Warrior Strong

From 1980 until 2001, the U.S. Army slogan was "Be All You Can Be" and the rest of it was "in the Army". It has morphed from "Army of One", "Army Strong", into the present "What's Your Warrior?", with each lasting a few or more years in various recruiting campaigns. I kind of like the present one, but the "Be All You Can Be" one really speaks of what God desires of his 'army' of believers - he wants us to be mature and complete, becoming all he intends for us to be - not as an Army of One, but as Warriors in his army of billions upon billions.

My brothers and sisters, you will have many kinds of trouble. But this gives you a reason to be very happy. You know that when your faith is tested, you learn to be patient in suffering. If you let that patience work in you, the end result will be good. You will be mature and complete. You will be all that God wants you to be. (James 1:2-4 ERV)

Warriors become strong not in the absence of trouble, but right there in the middle of it. We sometimes forget that in our daily walk with Jesus, thinking everything should just 'run smoothly' and life should somehow be less challenging. The opposite is quite true in his army - challenges are what make us strong - they help us develop our 'warrior' spirit. To 'be all we can be', we must 'become'. Becoming is a state of development - it is not a one-time thing. We learn from dealing with trouble much more than we learn from just hearing about the tactics we can utilize to counteract trouble!

Tactics are good - I learned all kinds of tactics in the military. We practiced various maneuvers, challenging ourselves to memorize certain things we'd need to know should the need arise to go into actual warfare. I never saw the battlefield, but I learned the tactics used there. Guess what? Those of you who have actually seen the battlefield will likely tell me the 'tactics' were good in theory, but you need more than 'tactics' to survive in the heat of the battle. The tactics guide your actions, but it is the action that actually accomplishes the victory!

We sometimes forget that warriors need to be engaged in a battle. We can train all our lifetime for the battle of one day - but if we don't ever take the step into the battlefield, we are just 'trained', we aren't proven. Proving comes in the thick of the fight, putting into practice what we have learned. Our faith isn't proven by learning the 'tactics' of faith. It is proven when we have to put it into play in the thick of the battle! We don't run into battle unprepared - we need to learn the tactics we use to fight well. We also don't sit by and never fight! Our faith isn't going to develop on the sidelines of life. It develops most on the battlefields some will never even realize we have entered. Just sayin!

The Battle is On!

There are days when I feel ever so grateful and aware of each breath, each rhythmic thump of my heart, and each wisp of air as it gently passes through my hair. The moments don't pass me by unnoticed - keenly aware of the people surrounding me, the challenges ahead of each of them, and the enjoyment we find in just being together. Perhaps we get too caught up in life at times to even realize the type of fight we all are really in with each new step we take. In the specific moments we take to actually pause long enough to look around, we often discover we are in the fight of our lifetime - not alone in this fight, because others are right there, dukes raised, readying themselves for their own fights!

God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we'll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels. (Ephesians 6:10-12)

It is a good thing we are given well-made weapons of the best materials, isn't it? Yet, a weapon in a locked cabinet is of little use to the one gazing upon it from the outside! We are reminded of the need to "put on" all we are given - not just parts and pieces, selectively chosen as the "attire" we WANT to put on. To be truthful, there are days when I don't want to be in shoes, much less binding or confining clothing. I just want to walk around barefoot - comfortable, not bound up inside shoe leather, toes free to just luxuriate in the open air. It may not have occurred to you yet, but my toes are a whole lot more likely to get stubbed in some situations when they are not properly attired! While walking around my home barefooted may be okay, doing so around the hospital where I work is not.

I may not WANT to wear the shoes, but they actually protect me in ways I might not fully appreciate. At work, for example, I wear them to keep me from getting unwanted germs on my body - from creeping into the dark spaces between my toes and under my nails, setting me up for disease. As I walk on the street, I wear them to keep my feet from frying to a crisp on asphalt made unbearably hot in the blazing Arizona sun! The shoes serve a very worthwhile purpose - different from circumstance to circumstance, but a significant purpose nonetheless. We cannot simply look upon what God has given to us to make us strong and see that it only serves ONE purpose - it is likely that what we are given to keep us strong serves varied purposes depending upon the fight we are in.

This is no afternoon athletic contest! Did you catch that in our passage today? For most of us, this escapes us because we no longer engage in those Sunday afternoon football skirmishes on the family lawn, or a leisurely game of stick ball where it was us against them, may the best teamplayers win. An afternoon athletic contest is not really a true "contest", but a time of "playing around" with being an "athlete" - a time to 'fight hard', but it isn't for the Super Bowl trophy! This walk with Christ is not a leisurely thing! It is a fight to the death! Someone is after our peace and it is a pretty devious enemy who fights to take it away from us! If he has skin in this game, isn't it time for us to put as much skin in the game? We don't go up against our enemy unprepared if we ever expect to win. We have been given the best of all weapons - the Word of God making us strong, the righteousness of Christ guarding our hearts so we remain strong, the peace of Christ guiding each step we take so our faith is built up with each step, faith firmly grounded in assurance of the protective power of our God at our fingertips, and the blood of Christ covering our missteps, making our minds and hearts strong. Above all, we have the sword of the Spirit - the Word of God. All in all - no one piece stands alone - no one piece is to be left off.

