Let Him Fight for You
In college, I was so afraid of allowing God to show me his plans for my life, especially my vocation. I remember talking with a vocations director from a religious order because I was so confused. I had an intense fear of being called to religious life and a strong desire to be married. The idea of allowing God to show me what he wanted left me spiritually paralyzed for quite some time. But that sister said, “It’s time to raise the white flag.” But I’ll be honest, I didn’t know what that meant when she said it. Maybe it should have been obvious, but I learned that the white flag is the flag of surrender. And of course, surrendering to God felt equally as terrifying! I needed to raise the white flag and let him fight for me.
What battles are you trying to fight right now?
Last week, we were actively trying to either find or build a swing set for Lucy before the new baby arrives. I realized it’d be great to have a place for her to play in our yard with a new baby. The daily trips to the park might not be quite so easy before too long. But, in the time of COVID, lumber prices are at a five year high, reasonably priced swing sets everywhere are sold out, and anything used that goes up online is sold within hours. So, I was starting to get frustrated. I told Lucy she needed to pray to Mary because I believe that the prayers of children are really effective and pure and Mary has to be a sucker for her little ones.
Lucy started singing a little tune over and over, “Mary, build me a swing set…” In a matter of hours, I happened upon a four minute old listing online that involved a swing set lightly damaged from the derecho in Cedar Rapids. My husband sent a quick message, and we were the first in line. After my father-in-law checked it out the next day, we decided to go for it. I soon learned that we had been the first of 25 inquiries on this swing set. And now it’s set up in our back yard and Lucy has been happily playing on it for a few days. It seems trivial, but it’s true, sometimes you must let go and see what happens – even in the small things.
What battles are you trying to fight right now?
Sometimes it’s as simple as wanting a swing set for your toddler. Sometimes it’s a bit more weighty. What is it? Loss? Grief? Infertility? Racial injustice? Politics? Trouble at work? Job loss? Job search? Finances? Stress? Chronic illness? Cancer? Death? Divorce? Children who have left the faith?
Regardless of the size of the battle, big or small, we weren’t meant to fight alone.
Starting in January of 2020, I embarked on reading the bible in a year (using Meg Hunter-Kilmer’s plan). This has been both beautiful and difficult, but I’ve made some really awesome discoveries along the way. One repetitive theme I’ve found, especially in the Old Testament, is that God will battle for me. If we get out of the way and put the problem in His hands, we have to do very little except trust in him.
So, as I’ve read through the Old Testament, I’ve begun compiling a list of stories and verses that make this very point. No matter how big or small the battle, God will do the fighting for you. Some of these are likely to be familiar stories and some you may not have heard of before. I encourage you to read through these verses and see which ones speak to you and your struggles.
What battles are you trying to fight that drain you of your energy and leave you exhausted? These are the areas you need to raise your white flag. But don’t take my word for it.
1. Jehoshaphat’s Prayer and Victory: 2 Chronicles 20:1-22
I encourage you to read this whole bible passage. It is one of my new favorites. Jehoshaphat’s army was facing an impossible situation in battle in the coming day and so he turned to prayer. “We are powerless before this vast multitude that is coming against us. We ourselves do not know what to do, so our eyes are turned toward you” (v. 12). God responded through a prophet, “Do not fear or be dismayed at the sight of this vast multitude, for the battle is not yours but God’s…You will not have to fight in this encounter. Take your places, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD; he will be with you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not fear or be dismayed. Tomorrow go out to meet them, and the LORD will be with you.” (v. 15, 17).
They didn’t fight in this battle. They didn’t lift a sword. Their enemies all destroyed each other and Judah was preserved.
2. Healing of Hezekiah: 2 Kings 20:1-11
This is a story of the end of the life of Hezekiah, one of the good kings of Judah. He desired healing of his ailments and begged the Lord for such, through desperate tears. God relented and spoke these words to Isaiah: Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: “I have heard your prayer;I have seen your tears. Now I am healing you” (v. 5).
Sometimes when we are at the end of our rope, we must cry out in desperation and allow the Lord to act.
3. Courage in War: Deuteronomy 20:1-4
This quote is full of beautiful encouragement, it needs to explanation.
“When you go out to war against your enemies and you see horses and chariots and an army greater than your own, you shall not be afraid of them, for the LORD, your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt, will be with you. When you are drawing near to battle, the priest shall come forward and speak to the army, and say to them, “Hear, O Israel! Today you are drawing near for battle against your enemies. Do not be weak hearted or afraid, alarmed or frightened by them.For it is the LORD, your God, who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies and give you victory.” (emphasis mine)
4. The Commission of Joshua: Joshua 1:1-11
We are never alone in the battle! When we feel like we may be alone or we are fighting for ourselves, this is a great verse to let God speak into your heart.
“I command you: be strong and steadfast! Do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD, your God, is with you wherever you go” (v. 9).
5. Moses and the Burning Bush: Exodus 3:1-22
God commissioned Moses to set the Israelites free from slavery. After coming up with every excuse in the book, God told Moses everything he needed to do and say. Ultimately, God told Moses “I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with all the wondrous deeds I will do in its midst. “ In the end, it’s the work of God through Moses, not Moses striving to accomplish the impossible.
6. Crossing of the Red Sea: Exodus 14:10-22
It needs very little explaining that the Israelites weren’t responsible for parting the Red Sea. The key verses to focus on here are 12 and 13, ““Do not fear! Stand your ground and see the victory the LORD will win for you today…The LORD will fight for you; you have only to keep still.” (emphasis mine).
Even when hordes of Pharaoh’s armies were approaching, God reminded them yet again that they didn’t need to do the fighting, they had to keep still. It seems counterintuitive, but things turned out in victory over Pharaoh’s army.
7. David and Goliath: 1 Samuel 17:41-49
God chose David, the smallest of all of his brothers to not only defeat Goliath, the Philistine giant, but to be the greatest king over all Israel. He was far from perfect, but was always seeking reconciliation in humility when he committed sins (and some were very great).
“You come against me with sword and spear and scimitar, but I come against you in the name of the LORD of hosts…Today the LORD shall deliver you into my hand… All this multitude… shall learn that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves. For the battle belongs to the LORD, who shall deliver you into our hands” (vs. 45-47).
For Prayer and Reflection:
Choose one of the above bible passages and pray with it using Lectio Divina or Ignatian Prayer. Consider the areas in which you struggle to maintain control. How can you allow God to fight for you in this battle?
