The Invisible Battle

The Invisible Battle

Tracie Miles

It was a dream.

I was in a field in the middle of the night. Only moonbeams pierced the dark. Out of nowhere, unseen forces pressed me to the ground. Hatred spewed from the invisible evil. Fear encompassed me. I sensed God whispering that His Word was my only hope. I knew His truths held power over this wickedness.

As could only happen in a dream, I suddenly shrunk to the size of a pencil. I threw myself onto an open Bible, grabbed a handful of pages, and rolled. The papers tore from the binding as I wrapped myself tightly in God’s Word. Instantly, the enemies retreated.

I woke up to my rapid heartbeat and the 3:00 a.m. blackness. My thoughts stumbled over one another. Although I knew I was safe in my own bed, my heart was ravaged by the battle in my dream. I spent the next hour talking with Jesus. The fears, hurts, and longings of my heart overflowed. After a while, a sense of peace washed over me—one I hadn’t experienced in a long time.

You see, my family and I had been engaged in fierce spiritual warfare. The past year had been marked by harsh blows. Instead of naming it for what it was, I’d attributed the onslaught of hardships to “life.” Through the dream, God showed me that we were under oppression. He helped me see I’d been trudging through life unknowingly carrying the crushing weight of disappointment, resentment, and stress.

Negative emotions that stemmed from being hurt by someone I loved, family concerns, as well as discouragement about our circumstances had erected a barrier between God and me. I’d grown weary of praying prayers that seemed to go unheard. Feelings overshadowed faith. And I’d been handling these adversities alone, rather than seeking God’s wisdom. As a result, I’d given the devil a foothold. Devoting so much time to focusing on my circumstances and feelings had inadvertently minimized the time I spent focusing on God’s Word.

Although I felt alone, God had never left my side. Deep down I knew that only He had the power to release me from my oppression. Through the dream, God helped me to see I had not been using the right weapons to fight this battle. His sword—the Bible—was what I needed to deliver me from the oppression, just as Ephesians 6:17 affirms.

Victory can only be found by spending time with Jesus and choosing His Word as our weapon. God never leaves us to fight battles alone. His Word tells us many times that the battle is His, but we must choose to wrap ourselves in His truth and believe He’s our protector who will fight to the death for His children.

In fact, He already has.

Dear Lord, set me free from the grip the enemy has on my heart. Forgive me for thinking I could fight this battle on my own. When I am afraid, help me to wrap myself in Your Word. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

REMEMBER

Spiritual warfare is real. Equipping yourself with the sword of God, His Word, is the weapon that will help you fight strongly in faith against the unseen enemy.

REFLECT

Could the weight of spiritual warfare be the cause of any oppression you’ve been feeling recently? What part of the armor of God covers the oppression you’re under?

RESPOND

In what new ways can you begin wrapping yourself in God’s Word and protecting yourself in this battle between good and evil? Pick a practice or two (memorizing Scripture or praying it, for example) and weave it into your daily routine.

POWER VERSES

Ephesians 6:13–18; Proverbs 4:23