EP 20 Do we contend for peace? purpose? freedom? Does our past define us?

After a decade of gathering women together for prayer, we are inspired to bring our words of encouragement to you. This is iRefresh. What I'm going to speak on is contending. And I think it's something we all do, and we all do every day. I mean, we're contending for something. In the past I've heard others talk about contending in the context with prayer or standing for a specific thing or a purpose. And examples of that would be, like in prayer, it would be for a loved one to be saved, to operate in a specific spiritual motivational gift, for our marriages, for our spouses, for kids, those type of things. Other areas where we contend in for a specific thing or purpose would be for peace. I mean, a lot of times, how many times during the day do we have to contend for peace in the midst of the circumstances and everything that we have going on in life? And freedom is another thing we have to contend for. We have to contend to maintain the areas that we've gotten freedom in and continue to contend for those areas we know we need freedom in or we desire freedom in. And so I'd always heard about it and I heard people say, you know, I know you're contending for something and I'm agreeing with you. And it just triggered something inside of me to find out what it means to truly contend for something and how imperative it is in our everyday walk with the Lord. And so I started just by doing, finding out what it means to contend for something, especially in the spirit. It means to be engaged in a fight, to struggle, to strive in opposition or against difficulty, and to compete as in a race, to vie for the prize. And in looking at contending, as you notice, most of it has the word strive in there. So I'm like, okay, what does strive mean? It means to exert oneself vigorously, to try hard, and to make strenuous efforts towards any goal. I'm like, okay, that's what it means to contend. So how do we put that in relation to what we're desiring of God's promises, what we're desiring in our life, the fruits we're desiring to see in our lives, and the things we're desiring to see come about? The Greek root for word contend means to fight or to stand for as well. And all these definitions and origins speak of working against opposition in any form. And if you've ever desired peace, if you've ever desired joy, if you've ever desired comfort, you know it's something you have to buy for. You have to fight for it. You usually have great opposition in obtaining those things. And in all my studies of His Word, I don't know if you guys have found different, but I have never found this to be a one-time course of action, nor that it is always easy. There are instances where He does give us a very quick deliverance or a very quick freedom in an area. And, you know, God does do that, but it's not always the case. And there are other times, at least in my life, where it's taken a continual effort. Sometimes I have not seen the breakthrough in what I was contending for until years later. And so, you know, you have to use your faith and patience to wait on the Lord, to wait on His timing, to wait on His season. And when I was thinking of that, I kept going back to Galatians 9, and we were praying before Cheryl even said the scripture is, Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. So it is a continual effort. It's something continuously that we are going to have to do. In the present form of the word, Psalm 35, 1 and 35, 23, means it is to be a continuous action on our part, not just on the Lord's part, but our part. We have to put forth the effort. In order to finish the race or obtain the goal, we have to maintain our efforts. It's just like if you're racing, even if you have to stop and walk, say you decided to run a marathon, even if you decide to stop and walk a portion, you're still putting action behind it. You may not be going as fast as you'd like or have the time that you want, but you're still putting forth the effort and you're still working towards that finish line. You're still working towards your goal. And one of my greatest examples of contending in the Old Testament can be found in the story of Jacob. I love this story. During this time in biblical history, a lot of emphasis was really put on the meaning of one's name. When they named their child, the meaning, they named it with a purpose. The meaning had a purpose. And it signified their purpose, their inheritance, and their identity. And we know the story of how even in the mother's womb, Jacob and Esau struggled, they were in contention, as well as later they were in contention for Isaac's blessing. They weren't contending for anything, they were in contention for superiority during those times periods. And Jacob's name meant swindler. And that's how he came about the birthright, the firstborn birthright, was he swindled it from his brother. But my reference is in Genesis 32, 24 through 32. I won't read the whole verse, but it was the time frame when Jacob had fallen asleep and in the night a man came and he started wrestling with the man. And he wrestled with him until daybreak. And even when the man tried to get him to stop, Jacob was not letting go. Nothing was going to make him let go. He had something to contend