“This Is How I Fight My Battles” by Mark McGee
One of the more popular praise and worship songs released last year is “Surrounded (Fight My Battles).” It was written by Elyssa Smith. In an interview a year ago Smith said the idea for the song came when a prayer leader read from 2nd Chronicles where Jehoshaphat sent Levites in front of Israel’s army to sing praises that would confuse the enemy.
“You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.” 2 Chronicles 20:17
That reminded Smith of when Elisha and his servant were surrounded by enemies and Elisha asked the Lord to open his servant’s eyes to see the host of angels that surrounded their enemy. It was that thought that led her to sing – “this is how I fight my battles, It may look like I’m surrounded but I’m surrounded by You.”
Here’s that passage from 2nd Kings –
“Therefore he sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city. And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, ‘Alas, my master! What shall we do?’ So he answered, ‘Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’ And Elisha prayed, and said, ‘Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.’ Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. So when the Syrians came down to him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, and said, ‘Strike this people, I pray, with blindness.’ And He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.” 2 Kings 6:14-18
Elisha first asked God to ‘open’ his servant’s eyes so he would see the mighty power of God. Elisha then asked God to ‘blind’ the eyes of his enemies. Elisha and his servant led the blinded Syrian soldiers to Samaria where they were treated compassionately and returned to their king. The result was that the bands of Syrian raiders came no more into the land of Israel (verse 23).
The Keys to the Fight
The keys to the fight of our lives are in the Scriptures Smith mentioned in the interview –
“Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.”
“Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.”
“And He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.”
Salvation is of the Lord, according to the Word of the prophet. What do we do?
- Position ourselves for battle
- Stand still
- See the salvation of the Lord
- Do not be afraid
- Go out and fight for the Lord is with us
- Obey the word of the prophet
This is not unlike the words of the Apostle Paul concerning spiritual battle –
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.” Ephesians 6:10-20
Paul says we must be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. We must position ourselves in the battle knowing that our salvation is “of the Lord.” Paul says we must put on the whole armor of God so we may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. We don’t need to fear for God is with us. We must obey the word of the prophet. God spoke His Word through the Apostle Paul to protect us and call us into battle with Satan.
Our Example for Battle
Our greatest example for fighting spiritual battles comes from the Lord Jesus Christ –
“Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry. And the devil said to Him, ‘If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.’ But Jesus answered him, saying, ‘It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’ Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, ‘All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.’ And Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, ‘If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. 10 For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ And Jesus answered and said to him, ‘It has been said, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’ Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.” Luke 4:1-13
How did Jesus fight His face-to-face battle with Satan? He quoted God’s Word – “It is written …” That is the KEY to fighting our battles in life – “It is written.” Here’s why I say that.
Praise and worship are both words and intent. If the words are right but the intent is not, there is no power for the battle. If the intent is right but the words are not, there is no power for the battle. Jesus had both the right Words and the right Intent. He won the battle.
The First Example
The first example of spiritual battle is found in Genesis 3 when the devil tested Eve –
“Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, ‘Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?’ And the woman said to the serpent, ‘We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’ Then the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’ So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.” Genesis 3:1-7
Eve may have had the right intent, but she had the wrong words. God did not say “nor shall you touch it.” Eve added to the Word of God. She also allowed the devil to sway her with his lying words – “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Eve got the words wrong and that impacted her intent and she lost the battle.
How We Fight Our Battles
Every Christian is involved in spiritual warfare — whether they realize it or not. Knowing that you are in a fight is a big part of being able to win. Knowing how to fight is the next part. Just as we need to know how to defend ourselves physically in order to win against physical attacks, we need to know how to fight our spiritual battles.
How we fight our battles is to follow the example of Jesus when the devil tested Him.
How we fight our battles is to follow the “word of the prophet” and put on the whole armor of God, “that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”
Our prayer is for your personal victory!
“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 15:57-58
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
~ Written by Mark McGee ~
Mark McGee is a career journalist and former atheist. He worked on the news staff of several radio and television stations (including Huntsville’s WAAY-TV from 1984-1996) and two large metropolitan newspapers. Mark was a reporter, correspondent, anchor, managing editor, executive producer, and news director during a four-decade career in news. Since retiring in 2009, Mark has worked as a communications director and consultant.
Mark has written three published books and more than 250 Ebooks. He also writes regularly for several Christian blogs. Mark serves with Ratio Christi Campus Apologetics Alliance and works with students at the University of Alabama Huntsville.
Mark has been active in martial arts and self-defense training for almost 60 years and has been teaching from a Christian perspective for almost 50. He offers free self-defense clinics to businesses, schools and churches in the Huntsville area and is an instructor with Christian Soldiers Karate at Whitesburg Baptist Church.
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