We can be all "clad" in armor and have no weapon to launch an attack of our own! At best, without a weapon in our hands, we can only stand against the attack for so long! This is why we need the Word in our hands - the Spirit of God using it to defend us and to divide truth from lie in our minds and hearts. So, as much as we might want to take shortcuts in life, maybe we need to be consistent with the application of what we have been given for our defense more than we need to take the shortcut! We are in the fight of our lifetimes, perhaps without even recognizing it. This is no afternoon athletic contest! We need the real deal when it comes to being equipped and ready for the battle ahead! I don't want an unprotected heart, or an easily influenced mind! You don't either! So, gird up! The battle's on! Just sayin!

Fight until the finish

God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels. Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out. (Ephesians 6:12-13 MSG)

All of life is a battle - if not well fought, it will be wasted. How well are you fighting, my friends? How hard is the battle? How engaged are you in the warfare ahead? What strategies are you preparing to implement against the one who wants nothing more than that you stagger and fall, never to get up again? God's plan for each of us is to stand, but with purpose. To fight, not without any control, but with strategic accuracy. It is what we put to use in our lives that makes the difference between fighting and fighting well!

God has given us so much, but we fail to tap into all he has given, then wonder why we falter in our stand. We don't take time to learn of him - to really understand the principles of how he works, so we cannot be duped into believing the decoys the enemy puts out there to get us to believe lies. Truth is learned at the feet of Jesus, in times of consistent study of the character of God. It is through the study of scripture we often learn how God moves - so we will be sensitive to his movements in our life. 

We don't always need to "hear" a loud voice declaring this or that way is the one to take. We need to just know how God acts - what he holds as unwavering principles of his character - and then go in the direction that aligns with those principles. We act upon what our heart has come to trust in - because it has connected with the heart of God in times of prayer and connected contemplation. We make prayer hard - but we are to pray hard, not make prayer hard! What is prayer? It is connection. It is listening. It is also just absorbing.

We sometimes want to separate our "prayer life" from our time of studying the scripture, but they are intimately connected. As described in our passage today, we learn from the Word and then we see how it is applied - not just in study of the scripture, but in times of connected exchange with God. I rarely have what some might call "prayer time" - I have a prayer "life"! It is a constant listening - yielding - learning - leaning - and yes, "talking" kind of prayer life. It is in my everyday connections with him that I see just how he wants me to move - because that connection just continues throughout the entire "living" of my day!

God isn't going to settle for little bits of time with us - he wants us to have a "prayer life" - not just a prayer time. Herein the connection is cemented and we get to the place we cannot live without that connection. Just sayin!

The enemy within

Beware of no man more than of yourself; we carry our worst enemies within us. (Charles Spurgeon)

I have heard many a conflicted soul tell of the battle with those enemies within - bringing them to their knees more than once. There are those who see those enemies as something we must be rid of in order to move on, but I wonder how the Apostle Paul would see that one. He prayed, evidently repeatedly, requesting some "thorn" be removed that gave him a constant battle of some sort. Allegedly, it was something that kept him from getting too high a perception of himself - keeping him humble. I wonder if some of the "enemies" within are really those types of things that help to keep us humble?

So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.  Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away.  Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.  That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:7-10 NLT)

We might have been praying for deliverance from the enemies within, but as Paul indicates, it is quite possible that God's power is being revealed in the battle! Most of us think of power as deliverance - God might just see it as leaning a little more into his strength when the battle rages until we are living our way "through" the attack by the grace of God within! Kind of like a light in the darkest of rooms, God's power works best when weakness is the means by which his grace and power is most clearly revealed. 

Each time he said... 

There are probably times when we'd like a different answer from God, but "each time he says" what we probably don't want to hear, but need to hear nonetheless. God answers that he isn't going to deliver you from that rocky relationship, but that his grace will be sufficient to walk through even the most tenuous of places. God answers that he isn't going to magically fix that problem your over-spending got you into, but that his grace will teach you how to walk in wisdom where it comes to your finances as you slowly dig out. God answers he isn't going to remove that one coworker who constantly gets on your nerves, but that his grace will show you ways to bless that coworker instead.

God acts "contrary" to what we "reason" should happen in our lives many times - not because he wants us to suffer, but so he can show just how real his grace is and how powerful his presence can actually be within each of us. We may not like the "each time he said" answer we keep receiving, but it probably is the answer we need to hear the most! As with Paul, we will be able to stand in the certainty that when we lack the wisdom and strength, he stands strong to give us the wisdom which exceeds our understanding and the supernatural strength to walk through that place we'd probably rather just run from in the first place.

