Opposition and balance

To him who overcomes ….. Revelation 2:7

For the past week I’ve been in a physical health battle. Fever, body aches, cough, sore throat and overall feeling crappy. Ever since I’ve been a young child my immune system has never been great. (I’m reminded of Paul’s thorn in the flesh) I’m very aware of how I have to maintain good health habits, yet I still fall into sickness even though I’m doing everything I know how to do to maintain a body that keeps decaying towards dust. His grace is sufficient for me. This life really is about balance. Life without war is impossible in the natural and supernatural. There is a daily struggle in the physical, mental, moral, and spiritual aspects of our lives. 

Physical health has to do with a balance between the physical part of my body and all the external things and forces surrounding me. Add in increasing age to the balance and it becomes even more precarious. To maintain good health I have to have enough sufficient internal strength to fight the external. Everything in the external is leading and pushing me to my physical death. The very elements that sustain me now while I’m alive work to disintegrate my body when it’s dead. I have to have enough strength within my body to fight to keep the balance. 

The same is true in the mental life. If I want to maintain a strong mental state, I have to fight. The struggle should produce balance within us. The thought life is definitely a war zone / battle field. Maintaining a good thought life has to do with bringing every thought captive to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5) 

Then there is also the moral war of values. Here is a hard truth… anything that doesn’t strengthen me morally is the enemy of my virtue within me. Whether I overcome, therefore producing virtue,  will depend on the level of moral excellence in my life currently. Sometimes this too is a daily battle, especially with the influx of social media and all the other voices pouring into our lives daily. Again, we have to fight to be moral. Morality doesn’t happen by accident; moral virtue is acquired. 

All of this then should not be a surprise that the spiritual realm is also the same. 

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

We have to learn to fight against those things which come against us, and that way produce the balance of holiness. Eventually then meeting the opposition could become a …delight. As I write that knowing that it is true, even though I’m still fighting for that truth to be a reality within myself. 

All of this of course is taught to us by the constant companionship and daily communion with the indwelling Presence of the Holy Spirit within us. It quickly becomes His strength, His instructions, His way, His path… for each of us individually.

Fight on… for your King!