I was out running errands the other day and heard the song “The battle belongs to the Lord” on the radio. It certainly resonated with me; there are two overwhelming battles going on in my life. But honestly, don’t we all face battles every day? They may be spiritual, physical, and/or mental. Knowing God fights for us should bring calm and peace into our battles. But how do I let God fight my battles? Do I get to sit back and watch Him work? Are there some battles we must fight on our own?
God is Fighting for Us
So, does God fight our battles? The answer is YES!
We are never “at odds” or an enemy of God. He is always on our side. (Romans 8:31) When He looks at us, He sees us as “righteous”- made perfect in His eyes because of our faith in Christ’s work on our behalf.
Do you believe what the Bible says about you? Our identity in Christ says we are precious, loved, redeemed and protected. Jesus is our King and unafraid of any trial or storm in our lives. He rules over it all- the worries, fears, sickness, enemies, and sin- and yes, helps us fight all our messy battles.
Battles in the Bible
There are many epic Bible stories that teach us important lessons about how He fights our battles. They contain Bible verses for us to commit to our memory, store in our hearts, and use as ammunition against the enemy (he would love to see us give up in despair.)
Pharaoh and the Israelites
Our first battle story is from Exodus 14. God brought the Israelites out of Egypt and slavery. I found an interesting part of this story in Exodus 13:17. God knew the Israelites weren’t “battle-ready.” Therefore, He took them the long way around the land of the Philistines, through the desert, to the Red Sea.
Our God could have delivered a victory for the Israelites on the shorter route. He is the God of the Impossible! But he factored their state of mind into His plan. While the Israelites complained and carried on about going through the desert, it was actually God’s tender care for them.
Lesson #1- God sees what we do not, which can lead to unexpected detours that make little sense (to us.) If He leads us through the wilderness, we can trust in His plan! 😊
Crossing the Red Sea
Moses and the Israelites arrive at the shore of the Red Sea with the full Egyptian army in pursuit. They were terrified and in an impossible situation. They cried out to the Lord; had He led them into a trap?
Lesson #2- When we find our backs to the wall and all seems lost, crying out to God is the right thing to do. He is “our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)
Moses courageously reassures God’s people: “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today… The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Exodus 14:13-14.
Stand firm… Be still. What faith Moses showed! He didn’t know how God was going to work, but He had faith and trust that He would fight this battle for them.
Lesson # 3- Some battles are fought by standing firm in faith and with the peace He provides until He reveals His plan. Choose to believe in His help instead of turning to despair (losing hope), fear (running away), or impatience (jumping into the sea!)
David and Goliath Battle
The Philistines sat encamped and ready for war with their archenemies, the Israelites. The Israelites had lived in fear of these giants since the time of the exodus. When Goliath steps forward as their champion, he challenges the Israelites to send out their strongest warrior. The challenge went on for 40 days, but no Israelite stepped forward.
Enter David, who came to the battle site to bring food to his brothers and their commander. He arrives as Goliath is shouting his challenges. David goes to the front line to see what is happening. He is told of King Saul’s reward to the man who beats Goliath. But David speaks only of standing up for His God.
Saul eventually hears about David defending God’s honor and calls for him. David confidently announces that he is ready to fight Goliath. Saul points out that David is but a boy, and Goliath is a polished and huge warrior. David recounts all the times he has saved his sheep from lions and bears with the help of God. He is certain God will help him win this battle over Goliath.
Lesson #4- Don’t let others’ perceptions of your age, abilities, or past keep you from fighting your battles. Use your faith that comes from past battles that were won with God’s help. Then go forward, even if the “enemy” looms large.
David Fights Goliath
Saul gives David his armor, but it was too large and bulky. He would trust in God instead. He would fight with the same tools he always did- stones, a slingshot, and trust in His God.
David arrives at the battle, and Goliath curses him and calls out “come to me!” What an insult that a mere boy would come against him!! David informs Goliath that he has superior weapons- the God of the heavenly armies is on his side. His God will defeat him, and everyone will know that the God of Israel saves: “For the battle is the Lord’s.” (1 Samuel 17:47) David then runs towards Goliath and slays him with one stone to the forehead.
Lesson #5- David fought this battle to give God all the glory and honor. He was humble and bold. He trusted God to help him and ran into the battle. We can do the same. The battle belongs to the Lord.
Jehoshaphat Battle
Jehoshaphat was a noted “good” king of Judah (many were evil…) who was a bold follower of God. 2 Chronicles 17:6 tells us “his heart was devoted to the ways of the Lord.”
