.

But what were they fighting for? This is what Neville Chamberlain said in his speech to his nation on that day in early September, “Now may God bless you all. May He defend the right. For it is evil things that we shall be fighting against - brute force, bad faith, injustice, oppression and persecution - and against them I am certain that right will prevail.

Reading those words makes me think indeed those were good things to fight against; brute force, bad faith, injustice, oppression and persecution. Those indeed are evil things. Fortunately for the world in general though the battle did not always go there way the British people and the people around the world never gave up the fight and eventually did prevail.

Prevailing against evil is not a battle that knows only the borders of nations but also takes place in the souls of all mankind. It is this battle that we must concern ourselves with this day and each day that follows. It is a battle that must be fought on two fronts: In our own hearts and within the hearts of others.

We look at people like Hitler and think we could never be a person like that and for most of us that is correct. But within our hearts lies the evils of this world; hate, lust, unforgiveness, covetness, disrespect and selfishness. If we ignore these things in our hearts then we too can do evil unspeakable. To pretend as though these elements of evil do not exist will spell certain personal defeat.

The only way that we can win this battle is total surrender. Yes, surrender, not to the enemy but to the victor, our Lord. If we attempt to fight the battle against the evil in our hearts on our own we are doomed to failure and the evil one will occupy our hearts and control our lives. We must surrender each part of our life to Christ and allow Him to guide and direct us by paying close attention to His word and by devoting ourselves daily to prayer.

The war can be won but it is a battle and like all battles it is best to have the most powerful weapons. When we have the Holy Spirit living in our lives, the ultimate power of an all powerful and knowing God we can have victory. Remember we gain this power by surrender not personal control.

As we win the battle from within it allows us to stand strong in the world in which we live. With God as our strength we should stand up against the things that are evil in this world. I am not calling you to politics, as much as I am calling you to love your neighbor, care for the sick, feed the poor, remember the forgotten and love the unlovely. As we strive to fight the battles of evil in this world with a loving Christ like spirit we will have a great effect on the battle in other people’s lives. They will see a different love that they too will want to surrender too.

The war is real, the battle is tough, but like all battles that have a good and righteous cause it is worth the fight.

Remember victory comes only after complete surrender.

Scripture: 1 John 5:4, “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world-our faith.

Hymn: Faith is the Victory

Words by John Yates Music by Ira D Sankey

Encamped along the hills of light,
Ye Christian soldiers, rise.
And press the battle ere the night
Shall veil the glowing skies.
Against the foe in vales below
Let all our strength be hurled.
Faith is the victory, we know,
That overcomes the world.

Faith is the victory! Faith is the victory! O glorious victory, that overcomes the world.

Prayer: Dear Lord help us to surrender to your will, to do all we can for the world you have placed us in and to draw upon your strength to keep our lives free from sin. We ask these things in the name of Christ, amen.