Pastor Nicole Olinski

One of the most important truths we need to hold onto is this: God brings the victory, and it comes through His power.

Too often, we try to fight battles we were never meant to carry. We push and strain and strive in our own strength, and the result is pressure, stress, and overwhelming anxiety. But we weren’t designed to carry those battles. We weren’t created to carry that weight. And no matter how hard we try, if we’re relying on our own power, we’ll always come up short.

Some of you have been trying to fight a battle in your own strength, and it’s not working. For some, it’s a battle in the mind. Fear, anxiety, and lies have taken hold, and now they’re holding you hostage.

Did you know you can lose the battle before it even begins, just in your mind?

Your mind is a battlefield. You can be defeated before anything physical even happens, simply because your thoughts have already surrendered.

Some of you are battling fear about what people think of you, and it’s keeping you captive. Some are battling anger, and the more you fight it in your own strength, the angrier you become. Others are battling identity, constantly asking, Am I enough?

That question, Am I enough?, has plagued me for most of my life. I’ve asked it over and over, as a daughter, a friend, a wife, a mom, a pastor. And for years, the answer I told myself was no. That internal "no" led me to a life of striving. Trying to prove myself. Trying to please everyone. Pushing harder and harder. But I always came up short. It was a losing battle.

Because the enemy attacks your identity. Why? Because your identity determines your authority. And your identity is not rooted in your performance. It’s rooted in the fact that you are a son or daughter of God. That is where your authority comes from.

Our power will never be enough. We need God's power.

A Battle We Can’t Win Alone: The Story of Jehoshaphat

There’s a powerful story in 2 Chronicles 20 that shows what it looks like when God brings the victory. At the time, the Israelite army under King Jehoshaphat was facing an overwhelming battle. Three nations had joined forces to come against them. The odds were impossible.

Scripture says King Jehoshaphat was terrified. And if you’ve ever been in the middle of a battle and felt terrified, you're not alone.

But what Jehoshaphat did in response is something we need to pay attention to. His first reaction wasn’t to strategize or fight back. It was to seek the Lord for guidance. He didn't run to other people. He called everyone to pray and fast. He gathered the people in the temple, and together they cried out to God.

In verse 6, Jehoshaphat prays, “O Lord, God of our ancestors, you alone are the God who is in heaven. You are ruler of all the kingdoms of the earth. You are powerful and mighty; no one can stand against you.”

Then in verse 12, he continues, “We are powerless against this mighty army that is about to attack us. We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help.”

Jehoshaphat acknowledged two things. Who God is, and that only God could bring the victory.

Then something remarkable happens. One of the men receives a word from the Lord and shares it with the people. “Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.” (2 Chronicles 20:15)

Some of you need to hear that again. The battle is not yours. It’s God’s.

Jehoshaphat then made a bold move. He sent worshipers ahead of the army onto the battlefield. Picture that. Instead of leading with swords and shields, he led with praise. These worshipers went out singing, glorifying God, lifting up His name, surrounded by three armies.

And what happened next could only be God. While the worship was happening, the enemy armies turned on each other and destroyed themselves. The Israelite army didn’t even have to fight. God brought the victory.

Victory Comes Through Surrender

This story shows us something vital. Victory doesn’t come by our plan. It comes by surrendering to God’s plan.

If it were up to us, we never would have chosen to send out worshipers. That strategy didn’t make sense. But it was God’s plan. And when we follow God's ways, He brings the victory in ways we never could have imagined.

That doesn’t mean there won’t be battles. But it does mean that God will be faithful in every one of them. Because God is not limited by the size of your battle.

We may look at our battle and feel overwhelmed. But God isn’t overwhelmed. He isn’t intimidated. He isn’t limited. We’re the ones who limit Him, when we try to control the outcome or rely on our own understanding.

And sometimes, the way God brings victory won’t make sense to you or to anyone else. If you had told a military strategist how the Israelites were going to fight that day, they would’ve said it was foolish. That’s because God fights differently. His battles are not just physical. They’re spiritual.

God’s ways won’t make sense to the world. He calls us to fight differently. He calls us to fight on our knees in prayer, to fight through worship, through surrender, through obedience.

Let Go of the Outcome. Let God Win the Battle

If you’re in the middle of a battle right now—maybe it’s emotional, relational, mental, or spiritual—ask yourself:

Are you still fighting in your own strength?


Are you trying to control the outcome?


Has God already told you something to do, but you haven’t done it yet?

Sometimes, victory is waiting on the other side of obedience. God is ready to act, but He may be waiting for you to surrender first. Because His ways don’t rely on human effort. They rely on His power.

That way, when the victory comes, there’s no doubt who gets the glory.

So remember this.

The battle is not yours. It’s God’s.


Let Him fight for you. Let Him lead.


And let Him show you what real victory looks like.