New Song: Surrounded (Fight My Battles)

If it wasn’t for my skinny jean lovin’, leather boot wearin’, lanky limbed, pain intolerant, light-hearted, easily scared, and overall swimming-averse personality, I think I would’ve been a beast Navy Seal. The adventure, the heroics, and the fear of God you strike in people when you’re the world’s most dangerous super soldier seems pretty stinkin’ legit.

The reason the Navy Seals are so respected and admired is because they go into the most volatile and explosive environments to defend our country. They don’t get pushed around or taken advantage of. They fight until the battle is won. It’s common knowledge - when things get real you send in the Seals to take care of business.

When we find ourselves in hostile environments or feel threatened by invasion - whether it be external forces, emotional tumult, or spiritual attacks - we pray to God and ask him for rescue. We beg and plead and look for some form of a Seal to deliver us. God, however, doesn’t always send in the Seals.

There is a fascinating story in 2nd Chronicles where Jehoshaphat, Judah’s king, is bracing for an attack from the surrounding nations as his enemies’ armies march toward Jerusalem. Jehoshaphat is fearful and nervous, so he prays to God for deliverance (2 Chron 20: 1-12).

God’s answer is both curious and comforting. God says (my paraphrase), “Don’t worry. I got this. In fact, I’d like you to send the musicians to the front lines instead of the valiant super soldiers. Weapons won’t win this battle. Worship will (20:13-21).”

Jehoshaphat obeys, Judah sings, and the warring enemies end up killing one another (20:22-23).

Crazy, right? What is your preferred method of attack when things get real in your life?

It seems like our default is to worry instead of worship. We let anxiety, stress, and apprehension paralyze us from facing whatever threat we’re experiencing. We may still pray to God for help, but unless He sends us a spiritual Seal we find it hard to rest.

This Sunday we will sing a new song titled “Surrounded (Fight My Battles).” The lyrics may seem repetitive and simple at first. That’s okay! We’ve found that the repetition and simplicity actually allow for a profound truth to be etched into our hearts. Worship - the physical, mental, and emotional choice we make to assign worth to God by proclaiming His greatness through our words and actions - is a strategic offensive tactic in our battles. We fight by worshipping!

“There's a table that You've prepared for me
In the presence of my enemies
It's Your body and Your blood You shed for me
This is how I fight my battles

In the valley I know that You're with me
Surely Your goodness and Your mercy follow me
My weapons are praise and thanksgiving
This is how I fight my battles”

We can worship our way into victory. When times of chaos come, fear can be suffocating. Threats can feel so strong and imminent that spiritual claustrophobia cuts off our lifeline to God. In that moment we must sing truth into our souls.

“It may look like I'm surrounded
But I'm surrounded by You”

In Christ, we are not left to fight alone. We are not abandoned to self-reliance or self-defense. On the contrary, we can have confidence because we are near to the King of kings and Lord of lords. God surrounds everything. It might feel like we’re unaided, but the Bible is abundantly clear with this roaring melody, “Nothing happens outside of God’s sovereign reign.” Meaning, God has it all under control.

Fighting battles in this life is a certainty. If you follow Jesus, someone or something will eventually come for you. You’re going to want a Seal to save you. You’re going to want a soldier to take the brunt of the fighting. When you start to look for external deliverance, remember this: God has equipped you with the power of the Spirit to fight in you and for you. You don’t need a Seal, you need worship.