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Volume 10, Issue 22: Declare Victory in the Middle of the Fight

There's power in declaring victory in the middle of a struggle. This is a strategy we need to practice more frequently than not. Many times when going through a fight, we put all our focus on the fight and getting past it. We forget to recount to God all the victories He has given us in past battles.

Praising God in the now while the waters are rising up against you rather than just at the end when He has calm the waters is the mature way to carry ourselves in the midst of struggles. Anyone can celebrate and praise God when everything has worked out in their favour. We need rise above the struggle and declare victory because we know the One who has given us victory time and time again before.

The language David used throughout the Psalms is interesting. I couldn't put it any better than the way Katie Torwalt put it in a devotional about a song. "In the Psalms, there are moments when David is completely vulnerable about his fears, frustrations and worries. Then in the next moment or chapter you see again his faith and hope restored. Sometimes it's after God has come through, but a lot of times it's in the middle of the fight when he remembers and reminds himself that God will both fight for him and rescue him."

I used to get confused when I would read David complaining about God abandoning him only for him to end the chapter with praise of God's faithfulness. Then I understood this was the kind of man he was, a man after God's own heart. A man who knew how to keep his worship flowing despite the troubles he was engulfed in.

In that song devotional, Katie illustrated how David would say things that you expect to hear after a victory. But it was actually David declaring God's deliverance from the middle of a struggle, where he needs help and deliverance. I wondered why he did that. Then I saw that David had learnt to trust God in the process. So in those instances, he was actually talking to himself, reminding himself of his history with God.

As a parent, I would feel bad if my child came to me to ask for something but left my presence downcast after I responded to look into it. This would be upsetting because I expect my child to know from his/her past experience with me that I care about him/her and would do all I can to help him/her. David portrayed a healthy son and Father relationship that we expect to see in our children's relationship with us, but should more importantly expect of ourselves in our relationship with God.

What I have learnt in my recent experiences is to trust God in the now. Not just at the end when everything feels great, but in the middle of a struggle and anxiety. He is faithful to come through. Rarely does it look the way we thought He would, but He is always working behind the scenes. God is always in the middle of it. He is always with us in the fight. So trust Him to bring victory. When we trust, we cannot help but lift up our worship, and declare victory right there in the middle of the fight.

 

For His Glory,

Lillian Chebosi