2 Chronicles 20 tells the story of 3 vast armies who descended on Jehoshaphat with intentions to go to war. “Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord.” v3-4.
Facing his fear, He proceeds to lead his people in prayer. He praises God for His great power, speaks of His past works on behalf of His people, acknowledges the vast army, and confesses he does not know what to do. “But our eyes are on you”- a beautiful expression of trust!
Lesson #6- When our hearts are devoted to God, our response to an impending battle can look like Jehoshaphat’s- seek God, fast, praise, and prayer. Tell Him you don’t know what to do next. And then keep your eyes on Him! Let His strength help you overcome your fears and weaknesses.
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The Battle is Not Yours Verse
God’s answer to Jehoshaphat’s prayer comes through a prophet who relays this message from God: “Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.” (v15) Jehoshaphat and the people bowed down and worshipped God.
Jehoshaphat strongly encouraged the people to have faith in God. He appointed men to sing and praise Him as they went out ahead of the army. As they sang, God set ambushes against the invaders; they fought each other to complete destruction. When the Judean army and Jehoshaphat arrived, the entire armies before them were dead.
Lesson #7- We might not have the word of God coming straight from a prophet’s mouth, but we have the entire word of God at our fingertips. All the wisdom we need to fight our battles is in there. Let His promises and His strength help you overcome your fears and weaknesses. Fight your battle with faith, singing and praising our mighty God.
Bible Verses about Battles
Besides the verses from these Bible stories, here are 12 more to encourage you and claim for yourself!
Psalm 34:17- “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.”
Romans 8:31- “If God is for us, who can be against us?
Isaiah 41:10- “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Isaiah 43:2- “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”
Psalm 27:14- “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”
Psalm 118:7- “The Lord is with me; he is my helper. I will look in triumph on my enemies.”
Victory Belongs to the Lord
Psalm 21:31- “Victory rests with the Lord.”
1 John 5:4- “For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.”
Deuteronomy 20:4- “For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.”
1 Corinthians 15:57- “But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Bible Verses about getting Knocked Down and Getting Back Up
Rest in this assurance when our battles leave us bruised or broken:
Proverbs 24:16 “For though a righteous man may fall seven times, he rises again.”
Our battles will bring stress into our lives. Knowing the power and victory of the Lord in our lives means they can not crush us or leave us in despair or forsaken. They cannot destroy us:
2 Corinthians 4:8-9- “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”
How to Let God Fight Your Battles
Battles are a part of everyone’s personal experience. Sin entered our world and continues to wreak havoc on marriages, families, churches, our finances, health- you name it. But as Christ’s followers, we have the promise that we will never be alone in our battles, and He can use them for good (growth, change, surrender, and warrior skills!)
Ultimately, we fight our battles with God at our side to give Him all the glory and honor. The outcome is always what He has planned.
Resting on His promises and truths gets us through our battles. The Lord will go before you and fight for you. He’s leading the way into battle, and yes, we must follow. He’s giving us the courage and strength, wisdom, and knowledge to help us take our next steps.
I don’t want to fight my battles any other way, do you?
Pray for all these things and watch Him work. Let the Holy Spirit lead you. Praise and worship Him for what He has done and what He can do. Take refuge in the hope we have in Jesus. ♥
Let God fight for you and know the battle is already won!
Blessings in the battle,
AnnMarie
If you prefer a print out of the lessons and Bible verses from this post, they are available on my free Resource page! Just click on the image below…
Photo Credit: Pixabay, Deposit Photos
All Scripture is taken from the NIV version unless specified otherwise.
I ask you to pray for the Houston Independent School District. This is a battle that will leave many teachers, students, entire families, schools, destroyed because it is being run like an army. Sounds good on t.v but it is not true. Teachrrs were not allowed a min. to put names on supplies, or put them away. No time to set rules and procedures on first days. Kids are timed every 4 min. There’s no more coloring, no copying imp. notes. They are interrupting instruction, coming into classroom 3-8 times a day, school admin, plus district people. They can take over classroom if they want to. Teachers are already quitting on fist week if school. Teachers who have been under this superintendent say it is not unusual for you kid to have 4 plus teacher a year! I have kids who are anxious by nature. They cry when a sub comes bc they can’t take the changes. That is why I try not to be absent. Please pray that this system gets dismantled immediately. I know we need change but this is not right for the little children, nor for teachers who really love to teach. They will run away and the schools will close, and families will move. What a disaster for Houston. Please help us pray.
