More Than a Conqueror

Shannon Heiden — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 00:30:00 -0400

The LORD said to Joshua, “Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? (Joshua 7:10 NIV)

Beautiful One, have you experienced so many losses that it feels impossible to think of winning? Unless a person has experienced this particular kind of season, it is hard to relate to or understand the feelings that accompany it. One is overwhelmed, depressed, frustrated, angry, and hopeless all at the same time.

While we may know that it is not as much the fight, as it is the feeling that it may not end in our favor, when the setback happens, we feel defeated. We gain some ground, then something happens, and not only do we lose what we've gained, but we're pushed back from victory even farther.

May I suggest that the battle is not designed to destroy you, as much as it is to wear you out.

A tired soldier is not nearly as effective in battle compared to one who just stepped in for the first time. At the beginning of a fight, there is fervor and zeal; a tenacity that is unmatched. When the battle begins, there is an optimism that accompanies the soldiers mentality; that this enemy is going down!

But, as time goes on, the only thing that seems to change is you. Why? Because as we begin to get tired --when it seems like the weapons aren’t working --this is when keeping going gets hard. When we've given it our best and our enemy is still standing in our face stronger than ever, that is when defeat starts to echo the loudest in our ear: You're going down!

But, a tired soldier has one simple advantage: the knowledge of what he, or she is truly dealing with. Sometimes, it takes us a while to understand that it’s going to take more than simple prayers top get out of a battle. Sometimes, we have this mindset that when there is a delay, we think victory is a lie. It looks and feels that way, and by all accounts, it may be for the time. But God never allows a soldier to go to battle unequipped. Never!

Joshua was a fighter: a soldier. Have you ever wondered why God chose a fighter to take the Promised Land? The Promised Land was prepared for Gods people, but it wasn’t Moses who led them there, it was Joshua! This was a man who had endured forty years with everyone else, yet this tired soldier knew what he was up against. He knew the people, the problems, the giants that awaited him, and most of all, he knew that God said he could have it, and he believed it.

Just because we are destined to inherit the great promises of God, doesn’t mean we won't have to fight for them. Whatever you are facing, no matter how many times you’ve been wounded, you are more than a conqueror. Don’t give up! In fact, get back up and stand your ground against the enemy!

No one ever entered the Promised Land that didn’t believe they had a right to be there. It was, and still is, only given to those who believe.

You’re never closest to your battle being over, than when you’re tired and want to give up. So don't do! Do not accept defeat.

Beautiful One, just believe, and your enemy is going down!

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More Than a Conqueror