No human wisdom or understanding or plan can stand against the LORD. The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the LORD. PROVERBS 21:30-31 (NLT)

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The trails where we walk and ride, and used to run, pass a home where the owner had a new Chevy Camaro with the vanity license plate YDLOSE (You Would Lose). He was confident in both his vehicle and his skills. If you were to race him, he promises you would lose. He doesn’t have that car anymore. I wonder if he lost it somehow? 

There are those who are esteemed or who esteem themselves as smarter, better, faster than everyone else. You could probably think of a couple of people who the media fawn over and about whom they gush. These people light up social media feeds and keep people talking. 

The Camaro speedster and this decade’s Smartest Guy Alive both need to be seen through the lenses of these two verses. 

Complementary truths are at work in these side-by-side statements. They are Don’t fight with God and Don’t fight without him. 

Before Camaro Guy came along, and long after he is gone, God is the one you do not want to fight against. Ask Egypt or Assyria or Babylon. The list goes on and on. Ultimately, all people everywhere will kneel before him, some willingly and joyfully, others in defeat and dread. 

Don’t fight with God. YDLOSE.

Prepare well for the battlefields of your life. Among these are physical, intellectual, emotional, relational, spiritual, and financial battles. Each requires focused attention, determined growth, and measurable development. Each of these also requires God’s wisdom and perspective. 

Don’t fight without God. YDLOSE.

If you want to live a winning life, always take God’s side. Always seek God’s wisdom. Never go anywhere you are not confident is consistent with God’s truth. How can we do that? Day by day, season after season, spend time alone with God reading his Word, the Bible, and prayerfully doing what he says to do. Spend time with others on the same journey seeking the same outcome. Learn from each others’ successes and failures. What will probably happen? YDWIN. 

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I will not fight with God, and I will not fight without him.

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Our Father, you are omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. I am not. I cannot fight against you. Why would I? What you want for me is better than anything I could desire for myself. I want what you want and nothing less. I will not fight any battle apart from your direction and without your guidance. Few battles are worth fighting. Those which are require more than I can muster on my own. I will not fight with you, and I will not fight without you. Amen.