The Heart of a Warrior

The other day I heard someone say, “It’s okay to not be okay.” My initial thought was agreeance – they were right, I don’t have to be strong all of the time. But then the Holy Ghost smacked me in the face with truth: we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us (Romans 8:37). Why would I think for even a second that my defeated attitude is pleasing to God?! It isn’t. Of course, He loves us in our human moments, but God has no intention of raising up an army of weaklings, especially not in this season. Joel 3:9-10, “Proclaim this among the nations: “Prepare for war! Wake up the mighty men, Let all the men of war draw near, Let them come up. Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears; Let the weak say, ‘I am strong.’” I don’t know about you, but that scripture makes me want to break out the war paint and shout in victory!

The God we serve is a champion (Psalms 118:7) and a warrior (Isaiah 42:13), and the best part is that He lives inside of us. When we walk in the Spirit, it is impossible to even consider defeat – that word won’t live in our vocabulary. The heart of a warrior refuses defeat in all circumstances. We run towards the enemy with the mindset of victory (as Pastor said on Sunday). We fight until the death. I know that sounds harsh, but this is the reality of the end time prophesy. The powers and principalities of darkness that rule this world are fierce and merciless. We must receive this revelation, otherwise we will be devoured by our enemy and fruitless in our calling. Said another way, the lost will die in their chains of bondage, if we do not possess a warrior mentality.

Sure, there will be times we get a little banged up and bruised; we might even have a few battle scars or look like we just went through a hurricane (refer to last week’s blog), but no matter the circumstance, we must fight and gain back the ground the enemy tries to steal. The storm – at times – can make us feel weary and fearful; plead the blood in your weakness. Sometimes we even mistake the calming of the seas as our victory; that’s probably where we get in the most trouble. The storm rages, we fall apart, then God calms the winds (out of mercy and compassion) and we proclaim victory. Meanwhile, we were anxious and panicked the entire time like the disciples were in Luke chapter 8. They were (what they thought was) victorious only because the storm subsided. The calming storm is meant to increase our faith, so we can be victorious in the next trial. If you find yourself always spinning in the storm, it’s possible you may have failed to receive your increase from the last storm that swept through.

The Lord showed me that my victory over a situation cannot hinge on the “hoped for” outcome. Sometimes life is not a fairy tale; sometimes terrible things happen and sometimes it just ends badly. Regardless of how destructive the storm is, your perspective and focus on Jesus will bring strength and peace through those moments in life. Pastor said something the other day that turned a switch on in my head. Stop thinking about the negative “what if’s” and set your imaginations on what God can do. So simple, but very powerful. When our thoughts and imaginations are centered on the power and might of God, there is no room for fear and doubt. Defeat is taken off the table and the heart of the warrior is empowered.

Lord, create in me the heart of a warrior. Impart courage, strength and discipline in my spirit and help me to rise up to Your standard. Let me be victorious on the front line of the battlefield and defeat the enemy regardless of his tactics. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen.