Winning The War!

Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 

 Romans 8:37

We should know that just because a battle was lost does not mean that the war is over. If you do lose a battle; never give up.  We're, through the word of God,  encouraged to pick ourself up from our defeat, dust ourself off and get back in the battle. We should never consider our temporary loss a permanent defeat.

One of the main strategies of the enemy is to tempt us to give up when we've lost a spiritual battle. While it is true that the Holy Spirit will convict us when we fall, there is a difference between the condemnation of the enemy and the conviction of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit always singles out a specific sin while the condemnation of Satan is generalized. Satan will speak generalized words of defeat to you such as:

•  You might as well give up.
•  Everyone has lost confidence in you.
•  God does not care, or He would have helped you.
•  You are so weak and good for nothing.
•  You will never be able to make it as a Christian.
•  You are no good.
•  This thing is too hard.

Do not listen to the condemnation of the enemy.  Acknowledge your failure, repent before God, and recognize that. . .

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit.  Romans 8:1

Use this verse to defeat the condemning strategies of Satan and then. . .  

return to the battlefield!

®    After the loss at Ziklag, King David returned to the battlefield to great military victory. He recovered all that the enemy had taken from him: King David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away. . .

And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor any thing that they had taken to them: David recovered all.   1 Samuel 30:18-19

®    Joshua continued military campaigns in the Promised Land with great success. He returned to Ai and conquered the same military forces which had caused his defeat. 

For Joshua drew not his hand back, wherewith he stretched out the spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.  Joshua 8:26

When you return to the spiritual battlefield after failure, you do not only recover all the enemy has taken from you, but you can also go on to win new victories.

®    Elijah recovered from his despondency, returned to spiritual battle, and performed some of the greatest miracles in the history of his ministry.

®    And as for Apostle Paul . . .  read the remaining portion of a passage previously mentioned:

We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.     2 Corinthians 4:8-9

Here is a spiritual warrior who overcame. He said he was:

  Troubled      . . .  But not distressed

  Perplexed    . . .  But not in despair

Persecuted  . . .  But not forsaken

  Cast down   . . .  But not destroyed

Remember,

"A just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again"   Proverbs 24:16

We must learn from the mistakes that we make in order to continue to move forward.

Apostle Paul wrote to the Church at Corinth:

For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life.  But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in the God which raiseth the dead; Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver, in whom we trust that He will yet deliver us.   2 Corinthians 1:8-10

Apostle Paul explained that problems in Asia had taught him an important lesson. The lesson was that 

"we should not trust in ourselves, but in God." 

This is a great lesson to learn from failure. You cannot trust in yourself in spiritual warfare. Your power, your authority, your victory is assured only in Christ Jesus.

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.    Proverbs 3:5-6

It doesn't matter that you feel you have the strength, the power or the fortitude; which is what Zerubbabel thought.  God had to send a messenger to him to let him know our battles are won through the spirit of God:

Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.  Zechariah 4:5

Apostle Paul looked beyond the natural world to see the spiritual benefits of problems, temptations, trials, and failures:

For the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.   2 Corinthians 4:18

Apostle Paul had learned that even though the outward man perished, the inward man was being renewed. 

For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.  2 Corinthians 4:16

The light afflictions of battle were resulting in spiritual growth. 

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;  2 Corinthians 4:17

It was not what was visible that was important, it was what was happening in the spirit world.

Instead of giving up the battle, Apostle Paul learned from failure and went on to victory.

Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;   2 Corinthians 1:10 

"Delivered"(In the past)

"Doth deliver"(In the present)

"Will yet deliver"(In the future)

Despite all the perplexities, persecution, trouble, and despair, Apostle Paul was able to say in the closing days of his life:

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.  2 Timothy 4:7

If we learn how to win the war with the enemy despite temporary failure from a lost battle, you too will be able to echo. . .     

"I HAVE FOUGHT A GOOD FIGHT!"

Biblical Studies

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