(November 19, 2023) Angeline Selvakumari shares important points…

Going to visit a friend recently I was relying on Google Maps for directions but ended up getting lost! Admittedly GM was trying to guide me on the best route, but it was not ideal and I found myself going in circles and beginning to lose patience.

While waiting unsure at a traffic light, I asked a cyclist in front of me for directions. To my relief, he offered to lead the way. I decided to completely ignore my navigation system because I had confidence in the person I was following. He knew the way very well having been there before.

It was such a relief to have someone to rely on for guidance!

• Have you ever wished that you had someone like this to navigate your life?
• Someone who could make tough, complex decisions on your behalf, and all you had to do was follow?
• Christians have someone like that— Jesus. He knows our past, present, and even our future.

Jesus has been to our tomorrows already. He knows everything even before it happens to us. This is because He chose us before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4) and has a beautiful plan for each of us.

• Jeremiah 29:11 declares,‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’
• No matter what transpires, our lives will undoubtedly follow the plan that the Almighty has set for us.
• This encompasses the good, the challenging, and the unfavourable aspects of life.

1. Fight the ‘Good Fight’!
It’s crucial to recognise that even situations we perceive as challenging, confronting, and confusing ultimately work for our benefit. God has summoned each of us to be warriors, not worriers. But… frequently, life’s trials may lead us to despair and losing sight of our life’s purpose.

Our current life is transient, serving as a training ground for the eternal life to come. As Paul says in 1 Timothy 6:12, the purpose of our existence is to enter into eternal life, writing: ‘Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession…’

But how can we wage this noble battle? Exclusively through faith. Without faith, we are unable to fight this righteous fight, we cannot secure eternal life. This implies that we are missing out on the very purpose of our existence. Psalm 144:1 states, ‘Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle. ‘

God will empower us to confront life’s challenges as godly warriors. Rest assured, we are under the guidance of an ‘all-knowing commander.’ Therefore, never give up!

Remember, we’re fighting a battle, already won by our Lord Jesus on Calvary’s cross.

2. Weapons for fighting!
In order to fight the good fight, God has given us powerful equipment. ‘The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds’ (2 Corinthians 10:4).

Strongholds, whether sin, bondage, or generational curses can make us feel like failures. If you see a repeated pattern of sickness or brokenness in your family, it’s time to use these weapons. Claim victory using the blood of Jesus that was shed for us at Calvary. Let God fight the battles!

But note:
(i) Not every battle need be fought!
Some battles or challenges come to distract us from the main one so we need to learn to choose our battles wisely. Don’t waste energy, time, and strength in fighting unwanted battles.

If we engage in every battle that comes against us, we will become exhausted and worn out. We will miss out on the actual battle — fulfilling your calling in God whatever it may be — that God has called us to fight.

(ii) Greater the calling, greater the challenges!
When God calls you for a great commission, there will be challenges that try to stop you from fulfilling it. However, if we focus too much on the challenges, we will miss the blessings that lie behind them.

The story of David and Goliath illustrates this beautifully. Goliath challenged the army of Israel to engage in a one-on-one fight relentlessly shouting and cursing them for 40 days, causing great fear among the Israelites. Whenever they caught sight of Goliath, they all fled in terror (I Samuel 17:24).

However, let’s examine David’s response in I Samuel 17:26… ‘Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?’ If we closely analyse his reaction, we can observe David’s war strategy. David could not tolerate the Philistine’s sidetracking words and connects the problem with his God, refusing to let anyone speak against Him. In David’s eyes, this battle is no longer his, but God’s.

Often, we try to take our battles into our own hands and fight them. Dear readers, I urge you to surrender your battles to the Lord, who is a mighty warrior. He will fight on your behalf. Unfortunately, we often exhaust ourselves by attempting to handle everything independently, which can lead to weariness and sometimes even walking away from our faith.

3. All things work for good!
God had a specific, divine plan in bringing David to the battlefield. Although David initially believed he was merely delivering food to his brothers, this was the first step towards making David king of Israel. He didn’t have a clue at that time. God had an incredible plan and blessing in store for him, but he first had to face a challenge, a battle.

This parallels our own lives in many ways. Most often we get carried away by the battles instead of focusing on the blessings that lie ahead.

God wanted David to confront Goliath in the battle. It was part of His divine plan. However, Satan always seeks to disrupt God’s plan in our lives.