for. There was something he desired, something he wanted, something he was putting every effort towards obtaining. And what was he contending for? Jacob was contending to be free from his past, fear, and free from feeling like a swindler, which is what his name had meant. He didn't want to be someone who didn't deserve to get Isaac's blessing after he had tricked him into believing he was Esau. He wanted an authentic blessing from God. and not one he knew that he didn't deserve. He wanted one that he had actually worked towards, obtained, had put all his effort towards getting. And as a result of his contending, God himself came to reveal Jacob's true identity and to change his name, changing his purpose, changing his inheritance. God changed his name to Israel to mean contender with God. Jacob contending with God and man and had prevailed. And God wanted Jacob to overcome. God wanted Jacob to obtain what he desired, to obtain the promises that God had for him. And it's also too important to note that Jacob strove with God. He wasn't necessarily striving against God. He was striving with God. And he was striving along with God for what God was striving for on Jacob's behalf. Another example would also be Jabez. And he contended in prayer as well for his new identity and inheritance as promised by the Lord. When we study the meaning of contend, we realize that to contend for something such as God's promises are found in His Word. It involves more than having a light, pleasant conversation. It involves more than just speaking out your desires, speaking out what you want, what you desire to see happen. It involves vigor and it involves passion. It's something you're going to have to put an effort towards. You're going to have to reach inside of you, even when you think there's nothing there, and pull it out to just step out in that faith and just to put your heart towards it. And a person who is contending for faith, it's not that you really enjoy the battle. I mean, who really enjoys the battle? I don't necessarily. You know, even when you're wrestling with your kids, it's fun at first, but then it starts hurting or, you know, they get a little out of control. So it's not that you enjoy, you know, truly really getting in the trenches and fighting this. But we engage in it because we're passionate about what we believe. We're passionate about God's promises and His Word. And we think that there are things worth fighting for. I mean, if you're fighting for your spouse, if you're fighting for your marriage, if you're fighting for your kids, any of those things. If you're fighting for a job, any of those areas. And like Candace, you know, fighting for a child. It's an area worth, it is something you totally believe in, you totally want to see come to pass in your life. In the scripture that really came to mind in talking about vigor and talking about passion was Ephesians 6, 10 through 12. And it's finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. And to put on the full armor of God so that we can take our stand against the devil's schemes. Because we all know that once you decide to fight for something, once you decide to contend for something, once you decide that this is the goal you want to obtain, this is the fruit you want to see in your life, this is the gift you want to operate in, that there's going to be great opposition. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, even though sometimes it seems like he uses a lot of flesh and blood to be our opposition. But it is against rulers, against the authorities, and against the powers of the dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. I mean, it's all spiritually founded. I mean, it is all, I mean, a lot of your opposition is spiritual. And to be strong, so this scripture talks about putting on the full armor of God, being equipped, for we are all equipped. I mean, the word throughout, over and over, tells us that we are equipped, that we are prepared. This tells us the promises that we're given, the things that we can walk out in our life. And to be strong in the Lord and to be equipped and to be able to contend and strive for our promises are only possible from the position of faith and patience. And the reason I'm saying patience is because a lot of times you're not going to see it happen the next day. You're not going to see it happen... you know, in a couple hours. Sometimes you do. I think sometimes the Lord does that just to encourage us and just to strengthen us. So He does do that. But in general, it's not going to be something that's going to come about the next day. It is a process. Just like our walk with the Lord is a process. It is, we grow, we change every day. And our position of faith is based on our identity in Christ and who we are in Christ and defining ourselves as daughters of the Lord, defining ourselves as having an Abba Father, defining ourselves as all the gifts that He has given us, all the things that He has given us that we utilize in contending for something and in trying to obtain our goal. And there's no room for faith when we're relying on our own strength. And I think a lot of times we do grow weary and we do start to try to pull on our own strength. Because most of us are very strong. All of us are very strong women. I mean, we're