How is the power of Christ working through your lives today? Could it be in answering that question you see some area where an enemy within is waging battle, but in turn God's grace and power is helping you to stand stronger than the pull of that enemy's forceful efforts to bring you down? The battle doesn't always go to the strong - it goes to the ones willing to remain humble, lean in a little closer, and rely upon the grace and power of God within them to carry them through! Just sayin!

What are we seeking to win?

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. (Ephesians 6:12-13 NLT)

A German soldier by the name of Erin Rommel is quoted as saying, "Don't fight a battle if you don't gain anything by winning." There are a whole lot of battle lines being drawn in the sand these days - but I am afraid some just don't warrant our time or attention! I honestly have had to ask why some of these marches, protests, media campaigns, and rather large crowds of disagreeable people are doing what they are doing. I don't even know if some of these individuals in the crowd know what it is they are doing. Some may actually just be following along because they heard just enough to peak their interest, but neglected to really understand the battle being fought. If we are going to go to battle, we must know the real enemy - the specific purpose and intent of the battle - and the battleground we are about to launch our attack upon!

The biggest part of battle isn't the actual fighting - it is the preparation. British soldier Bernard Law Montgomery said it well: "Every soldier must know, before he goes into battle, how the little battle he is to fight fits into the larger picture, and how the success of his fighting will influence the battle as a whole." The warfare of a lifetime isn't always won on the "biggest" battlefields, but in the smaller battles of each man or woman's will, spirit, and desire. The "will" to win isn't the only necessary weapon in our arsenal in this battle we wage today. Why not? The battle isn't just political, physical or emotional. It is spiritual! All of life's most significant battles are won more in the realm of the spirit than in any other venue. Therefore, spiritual preparation is one of our most powerful weapons!

If we truthfully understood the spiritual forces waging war in our communities today, we'd do less protesting and more praying. We'd kneel more and throw fewer punches. We'd stand alongside each other in unity and oppose every force that sought to divide - for our strength comes not in just standing strong, but by standing united in warfare. We'd draw a few less lines in the sand and stand firmly at the foot of the cross - the real place the line was drawn in the first place! I think we'd take less "sides" and realize there is a place where all are truly made equal - at the judgment seat of God. We'd respect God's justice more and work to counter all that stands in the way of anything that opposes his truth. Maybe we'd realize the importance of the small part we play in this bigger battle - not because our "punches" alone will make much difference, but because our "prayers" together will drive back the most formidable enemy of all times - Satan himself. Just sayin!

Take a lesson from war

Have you ever been in a situation where you just knew no matter how hard you tried to make your opinion count, no matter how hard you fought for a particular matter, the verdict or outcome was already decided, despite your best efforts to direct the course otherwise?  What was your emotional outcome in those circumstances?  Wasn't it a deep sense of defeat and discouragement?  You tried so hard, but the outcome could not be changed despite all the efforts on your part.  There are just times in life when it is wiser to walk away than to continue to engage in the battle, my friends.  Now, this may seem a little "defeatist" at first, but not really.  Consider the energies directed at the "fight" you stand no chance of winning and then how much more those same energies could do in the matters you do have an influence in.  When those energies are redirected toward the stuff you can actually affect, you at least feel a sense of reward and hope in the outcome. To continue where we have no chance of making forward progress is futile.  Sometimes the very best course of action is to retreat!

Wisdom brings strength, and knowledge gives power.  Battles are won by listening to advice and making a lot of plans.  (Proverbs 24:5-6 CEV)

World War II was probably one of the most studied wars of all times.  Why?  There was much to be learned by the study of the movements of the troops engaged in the various battles (including the retreats and regrouping maneuvers).  In one such battle known as the Battle of Stalingrad, the "undoing" of Hitler's advances to attempt to establish what he envisioned as "the global empire" was actually the longest and bloodiest of battles. The loss of lives was over one million troops, not to mention innocent lives lost in the course of invasions, bombings, and senseless torture or imprisonment.  What ended the advancement of Hitler's armies?  The cutting off of all supplies to his troops.  It was the dead of winter, resources were scarce, and the Russian army was able to effectively "stall" the advancement of the Nazi regime by "interrupting" the flow of supplies to replenish the resources the German army would need to continue the fight.  Sometimes the battles in our lives are won not by the might we exhibit, but by the effective placement of our defenses!

It wasn't how many troops they had in the battle, but where they placed those troops, when they withdrew to avoid any further loss, and how they structured every counter-attack that won the battle.  In addition, it was "who" they were able to engage in the battle.  Probably one of the main reasons the Russian army was so successful was their ability to constantly replenish their numbers.  Even women joined in the battle - something not quite recognized as a possibility with the German forces. The same is true in our own lives - sometimes the wisest decision is to pull back, regroup, and refocus our energies on a different aspect of the battle where we can make an impact.  Sometimes we need to recognize the resources we have been "throwing into the battle" are dwindling and we need to think outside of the box, so to speak, when it comes to replenishing our resources.  We may not have thought of a particular means of moving forward in the fight until someone with eyes "outside" of the battle gives us insight into how it is we might "counter" the advances coming against us!

