I asked my men’s prayer group a question a few days ago. We all go to church together and I know these men pretty well. The question hit me in the early hours of the morning so I had a little trepidation about sending it. I wasn’t completely sure if I should start a group thread that could start blowing up everyone’s phone before the sun was up. We’ve all been on the annoying end of that before, thank you very much. Well, inspiration eventually won out over insecurity and I sent it to the group anyway, not knowing what they would think. It came out something like this:
Are God’s names connected to battles?
I know it’s a strange thought, but God’s redeeming love is so efficient that even my struggles are somehow caught up in His graces and used for His glory, so I think it’s a valid thought. I’ll be the first to admit, I hate the consistency of my struggles here. If it isn’t my own struggles that hurt me, then more often than not, it’s the painful struggles of people I love that get to me. It hurts because I love them. However, God is showing me that every struggle can serve a Divine directive. In other words, conflict is a doorway to a part of Him I’d never have known without that struggle or battle.
I think that is why some of my favorite names of His are connected to battles won. The battle cost me something to know Him like that, and that makes it more precious. When He came here to this broken world to win us back, it cost Him something to love us, too. I don’t usually take up space to share here for this kind of thing. This is a prayer group and, I believe, an effective one. But I wanted to share a blessing with you today, if you’ll take the time to do it.
Stop at some point in your day and write down your favorite names of God. Don’t just think about them. Physically write them down to where you can come back and look at them and add to them. Make it an act of worship. Add terms of endearment as well. If you get stuck, the best hint I can offer is to remember; remember what He has brought you through. Remember battles won! I promise, there is glory hiding in there and His name is on it!
This is my growing list so far:
My Cherished One
My Sacred Delight
My highest thought
My heart’s song
My oath binder
My Hope of Glory
My Victory that cannot be altered
My Shadow and habitation
My noblest pursuit
My power and anointing
My sweetest grace
My secret counsel
My mercy seat and wisdom’s storehouse
The Only One I want to pray to
My Keeper and the lifter of my head
My Rapha, my Healer…
I bless you all today in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Walk in confidence knowing your God has Named your battles!
The next thing I knew, the names started rolling in. Y’all, these men began listing their battle names, one after the other, list after list. It was beautiful. It was powerful. It was the God-names of battles won! Two of
my favorites were, “my Listener” from my buddy, Eric Scheidt and from my pastor, Eric Nichols, “Master of Breakthroughs!”
That is where I’ll leave you on the Forge today. Go find a pen…remember…and go Name your victory!
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