Greetings from lockdown! The last time you heard from me, I was “Taking a Leap with Lyme” – or rather, taking a few next steps in my health journey. Then, just weeks later, the coronavirus hit our country and my steps forward turned into a standstill. It seems the wait might be coming to an end soon, but for now, we remain at home here in Pittsburgh.
By now, I think we’re all too familiar with terms and phrases that we never dreamed would be a part of our daily lives. From “Social Distancing” to “Zoom Gatherings” to “Shelter-at-Home” to “DIY Face Masks,” the Coronavirus Pandemic has infiltrated our lives in more ways than one. And of all the new virus lingo, one phrase really stuck out to me as I watched a White House press conference a few weeks ago. A phrase that our nation’s leaders frequently used when describing this new pandemic in war terms. Something they called, “Fighting the Invisible Enemy.”
That phrase struck a chord with me. I realize that the “invisible enemy” they referred to in the news briefing was the COVID-19 virus, but my mind immediately went elsewhere. Because for the past several years, my husband and I described our battle with mold and Lyme using the same phrase. It’s been a frustrating fight in trying to take down microscopic foes, with the only measure of success or failure being my daily physical pain and data from expensive tests on our home. At this point, we are all too familiar with the invisible enemy of disease. So familiar, in fact, that the pandemic hasn’t changed much for us since we’ve become accustomed to a slow-paced, home-based life.
But this “invisible enemy” phrase encompasses more than just health afflictions. So many of the struggles in our lives are unseen or secret. Anxiety, depression, envy, insecurity, hatred, grief, loneliness, bitterness… We are constantly fighting against unseen attacks on our minds, bodies, and spirits. We even wage war against ourselves and our own sinfulness. And then there’s the ultimate invisible enemy- the devil himself- who loves to use our weaknesses, vulnerabilities, and temptations to wound and destroy us.
When we’re aware of the numerous invisible enemies stacked against us, it feels like we’re fighting a losing battle. How do we endure such strong opposition? Is victory even possible?
The good news is that we CAN endure and see victory. But we must be well-prepared for the fight. Much like how we are trying to fend off the coronavirus through various defensive measures, we can counter our other invisible enemies with a three-fold plan of attack. A plan of protection, perspective, and perseverance.
Thankfully, we’re not alone in our fight. The God of the universe is on our side and has provided these key components for our defense, which can found throughout His Word. But today, I’m looking specifically at Romans 8. This passage has been so inspiring that I’ve been committing it to memory since the stay-at-home order began. My prayer is that by digging deeper into Romans 8, you will also be inspired by the protection, perspective, and perseverance it speaks of. And hopefully, we can all become more battle-ready. Not only for the coronavirus, but for every invisible enemy we face.
ARM YOURSELF WITH PROTECTION
“The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” ~Romans 8:6
The book of Romans was written by the apostle Paul, a man who radically changed from a persecutor of Christians to a dedicated Christ-follower after a powerful encounter with Jesus. The Lord used Paul’s newfound faith to make him the author of much of the Bible’s New Testament. Romans is a long letter that Paul wrote to his friends and fellow believers in Rome to encourage and strengthen them spiritually. He couldn’t physically be with them, but wanted to ensure they were well-equipped in their faith.
In chapter 8, Paul writes about the impact of the protection of the Holy Spirit on our lives. Once we accept Jesus Christ into our hearts, He offers His Spirit to be present in us and to protect us against our enemies and our own sinfulness. Since we are all sinners, our natural inclination is for our minds to focus on earthly things, or things of the “flesh” as Paul refers to. He’s saying that doing so leads to death. And it’s true. When we have unprotected minds, we open ourselves up to all sorts of thoughts, worries, and anxieties that will wear on us. We more easily give in to temptations and stray from God. And doing so allows invisible enemies to have easy access in taking us down spiritually, emotionally, and even physically.
However, if we allow the Holy Spirit to lead us, guide us, and protect us, we will have life and peace. That doesn’t mean an easy life, free from enemies. But it does mean that our minds will be able to withstand attacks because the Spirit of God is is living in us. Will we still struggle? Yes. But, we are no longer alone in the fight.
“And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.” ~Romans 8:11
The Holy Spirit of God is so powerful that it raises the dead! No force on this earth can stop Him. Even the devil himself cannot stand against the power of the Holy Spirit. And this mighty Spirit lives in us if we let Him. It’s truly incredible when you stop and think about it. Battles can be raging around us and in us, but with the Holy Spirit governing our minds, we can still have access to complete peace and protection throughout our lives. Not to mention a beautiful eternity with God to look forward to.