I guess one of the hardest things to do when we are in the midst of the moments of battle is this idea of actually stopping what we are doing when it seems to be futile.  We just keep battling on - not because we see any hope in the outcome - but because we don't know what else to do.  This is where wise counsel (sage advice) comes into play.  We need to take into account we cannot see the way "out" because we don't even remember anymore the way "in" to the battle.  In many skirmishes within this great battle, the loss of life was great because the way "in" effectively was cut off, providing no way "out".  A skilled army will see the advantages of cutting off the supply of resources to those they oppose.  This cutting off of resources is often the very thing needed to shut down the battle!  If you don't believe me, recall the last time you were engaged in an argument of sorts, then suddenly realized how saying anything more was just going to add fuel to the fire.  When you stopped, what happened to the argument?  Didn't it take a turn?  Why? You cut off the resources necessary for the battle to continue!

When it comes to battling sin's influence in our lives, we often need the vantage point of another "outside" of the battle to help us sort through how we cut off the resources which continue to fan the flames of temptation, fuel the fires raging within, and frustrate even the best of intentions on our part.  The "plan" we form when we consider the wisdom of those who see the battle from a different perspective may actually be what we need to recognize the resource "pathway" which must be cut off in order to stall the enemy's advances in our lives!  We also may see there are different "resources" available to us which we have not considered before (just like Russia realized when they considered the advantages of the women entering into the fight, effectually doubling their resources at times).  We need more than our own vantage point to see the larger picture.  When we limit our focus, we only see the surrounding forces and we don't consider the possibilities of cutting off their resources by one slight movement of defenses in one direction or another!  Just sayin!

Is it "AND" or perhaps "OR"

Do you ever feel beat up?  You know, like when no matter how hard you try to move one step forward, you feel like you are taking two steps backward?  No matter what you do, you just cannot seem to break free of whatever it is that is keeping you in the muddle you are in.  Sometimes I think this is just my own doing - because I have bitten off way more than I can chew.  My plate is overloaded and the only way to be clear of the pressure is to get some of the stuff off my plate which really doesn't belong there in the first place.  Then there are other times when I just cannot tell you why I am feeling a little oppressed and pushed down, but it happens.  I think those times might just be when the enemy of my soul wants me to get distracted from what is important in life.  How about you?  Sometimes you just need to push some of the stuff back off your plate, other times you might just need to push back against the one who is "bullying" your soul!

God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels.  (Ephesians 6:10-12 MSG)

According to this passage, the devil beats us up unnecessarily for he is already defeated - he is just doing his best to convince us otherwise!  If we'd learn to put on the full armor we are given and actually use it to resist the attacks of the enemy of our souls, we might just be able to hold our ground against his attacks!  Lest we think he doesn't know where to attack us in our lives, be assured of this - there is nothing "uncommon" in our struggles that others have not already struggled with.  He just knows how we ALL struggle - so he uses these "common" areas as a means to get us focused on the stuff which just gets us down and under the pressure of life.  Lest we think our enemy has no plan of attack - let me assure you, we probably give him some "hints" about how it is we can be attacked!  Hints like us not being very kind in our responses when we are tired, or like when we don't plan ahead well and leave late for a specific appointment, then get all bogged down in traffic.  We sometimes like to blame him for these events, but in actuality, these are common struggles for all of us, so if he can use them to his benefit, he will! He doesn't necessarily make us tired, nor does he send the traffic - but he will use them to get us to take our eyes off what matters.

Two things he uses in our lives is this concept of "AND" and the idea of "OR". In the first case, he will often get us to focus on what more can be added - the "AND" gets us into our trouble.  For example, if someone does something which we may not usually react to, but in our tiredness, we somehow "read more into it" than we should, we might respond with the "AND" scenario.  We "add into" the situation our own interpretation of the circumstances which are being viewed through already overextended and over-tired eyes!  We know we need to spend time within our relationships which is "quality time" - not distracted, focused intentionally on each other.  Then we get this genius idea to just combine a little work with the pleasure and we somehow no longer have this non-distracted, intentional focus in the "quality time" - the AND factor.  In the second case, he will get us to considering the "alternatives" to the way we know we should go - the "OR" factor.  We could do something this way, OR we could do it another way, often presented as the easier way.  Like when we could sweep the floor, or just kick the crumbs under the throw rug! The "OR" factor usually presents an alternative which seems so much easier, or like we were entitled to have it be this easy in the first place.  Just a little advice here - what appears too easily accomplished or obtained is usually not the best plan!

