Victory After the Battle

The other day I heard these words, "Quit praying for peace, instead pray for victory!" I believe it was the Lord trying to make a very important point. It shows that there is a battle to be fought. Instead of praying for conflict to be avoided and for peace to come without a fight, we need to pray that we win the battle we are faced with. We are faced with unavoidable conflict. We can be victorious in the battle, but not if we ignore that the battle is there. If we stick our head in the sand, that won't make it go away. Peace comes after a victory, but victory comes after a battle! 

"While they are saying, "Peace and safety!

then destruction will come upon them suddenly..."

1 Thessalonians 5:3

Paul is talking about those who walk in darkness and are not aware of the signs of the times regarding the day of the Lord. The Lord doesn't want His people to be ignorant regarding what's going on in the world and how it relates to His Kingdom. He wants us to see what is going on through His eyes and from His perspective. When we do, we have time to prepare for tough times. 

"The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but victory belongs to the Lord."

Proverbs 21:31

We must not think that our own preparations and strength will win the battle for us, however we are still to prepare. The horse is prepared, so go ahead and prepare for the battle, but  it is the Lord who gives the victory. The best way to prepare is to be on His side and as close to Him as possible so you can hear His instructions. Remember that we are not fighting against flesh and blood, our weapons are not of the flesh. We bring our thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ.

"The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet."
Romans 16:20

God is in control. We don't need to be afraid. Our victory comes from Him, yet we need to recognize that we are in His army. We're told to fight the good fight of faith. We're told to put on the full armor of God so we can stand against the schemes of the devil. We're told to resist the devil who prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. These are fighting words, but we're also told that He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world. Put on your armor, pray, and prepare for the battle, but remember that victory is from the Lord and will follow the battle!

1 Peter 5:8-9; 2 Timothy 2:3-7; 1 Timothy 6:12; Ephesians 6:10-17; 1 John 4:4; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5