Losing the Battle vs. Winning the War

So today, while sweating profusely in my garage, I was listening to some music, and the song that inspired this blog post came on.  It was "Redeemed" by Big Daddy Weave.  I love that song, and today I guess I needed to hear it.  I've posted some of the lyrics below, but all credit and rights go to Big Daddy Weave.

Seems like all I could see was the struggle

Haunted by ghosts that lived in my past

Bound up in shackles of all my failures

Wondering how long is this gonna last

Then You look at this prisoner and say to me "son

Stop fighting a fight it's already been won"

I am redeemed, You set me free

So I'll shake off these heavy chains

Wipe away every stain, now I'm not who I used to be

I am redeemed, I'm redeemed

Because I don't have to be the old man inside of me

'Cause his day is long dead and gone

Because I've got a new name, a new life, I'm not the same

And a hope that will carry me home

Did you see it?  The lines in bold?  That was the inspiration.  So here is the result - 

Why do we, as Christians, live a life of defeat every time we hit a bump if we, of all people, know the end of the story?  Lose your job?  Illness?  Tragedy?  Not the end!!  

I'm not minimizing the pain of those things, but just trying to put them into perspective.  Those are only battles, but the war is guaranteed a victory for our side!  Imagine that!?!  How would the Allied soldiers' attitudes have changed if we could have proven their victory in the middle of those miserable, dark, and lonely winters?  

Remember that there are only two teams on this battlefield - God and Satan.  The world likes to put other names out there, Buddha, yoga, agnostics, but there are truly only two teams.  And ours is the victor!  

When you do lose a battle, don't let it put you off the field.  Satan isn't trying to win actual Satan worshipers - he's just trying to get Christians off the field and onto the bench!  Don't let him win you!

Stand up in the middle of that tragedy and scream: I AM REDEEMED!!  I'VE BEEN SET FREE!  

Quote Job who lost more and gained more than any Christian I've ever heard of when he says, "Though He slay me, yet will I hope in Him" Job 13:15 (NIV)

Tell the world it has not crushed another believer; it has not stolen another's hope.  Grab your broken helmet, bandage that wound, grab your sword, and get back out there!  There is nothing so inspiring as seeing the broken and wounded walk in victory while still bleeding.

We Christians should stop focusing on losing the battle, and instead focus on winning the soldiers hearts!

OK, I"m off my soapbox - someone else can have it now!