AND adds complications we didn't need.  OR presents short-cuts which do little to simplify our lives and usually just delay the original plan.  Since the Garden of Eden he has been using the same two tactics.  If we become aware of how he operates, we might just be able to resist his attacks a little easier. God is strong and he wants us strong - get hold of that word of instruction. What we do with the wisdom we are given will ultimately determine how strong we will stand.  What are we given?  Perhaps we'd do well to read on in our passage:  "Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out."  (Ephesians 6:13-18 MSG)

- Be prepared.  The only attacks which are successful in our lives is when we don't prepare well.  If we did a little "up front" consideration of what we put on our plate, or what will impact our ability to finish well, we might take a little less into our grasp!

- We cannot handle this alone.  We need others who will come along side; especially the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  Now, here is the rub - we want relationship, but we don't take the time to invest in it.  We are robbed of one of our greatest weapons against his attacks whenever we attempt to stand alone.  The value of well-developed relationships is best understood in the times of our deepest personal need.

- Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation - weapons in their own right.  Truth sets us straight, so we aren't duped into believing our own vain imaginations.  Righteousness helps us stand upright when all of our enemy's hosts would want us to look backward at our failures.  Peace determines the steadiness of our walk and gives us the assurance we don't walk alone.  Faith keeps us directed on what we cannot see, but what we have come to accept and stand on as true in our live.  Salvation is the anchor which holds us when we might want to drift.

- We need to talk WITH God.  Prayer is more than talking TO God - it is talking WITH God.  Two-way conversation - open to receive what he gives. We sell ourselves short when all we come to do is TELL God and never stop to LISTEN TO God.  Most of the time, it is in these listening times where we discover we have been giving into the "AND" and the "OR" tactics of our enemy.  In these moments of being WITH Jesus, we discover we didn't need the "AND" and we cannot count on the "OR".  Just sayin!

Need to lay down that armor a while?

Weary:  Physically or mentally exhausted by hard work, exhaustion, or strain.  The origin of this word has its basis in the old English word used to describe the condition of crumbling, breaking down, or tottering.  I think this comes very close to describing the condition of mental strength when we are at the point of weariness, doesn't it?  We are almost crumbling into pieces - if not on the outside, maybe on the inside.  We find ourselves just not able to go on much longer - because we are at the point of being broken down by the pressures of life.  There is a condition of both mind and body which leaves us kind of "tottering" on the edge - so weary we just don't know if we can go on any longer.  I have heard it said that those who take care of others all the time are often the ones who need a little care themselves.  I observe caregivers all the time, on the brink of exhaustion, but constantly giving out of themselves to give and give again.  Who takes care of the caregiver?  

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  (Matthew 11:28-29 NLT)

I believe the answer is quite clear - Jesus.  What we cannot carry alone, Jesus is there to carry.  I have a favorite song which speaks deeply to my soul each and every time I consider the words of the lyrics.  It is the song by Twila Paris, written when she was only 22 years old, after being counseled about the weariness of "fame" related to her up and coming career in the Christian music industry.  There is much truth in the words of this song, so let me share some of the lyrics with you this morning that speak to me the "loudest" in this song and why:

People say that I'm amazing -- Strong beyond my years

But they don't see inside of me  --  I'm hiding all the tears

Unafraid because His armor is the best -- But even soldiers need a quiet place to rest

People say that I'm amazing -- Never face retreat

But they don't see the enemies -- That lay me at His feet

They don't know that I go -- Running home when I fall down

They don't know Who picks me -- Up when no one is around

I drop my sword and look up for a smile -- 'Cause deep inside this armor

The Warrior is a Child

(excerpts from The Warrior is a Child, by Twila Paris - http://www.lyrics.com/warrior-is-a-child-lyrics-twila-paris.html)

The highlights are my own - because these words speak the loudest to me in this song.  There are more words to the song, but these speak to me each time I hear it.  First, sometimes caregivers seem to have a strength almost unmatched by others.  There is a constant demand upon their time and energies, but they seem to possess something which keeps them "going back into" the midst of some of the toughest places to be - the place where others take and you just give.  Second, others rarely see the hidden struggles of the caregiver.  It is not that the caregiver wears "masks" of some kind, but there is a determination of mind and heart which shields some of the tremendous disappointments, struggles, and fears of those who are the caregivers.  It is like the armor of a warrior - functioning not so much to hide behind, but to protect the one wearing it.

Most importantly, the song speaks of onlookers not knowing where the caregiver finds their strength.  I think Twila Paris did a great job of defining the heart of the caregiver, the stamina exhibited, and the place of renewal each caregiver needs more than anything else.  It is at the feet of Jesus where the caregiver finds their rest - they go "running home" and there they find themselves "picked up" for the next round of battle.  Caregiving may not be a literal "battle", but it wears on the mind and body almost as much as the rigors of warfare.  It is as the "warrior" lays down his sword - puts aside the caregiving responsibilities for just a short while - that they are "picked up" in their spirit, renewed in their mind, and regenerated in their body.  They find strength beyond their years!