smart. We do well at what we do. It's hard to be in a position of faith and at the same time doing it in your own strength because there's so many things that we do in our own strength. Taking care of our kids, taking care of family, taking care of work, taking care of any of those situations. A lot of times we do it in our own strength. But the Word of God is our source for discerning what our true motives are when contending for our promises found in God's Word. Because that is the other thing, is to be careful what we are contending for. You know, making sure that it is something that the Lord has laid on our heart. It is something that is a promise of God. And the Word is our measurement. It is what we use to test our motives. Um... And that was kind of from Hebrews. It was from Hebrews 4.12. Because it states, For the word of God is living and active, and it's sharper than any double-edged sword. It penetrates even to the dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. So this is how we know that this is what we use. The Word of God, the authority is what we use to test our motives and to lay it before the Lord and make sure that it is something that He wants us to take up and to contend for. Because it is something that you're going to put a lot of effort into. It is something that you're going to expend energy on. It is something that you are going to have to put your hand to. And just really press through. And so you want to make sure that it is something. That the Lord is along with you. And that that faith is going to step in with His to make it come about. And that's why we need to make sure to contend in our spirits in agreement with God. And not striving out of our souls. And that's where it's testing to see if it's not something that's our desire or our want. And we contend in our spirits when we have a foundation of love, trust, and belief in God. We contend it is fueled by our faith in God for the sure attainment of what's hoped for with no set time expectancy. I kind of put that in there, with no set time expectancy. Because, I mean, it is hard not to get impatient when you don't see it come about. And when you, or sometimes when you see something and you think, okay, well, if just this would change, then everything would fall in place. And if I could just get this person to do this one thing, then it would all fall in place. And, you know, not wanting to do it ourselves, not wanting to set things in motion that, you know, we know would bring about the results that we want. But just knowing that, you know, to put our faith, to put our trust, to put our hope in the Lord. And that in conjunction with working with Him, it will come to pass in his perfect timing, his perfect season. And I love that a lot of times it's not the ways that we would see it work. It's not the way that we think it should come to pass or it should happen or you know come into play. If we contend or strive at our own desires or wants then our foundation is usually one of fear or it's motivated by pride. It's also it's a little bit self-centered. I mean we're you know we're wanting it, we're desiring it. Sometimes I used to find myself, well, if I do this, then I can earn God's favor or I can get, you know, maybe He'll love me a little more. And, you know, a lot of times I remember doing that as a kid. It's like, okay, well, if I do this, then my mom will be really proud of me or my dad. But that wasn't the right motivation. That wasn't the right reason to put my hand to something and to really try hard at something. And so that's why I just want you just to, you know, to use the word to test the motivation and to make sure that you are contending out of your spirit with the Lord and not out of your, you know, not out of our own soul, our own desire, our own wants. Because contending is a coordinated effort with the Lord. He contends on our behalf just as we contend in agreement with Him. Because that, I mean, like, you know, those scriptures in Psalm I quoted earlier, those were, contend with those that contend with me. And, you know, it talks about the Lord contending with them on their behalf. When we do that, we find His aid and strength in our bodies and spirits because we are aligned with His heart and will. Because sometimes... You know, it's not only our spirit that grows weary, our bodies do too. I mean, sometimes we just get so tired that you're like, okay, I just, you know, especially like, you know, running the marathon. You're like, okay, I can't take another step. If I lay down right here, I'm going to take a nap, and then maybe I can finish it later. And contending in prayer is like an endless encouragement from the Lord himself. Because while we're contending with God, while our motivations are right, while our spirit is lined up with His, and we're standing on His promises, and we're contending for those things, we come into agreement with God, and the will of God is manifest as an earthly reality. So we actually see it come to pass. here on earth. And so, you know, we'll get to see, you get to look and see in somebody's life something that actually came to pass. Or look in your life and see something that you contended for, that you actually obtained and you actually saw it come to pass. I mean, that just brings such joy to