4. Learn to turn away!
While David was speaking with great passion and zeal, he heard a distracting voice. I Samuel 17:28 tells that ‘When Eliab, David’s oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger. He asked David – “Why have you come down here and with whom did you leave those few sheep in the desert?”’ Eliab accused David of being conceited and having a wicked heart, suggesting that he had come only to watch the battle.

This accusation was sharp and hurtful. David, unable to comprehend why he was being treated this way or accused in such a manner, asked what he had done wrong. He questioned why he wasn’t even allowed to speak. Eventually, David decided to turn away from the situation, as mentioned (v30). This verse resonates with me because sometimes we need to learn to turn away or walk away — we don’t always need to engage in every battle that comes our way!

David had the option to stand there and argue with his brother, defending himself against false accusations. He had every right to do so, considering that he was blamed and humiliated in front of so many people. However, David chose not to fight. Instead, he decided to walk away.

5. Don’t waste your battle field!
Dear friends, may God grant us the wisdom to walk away from certain situations. You are all called for a greater purpose, so don’t let ‘Eliab-type words’ distract you from what you were called to do, whatever that may be. Instead of fighting against the ‘Eliabs’ in our lives, let’s should focus our efforts on facing the ‘Goliaths.’

It is common for us to encounter obstacles and opposition when we make significant decisions to live for the Lord. If we let their accusations and negativity consume us, our enthusiasm, dedication, and zeal may sizzle out.

If David had begun answering all Eliab’s accusing questions, he would be fighting with Eliab rather than Goliath. His purpose in coming to the battlefield would not have been fulfilled. When God calls you to fight against some Goliath, do not waste your time with Eliabs. Choose your battles wisely. Our battle is not to fight with the Eliabs of the world, but against the ‘Goliaths.’ Learn to walk away!

6. Learn to run towards!
We need to learn when to walk away and when to run towards.

(i) When everyone was running away from Goliath, David ran towards him (v 48).
(ii) Learn to choose your battles.
(iii) Ignore words of discouragement, accusation, lies, humiliation, and focus on your calling.
(iv) Know the purpose of your life and run towards it.
(v) Don’t give up!

David knew how to choose his battles from a very early age. He had to fight battles continuously throughout his life, not only on the battlefield with his enemies, but earlier with beasts of the field, and later with his close family member.

7. Direct your battles to the Lord!
In 2 Samuel 16, we see an older, mature, exhausted David. He is now running away from his son Absalom, who has sneakily been taking over his kingdom. At a time when he thought he could rest, relax, and rely on his children, he had to run to save his life! David was physically, mentally, and emotionally worn out.

Then he meets Shimei, a family member of Saul, who uses very strong words to shout and curse him… ‘Get out, get out, you man of blood, you scoundrel! The Lord has repaid you for all the blood you shed in the household of Saul, in whose place you have reigned. The Lord has handed the kingdom over to your son Absalom. You have come to ruin because you are a man of blood’ (2 Samuel 16:7-8).

Can you imagine how David would have felt after doing all this for the people of Israel and for the family of Saul? He was still accused of being a murderer and a traitor! I cannot imagine the pain and agony David was going through. Maybe as you are reading this, you’re saying, ‘This sounds so much like my life! After I have done all this, all I get is a mouthful of abuse and accusation. I surely don’t deserve this!’

Anyone in David’s place would normally have started to yell or fight back at Shimei, justifying themselves. In fact, one of David’s men says, ‘Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head (I Samuel 16:9). But look at the amazing response of David… he connects his problems and challenges to God, saying that the Lord has told Shimei to speak/curse as he did (v11), and adds ‘It may be that the Lord will look on my misery and restore to me his covenant blessing instead of his curse today’ (v12).

David is declaring that the Lord would repay him for the pain he was going through, that God had allowed it to happen. We need to have this assurance… that ‘Nothing will happen in my life unless the Lord allows it, and if He has allowed it, it will have a blessing at the end.’

Dear friends, even our Lord had to choose His battles. When He was questioned, the Bible says Jesus remained ‘silent’ except one time. Likewise, we need to learn to be silent and let God fight our battles. May the Lord give us the grace to choose our battles.

Let God be God! Let Him navigate your life!

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Pastor Angeline Selvakumari is Chief Editor Echo of His Call, India’s Spiritual Newspaper, and Dr S Sam Selva Raj’s daughter. In furthering Echo of His Call ministries, established 1969, Dr Sam is daily broadcasting 5-minute messages in Hindi, Tamil and English on YouTube, trusting the Lord to provide for the costs. Link: sam@echoofhiscall.org  
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