You Know the Enemy
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:12
The enemy is the evil one, the devil. However, our services will be rendered useless if we fail to stop the threat, and we must do so to protect innocent people, the suspect, other officers, and ourselves. Having the proper mindset before a lethal-force confrontation will better prepare you to respond to it after the dust settles.
Just as you can reach for your firearm without looking for the holster, you need to be familiar with your spiritual weapons: the Word, your faith in God, prayer, and a mind focused on winning. Having the mindset of a winner means you are honest about the opponent you face, have a clear strategy, and are just in all dealings. Take time today to sharpen your skills as a law enforcement officer, meditate on the Word of God, pray, and begin developing the proper mindset of a champion.
Heavenly Father, thank you for giving me a clear mind and bringing to memory every piece of training and every tactic I need at the moment. Amen.
You Have Power Over Your Thoughts
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5
Our minds are filled with thoughts, even beyond our consciousness—more thoughts than we can comprehend or recognize. We identify with thoughts tied to our beliefs, which are the thoughts we entertain, and these eventually become the words we speak and the actions we take, leading to life’s circumstances and outcomes. Too often, we allow negative thoughts to control us, causing us to make negative decisions that lead to poor outcomes.
As we fill our minds with the promises of God and command every thought to come into obedience to Christ, we begin to experience a renewed mindset. There is no way to have a winning mindset if we always fill our thoughts with worry, anxiety, doubt, fear, unbelief, or anger. Today, command these thoughts that come against what we know is the Word of God to come into obedience to Christ. Begin this process by renewing your mind through daily reading His Word and intentionally monitoring your thoughts. In a short time, you will notice a drastic change in your perspective, energy level, and overall disposition.
Heavenly Father, as I submit my thoughts to you, renew my mind with positive, holy, powerful thoughts to change my life. Amen.
You Are Not a Quitter
Lord, see how my enemies persecute me! Have mercy and lift me up from the gates of death. Psalm 9:13
We could spend much time talking about the valiant acts of people who have fought back in the line of fire, men and women who, when faced with grave injuries in battle, persevered and took the fight to the enemy. Were they faced with fear? Absolutely. Did they overcome it? You bet they did. We read stories of officers who have been stabbed, shot, and assaulted by individuals and vehicles but did not give up the fight.
We are called to be peacemakers. As believers of God, we are called to bear the fruits of His Spirit. But do not think that this makes you soft as an officer. Rather, it emboldens you. It solidifies your mindset and prepares you for battle should that day come. Whatever you face today, plant this thought deep in your mind: I will never give up, I will never quit, I know my God will lift me up, and I will persevere and take the fight to the enemy. Embed yourself in the presence of God through prayer and study of His Word today.
Heavenly Father, thank you for giving me a mindset of steel, a spirit of a true warrior, a heart untouchable to this world, and a will that is never broken. I know that with you, I will never quit the fight. Amen.
You Are on the Winning Team
Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. Matthew 10:34
Jesus is the Prince of Peace who came to bring peace between humankind and God, but the war between light and darkness has never ceased. Jesus indeed came to bring salvation to humanity, and in doing so, He defeated darkness. We know this earth is the devil’s playground, and the enemy seeks to kill, steal, and destroy, but darkness cannot remain in the light. As a believer in Jesus, you are on the winning team, and as a law enforcement officer, you are in the middle of the fight between good and evil.
Our peace is made perfectly complete through our relationship with Jesus, and we have been commissioned to serve His kingdom, love God, love people, and engage in battle through His Word and Spirit. On a practical note, in your official capacity as a law enforcement officer, part of restoring peace is, at times, to do battle on behalf of the innocent or defenseless. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Walk in the truth of God’s Word today, knowing you are on the winning team, fully empowered and fully equipped. The battle is already won.
Heavenly Father, thank you for the power to defeat darkness, overcome evil, and restore peace and order. Amen.
You Are Strategic
The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still Exodus 14:14
God does nothing by accident. He is a God of order and strategy. When we receive a command to wait, there is a reason for it. As a young officer, I would always try to be the first to a complaint of a fight between two individuals. One day, a seasoned officer said, “Why don’t you let them wear down a little bit?” He had a good point. Sometimes, we try to rush into things to “fight” when it was never our place—it was God’s battle all along.
We cannot take this Scripture as an excuse to do nothing. However, it is a prime example of how we are to recognize the power of God in our lives and understand that He is strategic and orderly and expects us to be the same. There may be times in law enforcement when your best strategy is to wait—it may be rare, but stranger things have happened. In life, give Him the freedom to work instead of trying to fix all your problems. Listen and look today. Is God showing you a place in your life where He wants you to be still and let Him handle the situation?
Heavenly Father, thank you for helping me and fighting for me. I ask you to show me when I need to be still and let you fight for me. Amen.
