Battling At The Gate

Years ago, I made a difficult decision to homeschool my son for a season. There was nothing heroic about what I did. Every mother knows that a battle for her child is worth fighting, no matter the cost.

His confidence was under attack; the enemy was ruthless in his attempts to overrun any hope for his future. So, heavily armed with prayer and the truth of God’s promises, I stepped into the spiritual arena to fight the one lie that could mortally wound him, the lie that said he had little value.

As we studied medieval history and wars among kingdoms, we discovered that many were fought right at the castle gates that stood between the king’s people and their enemies. The kingdom’s fate often rested on the shoulders of the warriors tasked to defend those gates.

It turns out that motherhood isn’t much different these days.

I know you’re weary, mama, and it seems like it’s all up to you, but hear this truth: The Lord your God, the King of Kings is for you and your child. In fact, He has promised to be a “source of strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate” (Isaiah 28:6b, NIV).

Yes, fighting the enemy so close to home can be terrifying. You can almost smell the rancid sweat as his fury increases when you oppose his plan. But take heart, stand firm in God’s strength, and realize the King chose you for this position because you know the infinite value of what lies inside the gate.

So press on “by truthful speech and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left” (2 Corinthians 6:7). King Jesus’ plan for your child cannot be defeated, and neither can you.