Heart Tracks - Battle Cry

"Your Kingdom come. Your will be done." Mattthew 6:10......"God's will is not an itinerary but an attitude." Andrew Dhuse...."(The prayer) calls for God to make His Kingdom manifest in this enemy territory, taking ground that the adversary has stolen. It is specific and assertive, a battle cry against everything that is not His will. It is war." Chris Tiegreen

In the Garden, Jesus prayed, "Not My will, but Your will be done" How often have we prayed that same thing, yet did not possess in our heart what the King surely did in His? When we pray it, we tend to see it as yielding, oftentimes just resigning ourselves to what He wants. We accept His will, but our will is often not invested in that. That was not what was in Christ's prayer. The prayer of Jesus brought the Kingdom of God into violent conflict with the kingdom of the enemy, and of this world. Our view too often is one where we accept His will, but remain neutral observers of how He brings His about. We're not really involved. That was not the heart motive of Christ at all.

Tiegreen says that when we say "not my will be done," we are also saying, "not the enemy's will be done," either. It's a declaration of war. On every plane where satan seeks to advance his agenda, in our individual lives, our families and relationships, our communities, our nations, and above all, in the Church, we counter with the power of that simple but mighty prayer, "Thy will be done!" The enemy's intentions are blocked, his power blunted. His will must shrink back as the infinite power of God and His will advance. It's a battle cry. A cry that strikes fear into the devil's heart, and emboldens and empowers ours.

Rome was the mightiest power of the ancient world. There was an eastern ruler of great power who saw himself as a conqueror. He assembled an army and began to advance westward. His march would eventually bring him into conflict with Rome itself. In response, Rome sent two representatives who met that army on their way. They simply said to the potentate, "The Senate and people of Rome say to you that you shall go no further. Turn back, or be destroyed." The ruler, faced with the undeniable power of Rome, turned back. Such is the power of our prayer when we speak into the seemingly impossible situations and needs that face us, our loved ones, our culture, and the Body of Christ, the Church. The enemy assembles his forces and might, but all that is needed to put him to flight are two; you, me, any believer, and Christ who stands with us. His will be done, the enemy's will crushed.

Every day, the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness clash. Conflict between them is unavoidable. In fact, He expects us to run to that battle. All the while we're to speak, shout our battle cry; "Thy will be done," and the enemy's will defeated. The enemy of our soul can stand against us, but he can never stand against the One who is with us, around us, before us, and above all, in us. Where's the enemy advancing in your life, in your family, community, and in your church fellowship? What ground has he stolen. Are you ready to take it back? Meet him head on, armed with all the weapons of the Kingdom, boldly proclaiming, "Your will be done," and at the same time saying, "Devil, your will will never be done!" Spiritual warriors are few, and the number decreases steadily. Yet the battle rages on. Will you run to it, or shrink back from it. Or worse, simply watch from the side as others fight for you and all that is at stake. The King has raised his battle flag. Do you and I rally to it, or melt away from it?

Blessings,
Pastor O