My sister asked me the other day if I was doing any blogging about being my mother's caregiver during these past several years.  This gave me a moment of pause, as I began to consider just how much those of us who are in this same "battle" need this tremendous connection of support of others in this warfare with us.  So, in sharing just these short lyric excerpts, and the words of Jesus, let me pray you find the renewal you so desperately need.  My strength comes in recognizing that deep inside, I am the warrior who is nothing more than a child.  It is my hope, you will recognize your strength comes not in "fronting" your "armor", but in laying it down for a while.  Just sayin!

In the thick of things?

There are certainly times in life when we just feel like we are "in the thick of things" - you know what I mean - so totally "involved" in something that you almost feel "consumed" by whatever it is.  For a soldier, the greatest opportunity for being wounded, or even killed, is when he/she is in the "thick of the battle".  It is the "busiest" or most "active" part of the battle where the soldier has the greatest risk.  The same is true for each of us in life.  The busiest, or most active part of our circumstances places us at the greatest risk.

When I walk into the thick of trouble, keep me alive in the angry turmoil.  With one hand strike my foes, with your other hand save me.  Finish what you started in me, God.  Your love is eternal—don’t quit on me now.  (Psalm 138:7-8 MSG)

Our psalmist is pleading with God, knowing that he will "walk into" the thick of trouble and the angry turmoil.  In essence, he is saying he is aware of the risks, but he knows he must go into those "places" of turmoil - simply because it is where the battle is won or lost!  The truth is, the battle is either won or lost in each life, not because we stay out of the battle, but because we are right in the middle of it!  Our preparation for battle is significant, but not as important as the LEADERSHIP we submit to in the battle.  For our psalmist, he places his trust in the leadership of the Lord of Lords and King of Kings.  His hope clearly is in the one who he knows will win the battle, not in his own abilities.

In looking closer at our passage, David doesn't say "IF" he goes into battle - he says "WHEN".  In understanding this we get a little insight.  The battle is not optional - it as assured.  It is a foregone conclusion - we don't need to spend a lot of time analyzing this one.  As assured as David was of the battles ahead, we can be just as assured - they will come.  WHEN they do, we need to have the "forgone conclusion" of how we will walk INTO the battle - under the care of the Lord of Lords and King of Kings.  One mighty hands holds back the enemy - the other surrounds the warrior child with its mighty protection and comfort.

As important as recognizing the battle as "inevitable", we also need to see it has a purpose.  David says it well - "Finish what you started in me, God."  The battle most definitely is a place of "faith-building", is it not?  Isn't the intent of God's activity in our lives to ensure the "growth" of our faith?  Therefore, we can conclude, the battle must be a "building ground" for our faith.  David's stance is one of trusting God to take him THROUGH the battle with the end result being God finishing what he had begun in his life in the "quiet times".  We learn a lot in our quiet times with God, but they are put to the test on the battlefield!  Faith is simply belief until it is tested.  On the battlefields of our testing, our every belief has a chance to be challenged - put to the test - to either give us total assurance of the "correctness" of our belief, or the need to "adjust" our belief because it was a little incorrect in the first place.  

David's ultimate goal is to remind us of God's keeping power, but it is IN the battle the protection is most appreciated.  We "know" God is there in the quiet times, but when in the thick of battle, there is a unique transition which occurs.  We don't "sit" and "wait" upon God - we run for shelter into his care and protection.  We align with his direction - something which gives us the "position" of protection in the battle.  We call upon him like never before - simply because we trust his direction to keep us safe and secure.  It is when our "peace" is disturbed that we recognize the authority of the one who can restore peace!

Good news is also part of this passage.  First, God goes with!  He leads the way into battle - he doesn't bring up the rear.  If we keep our eyes on him, we will be kept in the battle.  Second, God is aware of the enemy at all times.  We may think we know his tactics, but only a "proven" warrior is capable of anticipating the next move of the enemy.  Since none of us is "fully proven" in the battle, we need to align with his leadership in the midst of the battle - he is the only "proven" battle-winner!  Last, God will not abandon us in the battle.  He is not a quitter - he is an eternal victor - as such, he brings us through!  Just sayin!

Your destiny awaits!

Destination - the purpose for which someone is destined.  Really we can thing of being "destined" as being set apart for a particular purpose - we have a "use" defined for our lives.  Our "destination" is "in Christ" if we have entered into relationship with him.  If not, our "destination" is rather uncertain.

^25-27But now you have arrived at your destination: By faith in Christ you are in direct relationship with God. Your baptism in Christ was not just washing you up for a fresh start. It also involved dressing you in an adult faith wardrobe—Christ's life, the fulfillment of God's original promise.

