Are We Battling in the Pit—or Succumbing?

I have to ask myself this very question going through every situation that seems to knock the very breath out of me—spiritually speaking.

Years ago, while in the middle of a particular “battle” as it were, I remember a phone call with my mother. I was firmly planted in a pit.

I had done pretty much like Beth Moore described in her book, “Get Out of That Pit”. I had decorated it…tried to make it pretty….but that didn’t change what it was, nor what it was doing to me. I had a party going on all the time!

A “pity party”. Or, say it like this: “A Pit for me Party”.

And I wasn’t budging anytime soon. Mother tried her best motherly advice—all her cajoling, her “peppy words”, everything a good mother could and would say to a child (no matter the age), firmly entrenched in the depths of her personal pit.

Finally, in desperation to get her to leave me alone I said, “Mother. Stop. I’m having a pity party-and I’m not done. When I’m done, I will get out. Please let me finish”.

That is pretty much how parties in my pit went. When I had had enough…and the prayers of a faithful mother—who refused to let her daughter continue—but sought God on her behalf had been ushered up to Glory and heard by the King (Psalm 34:1-7), I would come to my senses and seek God for myself and –HE reaching down—the hand that had always been extended, would help me “out” of the pit.

This morning, my pit experiences came to mind as I prayed for and thought of some others who are current pit dwellers. Be it either by way of a stronghold of the flesh, mind or spirit…it can be a place so deep—that we cannot see the light of day…Nor the LIGHT that permeates every dark place.

What I did was succumb. I was satisfied that this was the place I would dwell the rest of my days. In a battle of the mind.

Others battle things that many of us are familiar with. Be it tobacco, drugs, alcohol, perversions of the flesh, depression, anxiety, panic attacks, the list goes on and on…they are all life affecting, life altering and life diminishing existences in a pit. Satan desires to destroy us…God desires to bring us out of those times and places and restore our purpose and vision greater and brighter than before.

Many things I have experienced that others have not. MANY things I have NOT experienced that others have. Each life has it’s own exposure to plots created and planned by the enemy—who knows our weakness and that is the very tool he uses to try and bring about our demise.

BUT we don’t have to stay in that battle—and when we realize that as a child of the Most High God—this not our battle to fight, but His—then we are on steady feet—and the path is clearer. 2 Chronicles 32:7-8 records these words by Hezekiah. “Be strong and courageous! Don’t be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria or his mighty army, for there is a power far greater on our side! He may have a great army, but they are merely men. We have the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles for us!”…(NLT)

Tell me, if after reading those words from Hezekiah, don’t you feel strengthened? Don’t you feel a Source greater than your own might envelope you with might and strength? I do. I see more clear. The dust from the battle ground settles and I see more clear the plot and plan of the enemy—and I know now what to do.

Pray. Fight. Suit up with the armor that is laid out in the Word in Ephesians 6:12-18.

People. We’ve got a battle to fight—and it must be fought daily. There is not a single place where we can lay aside our sword, helmet or breastplate and take ease. This war will continue until the Day of Christ’s Return. (Revelation 1:7) The walls of the pit will get higher—more slippery—harder to scale, while we sit idly by and not do our part.

Complacency in the pit will lead to eternal death and damnation. Complacency leads to a lukewarm existence…and that existence nauseates God to the point of vomiting.

Get up. Get out. Gear up! Arm yourself (I say this to myself as well!) with the weapons that we are instructed to use against the enemy! (Ephesians 6:14-18)

In 2 Corinthians, Paul addresses the spiritual war. (10:3-6 NKJV) “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.”

An excerpt from NKJV Study Bible footnotes: “strong holds…high thing: Overlooking ancient Corinth was a hill 1,857 feet high. On top of it was a fortress. Paul used that imagery as an illustration of the spiritual warfare he waged. He destroyed strongholds, cast down towers, and took captives. The fortress, towers, and captives represent the arguments, thoughts and plans that Paul was opposing. Paul cast down all rationalizations. He took captive to the obedience of Christ every perception and intention of the heart that was against God. Our actions reveal our thoughts. We should not cling to thoughts that do not conform to the life and teachings of Christ. Paul did not walk according to the flesh.”

Our actions reveal our thoughts. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” (emphasis mine)

Thinking defeated thoughts is allowing the enemy to plant seeds of doom. Seeds that will not grow and become what God intended when you began your journey with Him. You can’t give in to the enemy in your thought life and win a battle. It just won’t happen.

I speak from experience in this! Too many times I allowed thoughts of defeat, doubt, fear, or flesh to enter in the picture God was working on in my life. At those points I think He halted His brush strokes—in mid-air. I think perhaps He was saying, “Angie, until you settle “who you are in Me, We can’t finish what We started.”

What are you trying to settle in your heart and mind? Do you know who you are in Christ? Are you aware of the armor that has been made available to you—to enable you to fight well and WIN?