‘Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. ‘ 1 Corinthians 16:13(NLT)
‘Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. ‘ Philippians 2:3(NLT)
‘Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge. Interlude’ Psalms 62:5-8(NLT)
‘Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. ‘ John 15:4-5(NLT)
‘This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”’ Joshua 1:9(NLT)
Devotional Content:
What does it really mean to have the heart of a warrior? That is a challenge for me. I like the idea of being a fighter and going to battle, but often the images in my mind are different than truly being a warrior for God. If I am fighting self-defined battles, my tendency is to be selfish. I fight for what I want instead of making sure I am fighting for what God wants. Being a warrior for God really involves fighting for something that is much greater than myself. Fighting for Him means I fight the battles that truly matter and in that fight, I follow Jesus’s example. That can also be tough because Jesus led like a servant and ultimately laid down His life for me. So if I am to fight like Jesus, I have to be willing to do the same as He did. The good news is that I don’t have to do it in my own power and my own strength. Jesus is right there fighting by my side and I have His power and His strength. Each day as I fight for something great for my marriage and my family, He is right there with me. With Jesus at my side, I will win the battle day after day after day! So will you!
Today’s Challenge:
- What does it mean to you to “fight for something greater than yourself?”
- Today, what is the battle you are fighting that matters the most? How can you bring God into the battle?
- What does it mean to you to be a servant leader?
Going Deeper:
Pastor Craig says that we do not have to fight “in our own strength.” How does that play out for you in the battles you face daily?
from “Fighting to be a Man of God”