(Galations 3:25-27 The Message)

The awesome point of this passage is the "direct" relationship we have with God through Christ.  The Apostle Paul has spent better than half of this letter to the Galations explaining the purpose of the Law of Moses as "pointing to" the destination he now reveals - life with God - direct, no middle-man involved.  In other words, we have IMMEDIATE access which is PERSONAL in nature - affording an opportunity for us to be frank and real with God.

For some, being "real" with God is a very frightening prospect.  Yet, if we have been brought into "direct" relationship with God through the work of Christ on the cross, we have no need to fear this relationship.  It is like having an "all-access" pass!  We can be straightforward - totally candid with God - because he does not judge us harshly for our wayward thoughts, our missteps, or our lack of trust.  He accepts us "IN" Christ.  Pure and simple.

Paul brings up another interesting point about baptism - it was not just a time of washing us up for a fresh start.  If it was, we'd be finding a place to be "baptized" every day!  In baptism, we make a "fresh start" - one which involves acknowledging our intention to live according to the truth God reveals in his Word.  The best of intentions does not get us to our destination, though.  It takes purposeful steps from point "A" to get to point "B".

This is where being dressed in an "adult faith wardrobe" comes into play.  In another of his letters, Paul directs us ever so carefully to consider how we "adorn" ourselves for the daily "warfare" of living according to the truth God reveals.  He calls it "putting on the whole armor of God" - utilizing the weapons of defense to repel temptation, avoiding the damage of compromise, etc.  He reminds us to take up the offensive weaponry, as well - utilizing the Word of God (the sword of the Spirit) to expose untruth, speak truth into dark times, etc.  How we are "adorned" matters.

Paul reminds us of the importance of being "fully dressed" with the wardrobe we are given.  If we bathe (baptism) - we also need to be clothed (applying the truth we are given)!  We often stop at baptism - we need to move on!  God brings us into direct, open, and frank relationship with him - IN CHRIST.  In turn, we are to enter into the enjoyment of this freedom, clothing ourselves with all he provides - our "adult faith wardrobe" found in Christ!

What enemy?

As those out to get me come closer and closer, they go farther and farther from the truth you reveal; but you're the closest of all to me, God, and all your judgments true.  I've known all along from the evidence of your words that you meant them to last forever.

(Psalm 119:150-152 The Message)

There are definitely times when we feel our "enemy" breathing down our neck and just want to run like a crazy person from the "threat" we feel.  In a literal sense, we have "enemies" who come against us - - someone who is determined to make life miserable for us.  In a spiritual sense, we have one really big enemy - - Satan.  In an emotional sense, we have lots of "enemies" - - fear, pride, lust, just to name a few.  Regardless of the "enemy", we need to hear the words above:  The closer they get to us, the farther they are from the truth God reveals when we draw closer to him!

If we look at the emotional enemies a little, here's what we discover:

- The enemy of fear drives a hard bargain.  With fear, the goal is to shut us down so we are no longer making forward progress.  Any of our "human" or "spiritual" enemies can use fear as a "weapon" in their arsenal to wage an attack upon us if we are not paying attention to our response to their attack.  Fear is the exact opposite of faith -- the outcome of fear is paralysis (a lack of movement).  No enemy is more happy than the one who takes advantage of us as "sitting ducks"!

- The enemy of pride demands a place of prominence, constantly reminding us we can be "more", do "more", get "more".  The focus of pride's attack is in the area of our satisfaction -- pride tunes into our forces of perception and focuses us on what we "don't" have rather than on what we "do" have.  The outcome of pride's attack is an inattentiveness to the things which really matter in life.  Quantity is rarely equal to quality.

- The enemy of lust wiggles its way into our lives through our "eye gate".  The things we behold with our eyes become the things which tickle our fancy -- the things we learn to desire because they "look" good. I have often wondered where we would be today if Eve never considered the apple on the tree of good and evil!  It was in the moment of considering that the battle began.  There is no greater weapon we have than our ability to "flee" the very first tug!

The enemies go on and on.  You get the idea.  The opposite of our "enemy" is our God!  The opposite outcome of our enemy's attack is our God's blessing!  The opposite of our enemy's lies if our God's truth!  No enemy wages an attack that catches God off-guard (even though it may catch US a little off-guard!).  The best place to be when we feel the "heat" of our enemy's breath is close to God's heart!  

The trumpet call

^1-3 God spoke to Moses: "Make two bugles of hammered silver. Use them to call the congregation together and give marching orders to the camps. When you blow them, the whole community will meet you at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting..."

(Numbers 10:1-3)

The instructions to Moses were to make two bugles (or horns) of hammered silver.  These were to be used to communicate with God's people that it was either a time for worship, warfare, or to move on to their next place of occupation.  Whenever the horns were sounded, Israel was to hear clearly the instruction God was giving.  Depending on the sounding of the horns, the people would be "clued into" God's will for their lives at that moment.