“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.” ~ Romans 8:26-27
This is one of my favorite verses in Romans 8. God knows exactly what invisible enemies rage against us in this broken world. (And the current pandemic has brought many to the forefront.) He sees our pain and frustration. He sees our weakness and struggle. And in His compassion, He sent His Son to die for us and His Spirit to live in us so that we wouldn’t be left vulnerable and alone. His Spirit not only gives us peace, but also directly intercedes for us through prayer.
Have you ever felt so totally helpless and overwhelmed in a mental, spiritual, or physical battle that you’re completely out of words? I have. It’s a place of total surrender. Normally in a battle, we see surrender as weakness, as admitting defeat. But surrendering our battles to God is not only helpful on the path to victory, it’s necessary. We can surrender our thoughts, struggles, worries, and wills to God and let His Holy Spirit govern our minds. And we don’t even need words of our own because the Spirit of God is interceding for us in our dark moments and praying the words that we can’t form.
Across the globe, we are arming our bodies with face masks, hand sanitizer, and vitamin C to protect ourselves from the invisible coronavirus. Let’s be sure to also arm ourselves spiritually with the Holy Spirit through prayer, Bible reading, scripture memorization, and daily surrender to Him. The peace and protection that we receive as a result is not only comforting, but life-saving.
CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE
“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the future glory that will be revealed in us.” ~Romans 8:18
Once we commit our lives to Jesus Christ and receive His Holy Spirit in us, there is a process that begins called, “sanctification.” It’s a big, churchy word that we hear a lot but might not truly understand. Simply put, sanctification is the refining of our character that results from knowing Jesus. Because of His great love for us, we desire to follow Him and become more like Him. It’s a long, slow process that takes place throughout our lives. And while we can never become perfect in this life, the refining journey still has a profound effect on our perspective. A new perspective that is necessary for success against invisible enemies.
As Paul writes, we need to see our current problems as temporary and fleeting. It’s hard to do, since we will suffer from attacks by our invisible enemies and the devil himself as long as we live on this earth. However, our present sufferings will pale in comparison to the glory that will be revealed in us. That glory will await us when we get to be with Jesus in eternity. For as Jesus suffered on this earth, so we must suffer for a time, as well. But Jesus’s suffering ended in a glorious resurrection. And so will our suffering also end in glory. A pain-free, enemy-free future with Jesus awaits. Knowing this changes our perspective to focus on future glory instead of present suffering.
“And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” ~Romans 8:28
Even with an eternal perspective, there will still be days when all we can focus on are the enemies. It may seem like they have the upper hand. But ultimately, we win because of the victory that Jesus accomplished through the cross. If God can take the death of His own Son and use it for our good, we can have confidence that God can take ANYTHING (cancer, famine, natural disasters, unemployment, coronavirus, you-name-it) and use it for our good. The things themselves aren’t good- they’re terrible and destructive. But, God IS good and can use even the most devastating circumstances to do good work in us and for us.
These words carry extra weight because Paul wrote many of his New Testament letters from prison. Yet, even in this most undesirable circumstance, God used Paul’s letters to spread the Gospel to many nations. Paul actually did more for God in prison than in freedom! God used Paul’s captivity for good, the saving of many lives.
God’s good work in our pain may seem as invisible as our enemies, but it’s still happening, whether we see it now or in the future. And because of that, we can shift our perspective from despair to hope.
“What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” ~Romans 8:31
While we’re cooped up inside, it’s easy to feel stuck and believe that this coronavirus pandemic will never end. But the day will come when this crisis of 2020 will be a distant memory. The same goes for all of our physical and spiritual battles. They, too, shall pass. Today, let’s view our lives with a new perspective. One that sees our enemies and struggles as temporary. A perspective that looks to our future with great hope and glory. And one that holds the same confidence in God that Paul had. That God is so much greater and more powerful than any enemy we’ll ever face. And that if God is for us, nothing can be against us!
PRESS ON WITH PERSEVERANCE
“Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” ~Romans 8:24-25
The protection of the Holy Spirit paired with a new perspective enables us to implement the third component of our battle plan: perseverance. The dictionary defines perseverance as “doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.” Most of us view it as taking action and moving forward so that we get results as soon as possible. One of the illustrations that always comes to my mind is running a marathon. It’s tough, but you see progress as the miles pass by and you ultimately cross the finish line, medal in hand. You receive exactly what you hoped for in the time you planned.
But I think when it comes to fighting our invisible enemies, having patience even without progress is key. Because unlike a marathon, we often can’t control the pace of our struggles. We won’t always see the finish line or know how much longer we have to wait. And we don’t always get what we hope for, even after our battle is over. In my opinion, perseverance is more like running in circles than running a marathon. And that’s probably why a synonym for perseverance is actually patience. Because it takes a lot of it!
