Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

This week, we’ll seek wisdom from God regarding things we misunderstand. On this day we celebrate the life and legacy of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, it seems fitting that we seek clarity on our misunderstanding of the battles in our lives.

Ephesians 6:12 (ERV)…
Our fight is not against people on earth. We are fighting against the rulers and authorities and the powers of this world’s darkness. We are fighting against the spiritual powers of evil in the heavenly places.

Consider…
This weekend was Super Wildcard Weekend in the NFL and there were winners and losers. Despite the euphoria of the winning team and the disappointment of the losing one, many of the players on the opposing teams have close, off the field relationships with each other. For sixty minutes they’re enemies, and a little longer until the sting of defeat wears off. However, their relationship as friends resumes after the battle is over. As fans, we forget at times, IT’S JUST A GAME.

In the same manner as misguided fans of sports teams misunderstand losing battles, believers in Jesus Christ often misunderstand the battles we face here on earth. We misidentify who our true enemy is, and the location of the battle, thus we end up expending useless energy fighting wrong battles.

Today’s familiar scripture says, “We are fighting against the spiritual powers of evil in the heavenly places.”

Perhaps one of the reasons we misunderstand our battles is because our vision is askew. We’re looking in the wrong place before the battle begins. We haven’t heeded the exhortation in Colossians 3:2 (NLT)…
Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.

If in fact the battle is happening in heavenly places as today’s scripture asserts, then us focusing on what we see here on earth is akin to showing up to the wrong arena to play the game. No wonder at times we feel embarrassed and all alone. We’re in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Another reason we fight the wrong battle is because we misidentify our true opponent. Revisiting our sports analogy, as fans we see the battle as one between the players on the field. However, although the players recognize it’s our team versus the other team, they play the game focused on executing their coach’s game plan. They don’t focus solely on how they see their opponent, rather they trust on their coach and obey him/her. You see both opposing coaches have scouted each other’s teams and designed a game plan to win the game. Within their game plans are specific roles and responsibilities for their players, that fans are not aware of. However, the players know that the key to victory requires their total commitment and obedience (execution) to the coach’s plans. Here’s the secret, players know that if you follow the coach’s plan, he/she is responsible for the outcome, but if you do your own thing, you assume that responsibility.

Therefore, when we focus on the people we see rather than on our Coach’s (God) game plan, we assume responsibility and will lose the battle, because only God has the winning game plan. You see God knows our true enemy, the devil, and his same old tactics. Ironically, the devil knows God too, and knows he can’t defeat Him. However, he’s also scouted you and knows that if he can get you to operate outside of God’s winning game plan (disobedience), you can be easily defeated.

Look at the tactics the devil tried to use on Jesus here in the wilderness…

• For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry. During that time the devil came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.” – Matthew 4:2‭-‬3 NLT
• Then the devil took him to the holy city, Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, ‘He will order his angels to protect you. And they will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’” – Matthew 4:5‭-‬6 NLT
• Next the devil took him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. “I will give it all to you,” he said, “if you will kneel down and worship me.” – Matthew 4:8‭-‬9 NLT

The same tactics the devil tried to use on Jesus, are the ones he still uses today, offer the world. This is why God’s plan, in 1 John 2:15‭-‬17 (ERV) of the playbook says…
Don’t love this evil world or the things in it. If you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. This is all there is in the world:

• wanting to please our sinful selves (Lust of the flesh, like tempting Jesus to use His powers to satisfy His hunger)
• wanting the sinful things we see (Lust of the eyes, like showing and offering Jesus the kingdoms of the world)
• and being too proud of what we have. (The boastful pride of life, like challenging Jesus to prove the scriptures by jumping of a mountain for His angels to save Him)

But none of these come from the Father. They come from the world, but the world is passing away. All the things that people want in the world are passing away, but whoever does what God wants will live forever.

The devil simply tries to defeat us by shifting our focus from what pleases God to what pleases us.

That same old, but effective game plan is what we’re truly fighting against. It’s because according to James 1:14‭-‬15 (ERV) in God’s playbook…
You are tempted by the evil things you want. Your own desire leads you away and traps you. Your desire grows inside you until it results in sin. Then the sin grows bigger and bigger and finally ends in death.

The devil shifts our focus to ourselves, thereby leading us to abandon God’s playbook to play the game the way we see fit. When his tactic works, we lose.

By now you have probably figured out the answer. Stay in God’s playbook and execute His plan. Executing His plan guarantees eternal victory, even though there may be some temporal defeats on earth.

So the next battle you face, refocus your mind on where it’s happening and who you’re battling. Don’t go for the devil’s same ol’ okie doke. Rather execute Colossians 3:2‭-‬3 (NASB1995) in God’s playbook…
Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

Speaking of being hidden, God’s game plan emphasizes hiding in Him like the Psalmist in Psalms 61:1‭-‬4 (ERV)…
God, hear my cry for help. Listen to my prayer. From a faraway land I call to you for help. I feel so weak and helpless! Carry me to a high rock where no one can reach me. You are my place of safety, a strong tower that protects me from my enemies. I want to live in your tent forever. I want to hide where you can protect me. Selah

Yeppers, when we understand the true battle is spiritual, we know that the only way to fight is to hide in the Lord, because the battle belongs to Him.

Today’s song is…
Battle Belongs
https://youtu.be/qtvQNzPHn-w?si=Agn07R63Juzq2GSi

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)