Originally published Monday, 25 October 2021.
(Photo Credit: Canva Pro)
In this life, we will have battles and trouble. I know as Christians, we don't ever want to go through anything. I know it. I'm guilty! In fact, most of us want life to go great all the time. But Jesus never promised that life would be a flowerbed of ease here on earth. Instead, He said through John 16:33, “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows." Yet, here's the encouraging part. He goes on to say in that same verse, "But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
That is good news!
Jesus tells us right from the gate that He has overcome. And we know that through the cross, He overcame and now He is seated at the right hand of the Father in honor as He intercedes for us. What encouragement to know that we have the greatest intercessor in heaven praying and fighting on our behalf.
Without a doubt, we will have trials and sorrows. There will be some good days and some not so good days. There will be health and family issues. There will be heartache, lack, and loss. There will be long waiting seasons and disappointments. Yet, the Lord is praying, fighting for us, and encouraging us to take heart.
But what does "take heart" actually mean? Well, according to idioms.com it means to take control of our minds. It also means to…
- Stay confident and positive
- Be happy or find happiness in something
- Be encouraged
- Find comfort
I don’t know about you, but I find this breakdown in definition pretty helpful and encouraging. I also think it's important to note that when we do experience battles in our lives, which can be pretty difficult and debilitating at times, we need to let them bring us to our knees.
In other words, let them bring you to your knees to cry out to God for help. Let them cause you to cry out to God for comfort, direction, and peace of mind. Let them bring you back to the Bible to find a verse that will help strengthen you, encourage you, and equip you to help someone else who will later need to hear the word of your testimony to overcome.
With this being said, I want to share a few "battle" verses to help with any fight you find yourself in...
Financial Battle – Fight with honor. Proverbs 3:9-10 says, “Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.”
Children Battle – Fight with the beautiful reality that your children are a gift from God, so cherish and love them as you train, discipline, nurture, and endure hardships with them. Psalm 127:3 reminds us, “Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.”
Loss Battle – Fight by knowing that our Father in heaven is the God of all comfort and that He is our strength in times of heartache and trouble. Hold onto Psalm 147:3 and Revelation 21:4, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds…He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
Heartbreak Battle – Fight by lifting your head. Remember Psalm 34:18, “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
Waiting Battle – Fight by waiting with unwavering faith. Jeremiah 17:7 says, “But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.”
Hopeless and Despair Battle – Fight with this self-reflective question and quick response. Psalm 43:5 says, “Why are you in despair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God, because I will praise him once again, since his presence saves me and he is my God.” (renew your mind and shift to praise and trust)
Fear Battle – Fight with courage. Isaiah 41:10 says, “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you with my victorious right hand.” (know that God is a BIG God and He's got you)
People Issues Battle – Fight with forgiveness and love. Ephesians 4:31-32 and Ephesians 5:2 tells us, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God has forgiven you…Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ.”
Marital Battle – Fight with the truth in knowing that your husband is not your enemy. Ephesians 6:12 says, “For we are not fighting against flesh and blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in heavenly in the places.”
Personally, I just went through a mini-battle with my husband this past weekend. We got into an argument over an issue that was pretty big to both of us. We raised our voices and left the conversation pretty upset and unresolved (which I don’t like). But guess what? We both went and took a ride (not knowing that we'd driven near the same area). Crazy right?
But seriously, we got away from the argument for a bit and from each other. I drove and prayed. I renewed my mind and asked the Lord to forgive me for things I said, but I also forgave my husband for things he said. I came back and humbly showed love and so did he. We weren’t upset and bitter with each other any longer. We allowed space, prayer, time, humility, love, and the Word of God to actively win that battle.
Life is hard sometimes, sis. But Jesus encourages us to take heart. So take heart, my sister-friend. Fight your battles through prayer, encouragement of others, the Holy Spirit, and the Word of God. And remember, in the end we are victorious and overcomers!
Also, remember that Jesus Christ is coming back soon. And those who endure unto the end shall be saved. So, let’s be ready from the Inside Out!
~Courtnaye
Question: Are you in a battle right now? If so, how are you working through it? If you need prayer, you can email me directly and I will pray for you at insideoutwithcourtnaye@gmail.com.
*MARRIED Women or if you've been married and in need of healing or restoration, there is a marriage conference coming up November 5th & 6th, 2021. I will be one of the speakers. You can attend for FREE. Here is the link to register...here.
For more resources or to book me for your next LIVE or virtual women's conference, visit www.courtnayerichard.com TODAY!
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Courtnaye Richard is the founder of Inside Out with Courtnaye, a ministry that helps women grow in their walk with Christ from the heart and equips them to fulfill their God-given purpose. She is also the author of the book, IDENTIFIED: Knowing Who You Are in Christ and Moving Forward in Your Purpose. Courtnaye is married with three beautiful children and is a contributing writer for ibelieve.com, Women’s Ministry Tools, speaker of a host of women’s conferences, and her blog reaches thousands of women across the globe. She resides in the beautiful Texas Hill Country (outside of Austin, Texas).
Courtnaye Richard is the founder of Inside Out with Courtnaye, a ministry that helps women grow in Christ, character, and calling. She is an author and sought-out speaker. Her speaking appearances include She Speaks, Hope*Writers Tuesday Teaching, Christian Parenting Conference, and Entrusted Women’s Conference. In addition, her blog and podcast, Inside Out with Courtnaye reaches thousands of women across the globe! She is also the founder of the faith-based marketing and mentorship agency, Inside Out Media Group, LLC, where she’s worked with platforms such as PBS, CBN, TCT Networks, and Yahoo. Connect with her at www.courtnayerichard.com or on Instagram @insideoutwithcourtnaye.
Click here to see the full list of Inside Out with Courtnaye episodes!
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