Made New

Jan 9 – Jan 15

You Have a Battle to Fight

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  01/12/21

Read Exodus 17:8-16.

These days no one wants to lose. It doesn’t feel good, and some people inevitably get upset. So what do we do? We get rid of winning and losing. We give everyone a trophy. We pretend the competition doesn’t matter. We pretend everyone has already won.

There are even some people who pretend they’ve already won their spiritual battles. They pretend they don’t really need to fight. They pretend that the war between the Spirit and their flesh doesn’t really exist. But spiritual battles are real, and if we don’t fight them, we lose.

As those who have been made new in Christ, the way we fight is different than you might think. We do not achieve victory by doing, but by surrendering. We must surrender to the Holy Spirit, who calls us to walk in the way everlasting. And only total surrender will win the fight.

We see a picture of this in the Israelites’ battle with the Amalekites. God gave His people the edge as long as Moses’ hands were lifted high with his staff over his head. Whenever his hands fell, the Amalekites began to overpower them. Victory required total surrender to God’s ways.

In your spiritual battles, don’t give up the fight. Whatever you do, don’t settle for partial obedience. Keep surrendering to Jesus, no matter what comes. Only unconditional obedience will bring you the victory.

Prayer: Lord, I want to surrender to You. Forgive me for trying to fight in my own strength. Help me to trust You to win my battles as I walk in Your ways. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning” (Exodus 17:11).