Proverbs 24:6
Fight your battles with wise counsel.
We all seek peace. We all want to get to the place where we can just sit back, relax, rest on the porch, and spend the rest of our lives doing nothing other than listening to the birds sing their beautiful spring songs. However, for most of us, outside of retirement that is, the reality is something much different. For some reason or another life never seems to let up. There always seems to be a challenge before us. There always seems to be a battle to engage in one way or another, and I believe that this proverb gives us two keys to victory.
The first one is found in the initial phrase of the verse, “Fight your battles”. Victory is made for the brave, not the cowardly in heart. The battle will not shrink away into a corner just because we choose to ignore it. Whenever a difficulty in life presents itself to us, we must stand face to face with it and fight the challenge with all the strength we have in us. We can’t win a game in which we don’t play, nor can we win a fight in which we are not engaged. Also, notice whose battles they are, “your battles”. We must take ownership of our place in life. I can’t fight someone else’s battles for them, nor can they for me. I must take responsibility for that of my own. We must say in our heart, “This one is mine!” Not only is the battle ours, but always the victory!
My dad used to tell me, “Son, never go to a fist fight alone. Always take a friend with you.” He was so right. Your battles in life will never come to the fight alone, nor should you. The greatest boxers of all time have always had a world class trainer to guide them before, and also between each round of the fight. The next key to our victory is found in the second part of the verse that says, “…with wise counsel”. In other words, don’t go alone, and bring someone who understands your battle. There is no worse place in the world that being in a fight without anyone to stand with you in your corner. That is one reason why our justice system makes sure that everyone has some sort of representation in court, no matter how horrible a crime the person might be accused of. In this case the best representation you could ever have on your side is a person or group of people that have the wisdom and knowledge to instruct you to victory.
I want you to know that there is someone waiting and ready to stand with you right now in your corner. All you need to do is ask! He loves you more than you will ever know. He is God! He has all the wisdom and strength you could ever possibly need to win every single fight that might ever come your way! Listen to this encouraging word that God gives his young apprentice Joshua in Joshua 1:9 saying, “Didn’t you go at my command? So be strong and of a good courage; don’t be afraid, neither become dismayed: for God is with you wherever you go!”
Live Wise,
Pastor LaVaughn