The Battle is Won

Today in church while learning about how the disciples often forgot how powerful Jesus truly is, my pastor was trying to make a point and told the congregation a short story about the leader of the 16th century Reformation, Martin Luther.

Here is the story my pastor told us:
The Reformation was the birth of the Protestant church. Martin Luther found many flaws within the western catholic church and decided to tackle these problems head on. Like any leader, Luther went through trying times. His attitude changed and he was beginning to be discouraged, so one day he came home to see his wife dressed in black from head-to-toe.
Luther asked his wife why she was mourning and she replied, "I am mourning because there has been a death." When Luther asked for the name of the deceased, his wife answered, "God."

Luther began rebuking her saying that God is eternal and powerful and that death cannot overcome him. He warned her against such blasphemes. Then his wise wife said, "Lately, you have been acting as if God is dead. Your attitude is so downcast that it seems as though you are serving a powerless God."

From that moment, the Reformation took a 180 degree turn and the world has never been the same since.

When facing battles, we often act as if we have lost. We act as though we are on the losing side. God has triumphed. He has already won.

"We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed." --2 Corinthians 4:8-9

The Bible never tells us that this life is going to be easy. We are going to be hard pressed on every side, we are going to be perplexed, we are going to be persecuted, we are going to be struck down. We aren't in Heaven yet, so all of these things will happen. It's a promise.

But, along with that promise comes another promise: you will not be crushed, you will not be in despair, you will not be abandoned, and you will not be destroyed. He's there with you through it all and is never going to leave you alone.
“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” --Hebrews 13:5

So why do we act as if we have lost?  "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." --John 16:33

God is alive and well. He has triumphed, He has overcome, and He is never going to leave you. And because of this, we rejoice in any kind of trouble because we know the end result: Through HIM who strengthens us, we will overcome.
Fight on my brothers and sisters; the battle is won!

--Taleen Afsharian