Depend on God, the Battle is Not Yours

We just celebrated the 4^th of July, and I was reminded that independence runs through our veins. Our country was built on the desire to be independent. We’re taught to be strong and climb that ladder of success. We teach this to our children, don’t we? We want them to grow up to be independent.

Dependence Doesn’t Come Naturally

Independence is not just an American thing, though, it’s a condition of the human heart. Some of us struggle with trusting others, and that makes us independent souls. We don’t trust anyone enough to depend on them to get the job done. We need to be in control.

I remember when my son learned how to tie his shoes. A battle ensued every morning during the rush out the door. Mr. Independence refused help. Yes, he did eventually learn how to tie those darn laces, but he would have learned with a lot less stress if he would’ve let us help him.

If you’ve related to this independent personality, I have a question: Is it difficult for you to depend on God? If it is, that’s a problem. By not depending on God in our daily walk, we can’t receive His peace and strength. We also miss out on partnering with the divine.

Dependence On God Partners with the Divine

Anything we do out of our own strength is temporary, but whatever we do partnered with Him becomes a part of eternity. When His breath is in it, it’s a forever project, and He is faithful to see it through.

The Bible describes story after story of God’s faithfulness. One of my favorite verses is 2 Chronicles. The Israelites faced a huge battle. They were afraid, but God was with them and the Spirit of the Lord came upon one of their leaders and spoke through him. He told them,

 “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.”

2 Chronicles 20:15

Somebody needed to hear that today. The battle is not yours.

He is faithful to let us know He is here. A good friend of mine facing serious health issues recently told me of a vivid dream she had of Jesus walking beside her and holding her right hand. As she described her dream, what stood out to me was the fact that Jesus held her right hand. She repeated this several times. Immediately scriptures came to my mind about the Lord holding our right hand through difficult times. We looked up the scriptures and celebrated what God did for her. The Word itself verified the reality of her dream.

For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.

Isaiah 41:13

Depend on God with the Word

We don’t have encounters like Jehoshaphat experienced (some might, but most of us don’t.) But we have what they did not have in those days. We have our Bibles and the continual indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

The Word is definitely one of the ways the Lord speaks to us. It’s our confirmation, our plumb line to measure our dreams, visions, and thoughts when we aren’t sure if they are from God or not. This is why it’s so important to know the Word.

Reading and studying scripture is one tangible act we can and must do to cultivate dependence on the Father. Join me during this month of independence to nurture your dependence on the God who fights your battles and holds your right hand.

31 Scriptures on Depending on God

The printable for this reading plan is a little different this time. Each day has a designated space to copy the scripture and journal a prayer about depending on God. I also give my suggestions of how to use this reading plan with a couple of journal prompts at the end to complete your month of reading. You can take a screen shot of the image above or print the scripture list only printable to use every day in your quiet time.

If you struggle with finding time to be in the Word or really making that time special, I have a short video with quiet time tips.

A Prayer for Dependence

Along with the Word, our ability to really let go and let God be God in our lives comes with prayer. If you struggle with dependence on Him (which is really trusting Him) I’ve written a prayer I will be praying for all of us. I hope you’ll share this with your friends and print this off also (it’s a free printable) to add to your quiet time.

Dear Father,

I’ve spent my whole life trying to be independent. I’ve been taught to be strong, to fight my own battles, and to work really hard. But something is calling me to surrender. Something in my spirit knows I’m running in place. I’m not strong enough. I need help. Please help me Lord. Please help me depend on you. Forgive me for trying to do everything on my own when you’ve been waiting all along for me to stop and ask for your hand. Please take my right hand. Fight my battles. Please help me depend on you. Amen.

True freedom really comes when we exchange our striving for dependence on God the Father. He’s with you. He’s holding your right hand, and He’s ready to fight your battles when you are ready to release them to Him.

Much love,

Andy

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