Unfortunately, most of us struggle with waiting patiently for what we hope for, especially when we can’t take action or see progress. This forced waiting time in lockdown is difficult for those very reasons. Sitting idly by while other aspects of life are crumbling can be maddening. Especially when we’re used to busy days full of distractions to help cover up our struggles and deep desires of our hearts.
When I’m forced to sit and wait, the battles I’m fighting feel magnified and the longings of my heart resurface. The baby we lost. The fourth birthday he/she would have just had. The worry that I’ll never be a parent. My diagnosis with Lyme. Being stuck in pain. The thought of not experiencing “normal” life again. And instead of having patience, frustration takes over. I worry that I’ll never get what I hope for. That I’ll never cross the finish line. That retreat might be my only option.
So, can we have patience through our battles even if we never receive what we’re waiting for? Because of God’s love, His Sovereignty over our days, and and the promise of eternal life with Him, the answer is YES. We can wait patiently for what we do not yet have because God is taking action where we can’t. He’s making progress where we feel stuck. He can infuse us with patience when we feel frustration. And He can keep us marching onward when we’d rather retreat.
If we make God’s will a priority over our wants, we deepen our trust in Him. And when God has our trust, we can persevere patiently through anything, regardless of whether or not victory and blessings result. We can continue to wait, knowing He has our best in mind.
“Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?” ~Romans 8:32
I don’t know for certain that I’ll ever have a baby on this side of heaven. I also don’t know that I’ll ever be healed. And for a long time, I was not okay with that. I wanted guarantees. I wanted answers. Yet, while God has remained silent about the desires of my heart, He has revealed to me over and over again what I truly need to persevere: Him. In the past 7 weeks of quarantine, it seemed He was speaking this powerful truth to my heart once again. If God did not spare His own Son, but instead gave Jesus up for my sake, can’t I trust Him with everything else? Isn’t God alone worth my perseverance?
What we think we want or need in order to persevere through life really stems from a deeper longing. Once we recognize that the longing is for God Himself, we can hope for the other, less significant things of our earthly existence with patience. God’s love is our greatest need and we have that in abundance.
That doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t still have hopes and dreams for this life. But the earthly desires of our hearts are non-essential and should still be firmly anchored in a desire for God Himself. If our ultimate hope rests in God, we can have patience as we wait and rest assured that He will take care of everything else in our lives.
No matter how messy and long our battles are, no matter the number of invisible enemies we endure, no matter the detours and delays of our dreams in this life, the love of God in our hearts is what truly lasts and can never be taken away from us. He really is all we need to press on.
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? …No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” ~Romans 8:35,37
The beautiful aspect of the love of God is that it cannot be taken from us. Nothing can separate us from His love. Not our troubles, not our longings, not the coronavirus. Not even death itself. We can persevere through all of these things by the security of Christ’s love. And not just persevere, but conquer!
We can be more than conquerors, whether we’re running a marathon or running in circles. Whether we’re active at work or stuck in our homes. No matter what our battles look like, the love of Jesus Christ is a constant force we can rely on. He knows what the hardships of this earth feel like, and He’s walking through them with us. Because of God’s protection, perspective, and perseverance, we will always have the upper hand in the war against any invisible enemy.
RESUME THE BATTLE
“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” ~Romans 8:38-39
Friends, I’m not sure what your situation is or what invisible enemies you’re up against, but I hope these words motivate you to resume your battles and keep fighting. I also encourage you to keep these final words from Romans 8 on hand to recite throughout the coming days. They are a powerful reminder for us in isolation. Even though we’re separated from our loved ones right now, no visible or invisible forces can EVER separate us from the everlasting love of God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Let me leave you with an uplifting “battle cry” by Rend Collective called, “More Than Conquerors”. It just so happens to be inspired by Romans 8 and came to mind while I was writing this post. So, take a listen and use it to praise God through the fight with this pandemic and other invisible enemies.
I pray that the Holy Spirit’s protection, a hopeful perspective, and patient perseverance will transform us into battle-ready warriors. And may the power of God infiltrate every physical, emotional, and spiritual attack so that we can be more than conquerors through Jesus Christ, the ultimate Conqueror, who loves us and gives us His victory.
Thank you so much for these wise words of encouragement Joanna. Prayers continue for you regularly ❤️
Thank YOU, Wendy! Your prayers mean a lot to me!
Your blog, recipes, writing is super inspiring! Thanks for all you contribute to the world.
Aw thank you! That means so much! I’m glad the blog was inspiring to you!