It’s been a while since I’ve dreamed about punching anyone, but when I do hit someone in a dream I’m so powerless. I get nowhere with all my hitting. We are used to manipulating things in the physical world, and often it works. When the tire goes flat we change it. When our hip hurts we stretch it. However, the Bible tells us that our main struggles are not about physical realities but spiritual ones. Ephesians 6: says for “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the power of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” These are enemies we cannot punch in the face.
Take a few seconds to think of one ongoing struggle in your life. What have you done as you struggle with that issue? Arguments, scoldings, consequences, and distancing are some of our methods to get the results we want. If these struggles are spiritual, then we need to have a spiritual approach to them. Start with recognizing that the conflict has a spiritual element to it, and that the spiritual aspect must be addressed.
Once we admit that our struggle is not just physical, we need to suit up in the full armor of God. As we struggle spiritually, we must enter with righteousness, faith, and salvation on our minds. All this struggle happens in prayer, and prayer is where our only power is the power of a child asking a loving, powerful father to help us. We don’t pray as much as we should because it’s such a humbling activity. “God, I cannot remedy this relationship with X, and I’m counting on you for a breakthrough. There is also the other situations with Y. . . “ on an on our concerns go.
As we continue to pray and watch for what God is doing, as we are courageous enough to open our mouth with grace at the right time, we find that Jesus is going ahead of us and fighting our battles.
