There are times when we find ourselves in a fight that seems to refuse to go away. Maybe you thought it would last a few days or perhaps a few weeks, but now it seems like there is no end. What do you do then?
I have an answer for you. There are wars that have been won quickly, and there are others that have been won over a long period of time. History gives us clear examples of this reality. The longest war in history, the Reconquista, lasted 774 years, while the shortest, the Anglo-Zanzibar War, lasted only 38–45 minutes.
The lesson is simple: if you are in a long war, you must outlast it—you must outlive it. In a boxing match where both competitors are equally skilled, it is usually the one who endures longer who wins.
Scripture shows us that Joshua, the successor of Moses, was engaged in a prolonged battle against many kings.
Joshua 11:18–20
“Joshua made war a long time with all those kings. There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel, except the Hivites, the inhabitants of Gibeon. All the others they took in battle. For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that He might utterly destroy them, and that they might receive no mercy, but that He might destroy them, as the Lord had commanded Moses.”
A long war forces the enemy to exhaust all strategies, leading to a more complete and lasting victory. The enemy cannot quickly rise again. Joshua’s prolonged battle resulted in the total defeat of his enemies.
As believers in Christ, we must understand that we are in the good fight of faith. This good fight is often a long one. The advantage we have is that victory has already been secured—we are simply enforcing it, taking hold of what is already ours, and manifesting it in our lives.
1 Timothy 6:12
“Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”
Indicators That You Are in a Long Fight
1. You have been dealing with the same issues over a long period of time.
In such moments, Scripture encourages us not to grow weary. Stay in the fight until the end. Do not give up, because there is a harvest ahead.You are probably dealing with a generational stronghold that you are destined to destroy in your family lineage. You are anointed for a long fight.
Galatians 6:9
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
2. You carry a big vision that must be fulfilled.
Vision bearers and pioneers must remain in the fight for a long time. They must outlive opposition and endure through challenges. The calling of God begins even before birth and is meant to outlive us.
As God said to Jeremiah in chapter 1, verse 5:
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I set you apart; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”
A true vision requires endurance.It is not meant to die with the one who carries it, but to be written down and passed on to the next generation. A vision bearer is anointed for the long fight!
Habakkuk 2:2
“Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.”
3. You are in a marriage.
Building a family is a long journey. It requires commitment, endurance, and perseverance—from the early days of marriage until children are grown and independent, and ultimately until death separates you. Along the way, you gather powerful testimonies of God’s faithfulness. It is a long fight, but also a rewarding one.
Psalm 37:25 (NKJV)
“I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread.”
If you are married, you are anointed for the good long fight!
Beloved, these are just a few indicators. God created us for significance and lasting impact. But we must not give up. We must be prepared for the long fight.
We must outlast it.
We must outlive it.
Be Blessed,
Pastor EM
Hallelujah!