The Christian life is a battle. I have been following Jesus for two decades. As I look back at these years, they have been years of great blessing – more than I could have asked or even imagined. At the same time, there have been many challenges and obstacles. There have been very few periods when I have not been facing some kind of battle.

The nature of these battles has varied enormously. There have been internal battles – times of intense temptation, doubt, fear and anxiety. There have been times of deep sadness, great loss and bereavement. There have been battles over health, sleep, finances, work and relationships. There have been periods of great opposition and criticism.

Our battle is against the world – ‘the enemy around us’. Second, it’s against the flesh – ‘the enemy within us’. Third, it’s against the devil – ‘the enemy above us’ – which the apostle Paul describes as ‘the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms’ (Ephesians 6:12).

The key to winning your battles, is not to rely on your own strength, but to put your trust in God. Rather, God gives victory to those who trust in him: 

The battles of life need not intimidate you. All the way through history God’s people have faced obstacles and challenges. God can speak to you even in the very dry periods of your life, or in a place that seems completely hopeless. 

God’s eye is on those who respect him, the ones who are looking for his love. He’s ready to come to their rescue in bad times; in lean times he keeps body and soul together. We’re depending on God; he’s everything we need.