This is How I Fight My Battles
This is How I Fight My Battles
The following blog was contributed by Jessica Wilson.
Wisdom is the principal thing;
Therefore get wisdom.
And in all your getting, get understanding.
Proverbs 4:7
How Do You Fight?
Last night I joined some friends, only to encounter them already deeply entrenched in a funny movie. It was a goofy, spoofing film about an all-knowing English spy, perhaps a distant and slightly bumbling relative of James Bond. The film has been out for several years, and wasn’t particularly acclaimed by critics, but it certainly gave us a good laugh. As I joined them to watch this particular film, I was struck by a particular scene.
In every good spy film, there is always a foot-chase scene. The best of these usually involve skilled assassins who not only possess the skills to win any street match that comes their way, but also those of an Olympic gymnast. This film was no exception.
Deep in the chase on a rooftop building in a busy downtown setting, our protagonist – being a few years older – knew he was outmatched in physical strength. His opponent jumped off of a small shack, over his head, and onto the cement floor, looked at him with a cocky smirk, and ran away – jumping over a large rooftop air-conditioning unit as he went. As the older spy started to chase him, he suddenly stopped and the film flashback to his training instructor some years earlier, saying something along the lines of, “You may not have the strength of your youth…but you have wisdom.”
This proved his key for the rest of the fight scene. (Spoiler alert.)
As the young assailant continued running, the Spy ran to the AC unit and…scooted between the unit and the wall, and continued his pursuit.
The assailant was a good 20 feet ahead – but stopped at a barbed wire fence – He dramatically grabbed a cloth, threw it on top of the fence, and scaled it effortlessly – the cloth covering the sharp barbs! The Spy…walked to the fence, saw a door in the fence, opened it, and walked through.
The Spy then turned the corner, and at the edge of the rooftop…there he was! The smug Assailant paused, made eye contact with our Spy and smiled a victorious smile as he jumped off the roof – and descended the scaffolding that we now see surrounded the building.
The Spy was upset! He was sad! He was defeated! He – – no. He was none of those things. He simply turned around and walked to the building’s elevator. The camera panned back to the Assailant to follow his journey to the ground – almost breathlessly he finished his descent and turned to run down the street – only to have the door to the building open, and the Spy walked out – just steps behind him.
The scene was obviously comical as the Assailant used such flash and drama to his moves, while the older Spy, unequipped with such flash, simply used…wisdom.
This is How I Fight My Battles
A popular song that has been saturating the Christian air waves recently is Surround (Fight My Battles). The chorus echoes ‘This is how I fight my battles, It may look like I’m surrounded but I’m surrounded by You.”
In looking at HOW we fight our battles, today I want to ask you –
Based on the specific fight you’re in, is your battle key today REST and WISDOM?
Proverbs 4:7 says get wisdom.
Not every battle is the same. Knowing when to attack, or hold your ground, is key. In Ephesians we’re called to put on the WHOLE armor of God. For the battle you’re currently facing, what is the wise battle plan?
What if today’s battle plan calls for walking in peace, when the enemy gives chaos.
What if today’s battle plan calls for simple obedience, when the enemy gives impressive flash and smoke.
What if today’s battle plan calls for seemingly boring persistence, instead of dramatic, self-led, self-focused change.
What if today’s battle plan calls for walking through a door, when the enemy wants you to follow him in scaling dangerous, but unnecessary, fences.
What is God’s wisdom telling you to do, to fight today’s battle?