Oh my goodness! How horrible! My sister just retired from teaching and it was the administration that led her to leave. It was not as bad as you are describing, but I think I can understand the need to change this behavior! I will be praying for this system to be dismantled so that the children can learn in a calm and consistent environment and the teachers can do what they do so well! I wrote a whole post on praying for teachers- they have my admiration and heart. God bless you and protect you in your classroom, Alba!
Today is one of the toughest day. My sister messaged me this morning and delivered the news that my nephew was diagnosed with Autism. I am at lost of words for her as his eldest is also suffering with benign tumor in his brain that causes constant seizures.
Thank you for the encouragement to rest our battles to God. We maybe limited to see the purpose of all these, but I will rest my eyes on Jesus.
“’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. ‘” — Jeremiah 29:11
Thanks Ann
I have added you and your dear family to my daily prayer list. The battles of this fallen world are heartbreaking. I was reading the verse from our Bible reading plan this morning and the notes next to it immediately brought you to mind. (2 Corinthians 12:10) I had written “when we turn to God in our battles and depend on Him, we have won the victory. Battles aren’t meant to beat us down, but look up- to Him and His glorious plans.” God bless you Janica and thank you for your encouraging words. I am in awe of how He sends His word out to those who need to hear.
I am battling consequences of sin that I committed and the Bible says The Battle Belongs to The Lord but does He help me if I have made my own mess? I have repented but I don’t feel like I’m righteous. I don’t know if this makes sense but I’m conflicted. I know we must repent and turn from our sin and I have but there are still ongoing problems as a result of my actions. I know that when God looks at us He see the righteousness of Jesus. Does that apply to me? I want to follow the Lord and not just talk the talk I want to walk the walk. Do I confess my sin not only to the Lord but to another person?
Also my granddaughter has serious signs of Autism, she is two and with it not being in our family we are having to learn how to help her. I ask for prayers for her. Her name is Sophie Lynn. Thank you.
I have added your granddaughter to my daily prayer list. (Also your family as you learn to help her.)
What a timely day to receive your message! My facebook post was about this very subject. It reads, “If something from your past is haunting you, give it back to Jesus. He has already done the work on the cross to redeem your life.” The enemy would love for you to condemn yourself for past sins. But Romans 8:1 says “there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Jesus died on the cross to cement this truth. Isn’t that enough? When those intrusive thoughts from your past pop up- hand them back to Jesus. You are redeemed, once and forever.
We do pay consequences for our sins, but He can help us work through them as well. He sees you, Toye, as righteous and redeemed- white as snow, cleansed from sin. We may not feel like we deserve it, and we may still feel shame from our actions (speaking of myself here…) but those are not God’s truth. Our identity comes from Christ and who He says we are.
You can always confess your sin to the person you hurt and ask for their forgiveness. That would hopefully lead to reconciliation. But even if it doesn’t, Jesus still forgives you when you confess to Him. He wants you to know that you can boldly come before Him on His throne at any time to obtain mercy and grace when you need it. Here’s a post I wrote about letting go of guilt and shame (no condemnation!) that may help you further: https://busyblessedwomen.com/there-is-no-condemnation/ God bless you, Toye!
Thank you so much I am sorry I’m just now sending the response. You cleared a lot of things up for me and I am very grateful you took the time to pray for my family and reminding me how gracious our Heavenly Father is. I realize I am struggling with the need to control everything (which I have made an absolute mess of ) and surrendering all to The ONLY one who can heal my soul. I am still struggling a bit and your website has been a blessing to me. I love the post you attached as well. God bless you and all you do to reach out to help others.
I think we all struggle with surrendering control to Jesus. That’s why I struggle with worry- I’m telling Jesus I don’t trust Him. That immediately sends me to prayer now to let Him guide, lead, and love on me. God bless you Toye, for your loving heart that shines through and your desire to be healed by the Father. He is faithful! To Him be all the glory and honor! Amen!
This is a beautiful post. We can do nothing the Lord asks of us on our own. That is because the battle is not yours, but God’s.. The Lord wants to do the work through you. He does not want you to fight on your own.
Thank you Janice. I wholeheartedly agree! I have seen Him work this way in my life too. When I surrender the battle to Him, He clearly gives me guidance and wisdom to stand with Him and be victorious!
Loved this!
This was new to me:
God knew the Israelites weren’t “battle-ready.” Therefore, He took them the long way around the land of the Philistines, through the desert, to the Red Sea.
A real encouragement when we don’t understand the path we sometimes find ourselves on.
Thanks, Ann!!
It was new to me too! And so encouraging for those times I doubt what He’s doing 🙂