Our Battles start when our Eyes Open each Morning—R Fritz
Every morning when I wake up my mind is thinking about somebody or something that has happened the day before. That is because when we are surrendered, our thoughts are on God’s business, sometimes my personal business comes up but usually it is part of God’s business. Corinthians 10:3-5 says “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” Our thoughts must obey God and come in alignment, that is why we are surrendered. This morning I had plans for the day but the weather was keeping me from starting my plans. I received a phone call that would completely change my day. I knew immediately I needed to go to the hospital and started to make phone calls before and as I was leaving. It was somebody close that was in the ICU at the hospital. It was possible life or death where there were no answers. When I got to the hospital, I looked at the situation and the person and did not understand what was going on so I asked. I saw this person the day before who was leaving the hospital this morning. They were now unresponsive to anybody on a machine to give air to help with breathing. If this did not work this person would be on life support. It was shortly after this the doctor started showing this person’s medical history and told us we had better start thinking about what we were going to do if things did not work out and we would have to decide what we going to do about life support. The doctor also started to talk about faith and the people around me told him that I was a chaplain. The doctor said to me “You know all about that.” Thinking about it now and looking at the doctor I would not have expected it from him.
The interesting thing about this situation was I was completely at peace with this situation, The Holy Spirit had the situation under control in the Spirit. The battle was handled on my way to the hospital as I was praying and talking to the Holy Spirit. I was talking to the Holy Spirit also about if things did not work out. I learned when I have peace God has it under control in the past, but you always hope that is the outcome when you have such peace. Hebrews 11:1 says “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” My faith sustained the hope I had as I was looking at the things, I was seeing where no answers were given, and what I was seeing was moving in both directions. A test was ordered to check to see if the machine was doing what it was supposed to do. The results were that the machine had done what was asked but this person would not wake up. Different tests were done with results not known for a few hours. Just before we left this person woke up for about 30 seconds and responded by shaking their head. I was asked to pray before we left and part of my prayer was when we came back this person would be awake telling us all about what had happened. About an hour later I got a phone call. This person was wide awake, the machine turned off, and was told the nurse said it was a miracle. The next morning this person looked and acted better than I can remember.
I have seen God do many things in the over 20 years I have known him. I have seen so many things that miracles have become normal to me but they were for other people. Sometimes it was for the Holy Spirit speaking through me to get people to get out of bed as they were told they were going to die by doctors or nurses. I have a different mindset than most people, it is that God will use me any time I leave my house. That is my expectation every day when I leave, it does not necessarily happen every time I leave. I usually end up talking to somebody.
What the Holy Spirit reminded me of before I went to bed “was the rest of the story.” This morning because of the weather I had time to watch a recorded version of the television show “Touched by an Angel.” It was one of almost fifty that were recorded over a couple of weeks. This show was about going to a bar to give away a miracle. Nobody wanted that miracle and they gave excuses why they did not want it until a guy who went to prison for many years for shooting and paralyzing the bar owner said he would use it to give the owner the ability to walk again. Monica the angel said that would not help him because of his issues of having to forgive him. The miracle was the gift of God’s love. I really started to think deeply about what was said to try to understand the meaning of what I heard. That was deep so the Holy Spirit revealed it by giving me understanding. It was the miracle that his ability to walk would not change his life as much as God’s love does for everybody that gets it which will take us to eternity.
Our battle every day starts with us getting our head straight first thing in the morning and mentally we are ready to go. For me, it is going over what happened the day before with the Holy Spirit where I get answers to questions as to what I saw and what happened where the Holy Spirit explains and gives understanding to the spiritual things I see. We cannot win a spiritual battle without having a relationship with the Holy Spirit. John 14:26-27 says “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” What I have seen is our battle starts before we are engaged that is why prayer needs to start when our eyes open because we do not know if it will be loved ones or friends that get attacked spiritually but the evidence is seen physically or mentally.
The battle is won or lost in the Spirit. Prayer wins battles and we need to be prepared for whatever happens. Our family members who do not know God need our prayers. They need some spiritual things to happen and need to converse with us but we need to keep our spiritual eyes sharp and focused on our family and friends so the battle that happens is fought and won in the Spirit before we see the battle in the flesh happening. Our God has fought the battle we just need to live through it. God knows what storm is coming in our life, we just need to be ready spiritually. We must stay strong and be ready for the battle. God Bless.
