have to focus on fulfilling God's purpose for our lives.
Make no mistake: This is Spiritual and emotional war, not just about finding the right diet or exercise program.
It is about living as a fit and healthy person each day because we play a key part in God's redemptive plan of salvation.
As children of God, our role is to help those who are lost find Jesus.
If you are in bondage to negative habits right now, like emotional eating, then I've got encouragement for you:
The enemy's only authority is that which you choose to give him!
The fight may not always be easy. But do not quit. Ever.
The Lord is on our side.
Fighting from Victory through Jesus
We are fighting from a position of victory. The war has been won.
Now, some days may be harder to get through than others; some days, we may fall short.
However, remember this assurance from Jesus:
"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world (John 16:33).”
Satan will try to convince us that we are victims.
- He wants us to believe that we are defeated, failures.
- He wants us trapped in fear, shame, guilt, past hurts, and condemnation.
- He wants us oppressed through mental strongholds.
But Jesus came to set us free. Here is his mission statement:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord (Luke 4:18-19).”
Did you get that Jesus said "liberty" twice? He wants you to live in freedom in Him!
Think about where you are right now:
- Are you poor is spirit? The kingdom of heaven is yours.
- Are you brokenhearted? Let Jesus heal you.
- Are you bound by sin? Let Jesus free you.
- Are you Spiritually blind? Let Jesus open your eyes.
- Are you oppressed? Walk through the door to freedom that Jesus opens for you.
I get so mad when I see Christians, who should be living in victory as lights of the world, under the sway of darkness.
I lived like that for so many years. But I didn't know any better.
I did not know that God wanted more for me. And he wants more for you too.
As a daughter or son of God, arise to your true position in Him. You are the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Through the Holy Spirit and God's word, you have what you need to think right, speak right, and live right.
You do this for the glory of God because you are not your own. You were bought with a price.
Walking with the Lord is a day-by-day process. You will face challenges that may seem impossible to overcome. But you will overcome with God's help.
Remember, the war is already won - but you need to claim your share of the victory.
This is your inheritance.
This is your destiny
Here is my prayer for you this day from Ephesians 1:15-21:
"Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.
And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all."
Keep renewing your mind to God's word every day so that His truth becomes a part of you.
Let Jesus live His life through you.
You have a reward waiting on you and will hear the sweetest words ever uttered:
Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Lord."
That is what I am living for. How about you?
Let's run our race well, take as many people with us as we can so they can celebrate with us in victory!