How to Pick Your Battles by John Garfield

By John Garfield
There is a lot swirling around in politics, nations and in the spiritual realm right now. There is a general call to prayer and to address the forces behind the attack. There is a theme of lawlessness and deception at high levels of government that has a trickle-down effect that incites everything from riots to revolutions. It's not hard to pull the curtains back on false-flag events inspiring delusion. As believers and churches, we do have the power to defeat powers and principalities, and have an impact on culture – we just learning how to be successful at doing it. Victories in the spiritual realm have some rules. One is that our authority is linked to our Kingdom calling. We have everything we need in terms of power, anointing and wisdom to carry out our Kingdom assignment.
 
 
 
 
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There is a lot swirling around in politics, nations and in the spiritual realm right now. There is a general call to prayer and to address the forces behind the attack. There is a theme of lawlessness and deception at high levels of government that has a trickle-down effect that incites everything from riots to revolutions. It's not hard to pull the curtains back on false-flag events inspiring delusion.
 
As believers and churches, we do have the power to defeat powers and principalities, and have an impact on culture – we just learning how to be successful at doing it. Victories in the spiritual realm have some rules. One is that our authority is linked to our Kingdom calling. We have everything we need in terms of power, anointing and wisdom to carry out our Kingdom assignment. The problem is that most nations, churches and individuals are hard-pressed to say what that assignment is.
 
The concept that we can be successful taking down strongholds anytime, anyplace and at any level isn't true. We're most effective inside our metron or assigned sphere of influence. Jesus did not defeat the arguments of the scribes, Pharisees and political leaders of His day. He prayed all night and got crucified the next day and it was exactly the will of God. He did defeat the enemy, but that was incidental to His real mission of setting men free in the greatest act of love in history. He put his Kingdom assignment ahead of all the warfare he could have engaged in. He picked the right battles.
 
"Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?  "How then will the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must happen this way?" Matt 26:53-54 NASU
 
David went through a period of confusion over his assignment to be King when Absalom tried to steal the throne. Instead of being consumed with a thousand skirmishes with spiritual forces and wrong-spirited people, he waited for God to reveal the next step or assignment. Saul reacted to pressure…David waited for His assignment and then acted. He picked the right battles.
 
As King David approached Bahurim, a man from the same clan as Saul's family came out from there. His name was Shimei son of Gera, and he cursed as he came out.  He pelted David and all the king's officials with stones, though all the troops and the special guard were on David's right and left. 2 Samuel 16:5-7 NIV
 
David then said to Abishai and all his officials, "My son, who is of my own flesh, is trying to take my life. How much more, then, this Benjamite! Leave him alone; let him curse, for the Lord has told him to.  It may be that the Lord will see my distress and repay me with good for the cursing I am receiving today." 2 Samuel 16:11-12 NIV
 
Pick Your Battles
 
How and when to conduct spiritual warfare comes after we know what our assignment or calling is. We are not spiritual ambulance chasers, nor are we the world's policeman. Our present lives are not utopia. Our success in spiritual and practical warfare flows from a clear understanding of our calling as individuals and nations. The devil will bow before us, but he and we both have to understand exactly "why." Spiritual authority for leadership or warfare always flows from the clarity of our assignment before the Lord. Put the Kingdom first, then things start to happen…
 
Most of us have the vague sense of being called to love Jesus, reach the lost, plant churches, heal the sick and stamp out evil wherever we find it. The concept of being called to a specific mountain and having a personal dream and destiny is the new frontier of Kingdom. Those specifics allow us to be "sent ones" who can make a real difference in cultures and in the spirit. Generals don't function from generalities. Our mission and our "why" has to be clear… clearly written in our hearts by God Himself.
 
What's your Kingdom assignment? What's written in your book?
 
What's the specific calling on your nation? Business? Company?
 
My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. Ps 139:15-16 NIV
 
John Garfield
 

Visitor Comments (2)

thank you
•

You made it very clear. I needed to hear that. We have drought here. Yesterday, I was repenting and praying. Then I asked, Should I decree and declare rain? I did this over my own house, the neighborhodd and the county. We have a soaking rain right now. More confidence in prayer when we pray within our own sphere of influence.

How to pick my battles
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Good day it is really an eye opener to have received this message. I got a better understanding how to pray and to ask for the will of Father God to be done. I was dismissed from work in June and really shake me spiritually, not knowing how to pay your bills is not a joke but I'm trusting God for the best.
Regards
Lazarus Iyambo

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