your heart and your spirit and just, you know, it encourages you and it spurs you on for more and just to press for more and to contend for more. The other thing that really hit me as I was, as I was studying this and as I've always kind of studied it before, it's and listen to other people share about contending. What I'm sharing is what I've gleaned from the Word regarding God's promises, regarding our actions for contending for something, contending for our freedom, contending for our peace, contending for our families, contending... For our walk with the Lord, contending to continue to grow in the Lord, contending to continue to increase our operation in the gifts, contending to see our levels of anointing increase, contending to see the opportunities that we have to touch other people's lives. But it's still, what I share is still based on what I have gleaned from the Word, what I have heard from the Word. You know, and it's that way too. Even, you know, I was listening to Joyce Myers and I'm like, I love listening to her. She has such wisdom. And what she shares is the, it comes out of the Word. It is the Word. It's what the Holy Spirit has given her. But also some of it is based on her experience. It's based on her perspective. Everything that you hear, even the most anointed of pastors, it's their perspective. It's what the Lord has given them in their time of study of the Word to share and to give to the body. And as I was just coming before the Lord and praying about that, the perfect example He gave me was the Gospels. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John. They all have the basic premise, the same story. They are all telling of Jesus' fulfillment of the Old Testament. his walk, his ministry, his life. But yet they're each told from a different perspective. They're each told to a different group of people that are at different seasons in their life. They're at different places in their life. You know, they're a different set of circumstances. But they all are the word. They are all telling the same story. It's just some pulled out one point that was more prevalent at a time than another. Or maybe a story, a situation that just hit their heart more than maybe one of the others, but they're all the Word. What I've shared here, the scriptures I've given, what I've talked about contending, is just a fraction of what's in the Word, what God has given us about contending. So I really just want to encourage you to take some of the scriptures that I have and to study it and to go before the Lord and just read the scriptures, find additional scriptures. And get your own spin on it. Get your own perspective on it. Get your own application on it. Because the way I apply it in a situation or circumstance I'm in or what I'm contending for is not going to be the same thing as what you guys are contending for. But the word is the same. The premise is the same. What God desires to do is the same. But I just really want to encourage you to take it, to find your own application, to find more verses, to dig a little deeper and just put your own spin on it. Put your own... You know, walk through the day and say, okay, Lord, I see that that's an area that I need to contend in or contend for. Or this is a relationship I need to contend for. And, you know, add your own application. Add your own spin. And what is the Holy Spirit telling you based on your circumstances, based on your situations, based on the things you're hoping to do? to obtain, the things you're hoping to do, the freedoms you're hoping to get, the gifts you're hoping to operate in, how you're hoping to see Him in your life and how you're hoping to see your growth manifest in your walk with the Lord. And I left you with a couple of questions. Will we continuously pray and contend to grab hold of the promises of God's word? Will we contend for our herited blessing and purpose? For we all have a purpose. We were all called for a purpose. And will we let our circumstances or past words and actions define us? And I think that was about it. I hope that was something you guys could relate to. I hope it's something that you see that you can apply. I hope it's something that you see that you can take and actually put into practice and realize areas that you're already contending for. Realize areas that you already do it every day. And ask him to help you realize areas he's already given you the victory in what you've contended for. Because I think a lot of times, you know, we've gained the victory. And as time passes, you know, it's not we don't remember it as well. Or, you know, it's not at the forefront as it was before. But ask him. Okay, Lord, show me those areas that you gave me victory in. Show me those areas I contended for that you gave me the breakthrough, that you gave me the goal that I was striving for. Because he will. Because he is faithful. He loves to give us those little reminders. He loves to show us, even in the smallest little ways, where he's given us the victory and where he's worked on our behalf and worked in our lives. So thank you guys very much for letting me share. I appreciate it. We're glad you tuned in. Join the iRefresh community by subscribing to podcasts and following us on social media. 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