Today, we don't have such a "clear" example of "hearing" God's will for our lives, but the three "calls" of the horns still apply to us.  The first "sounding" of the horn was a call to worship - a call to assemble together as a people.  The first thing we need to recognize is that God wanted them to hear and to respond to the horn.  His greatest desire for his kids is that we learn to hear his voice and then respond to it with a submissive and committed heart.

The call to assemble brought God's people together - into proximity with each other.  They were together for a specific purpose - to worship God.  God's hope was that they would come with a kind of expectation in their heart that would serve as his opportunity to meet with them in that time of their assembly - a time when he'd reveal some of who he was to them.  That is still the call to worship today - come with an expectant heart and you will not be disappointed.

The second call was to warfare - to come together for battle against a perceived threat.  Effective warfare is a result of two things - hearing the call to mobilize and listening to the directive of the one giving the orders to.  It is pretty apparent that the use of the trumpet could be one way of God getting the attention of a large group of people, all spread out in various directions.  Today, think of his "trumpet" as being the spiritual leaders he places before us.  They issue clear cries for warfare - attempting to gain the attention of God's people and to get their hearts into a position of alertness.  It is that alertness of heart that makes us ready and responsive for the battle ahead.

Whenever this sounding of the trumpet was heard, the people knew two things:  

1. They were to be "on alert".  This was a time to tune into the battle plan, to understand the enemy and to be aware of the dangers around them.  
2. The time of conflict was upon them.  There is strength in numbers.  When the call went out, the people gathered.  Imagine the strength that came to them when facing the conflict when they realized that they were not in the battle alone.

The last call was that of movement - getting up from where they were camped and marching on to the next place God would have them partake of.  This is certainly an unusual call of the trumpet, but necessary nonetheless.  It is often with great fear, and many times, with great resistance that we finally get up and move on to the next phase of development God has for us.  When we are "camped" in one spot, we are often comfortable with what we have come to accept as our "surroundings".  Spiritually, this type of "comfort zone" is dangerous - because it keeps us from growing.

So, regardless of the "call" we hear today, we need to be ready for the sounding of God's trumpet calls in our lives.  Hearing ears, readied hearts, and willing spirits are needed in order to respond.  One last thing....Israel relied upon the sound of the trumpet to know what came next for them.  We'd do very well to listen intently for the sound of God's voice before we make any move in our lives!  

Invitation to be prepared

^13-18Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You'll need them throughout your life. God's Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.

(Ephesians 6:13-18)

We are in a battle - life is never easy.  Our passage today is best known as describing the weapons of our warfare.  In the Message Bible, the passage does not outline "putting on" or "taking up" these weapons / pieces of armor.  Instead, it gives us the reminder that there is a great deal of attention that must be paid in "being prepared".  I like the way this translation opens this passage for us because it is describes the fact that we must learn how to apply these various weapons / pieces of armor in our lives.  It s something we must learn - it does not come naturally to us.

The important reminder we are faced with in our opening verses is that we are up against way more than we can handle on our own.  Mark my words, we may try repeatedly to handle what life throws our way without ever seeking God in the midst of it, but we don't handle it well when we do!  We need God's help - and he stands at the ready to do just that.  God has "issued" us certain weapons - things we have at our disposal that we must become proficient at using.

When I was in the military, I was issued a M-16 rifle.  I learned how to handle that weapon - everything from zeroing its sights, cleaning its many parts, and actually firing it with proficiency.  It became a tool in my hands that was to be used, if warranted, in the defense of my life.  So it is with the weapons of warfare that God has given us - the Holy Spirit, the Word of God, Prayer, abundant Faith, and even everlasting Peace.  Regardless of the "weapon", each serves a purpose in our "arsenal" of defense against the enemy of our souls.

Paul reminds us that these are more than mere words on a page - they are true life "tools" we must become skillful in implementing.  We need to learn how to pray - not just pouring our hearts out to God asking for his help, but in supporting each other in prayerful battle.  We must engraft truth into our daily walk - keeping us steady when the enemy tries to offer deceptive tactics.  There is stability in learning what it is to stand in the peace of God - unwavering because we know that we are in Christ and he is in us.  

Regardless of the "tool" provided, if they are not used, they are useless.  Every weapon / tool provided for both our defense and our offense are necessary.  The skill of learning how to use them is often best learned from others who have already learned - just like I learned to fire my rifle on the firing range with a group of instructors who were expert marksmen.  Yes, we will learn much on our own, just us and God.  Yet there is much to be learned from each other - so come alongside one who has walked through many a battle and learn how they have used the weapons of our warfare in their lives.  The fact remains - we need to learn how to apply the weapons (utilize the tools we have been given) because we will need them all our lives!

We are not exempt from learning how to use these weapons - there is a command in this passage.  Where a command exists, there is implied obedience as an expectation.  Therefore, it is imperative that we don't take for granted what we have been given for our defense.  Preparation is a process of making ready.  Are you ready for the battle?  Are you ready to stand strong?  Are you ready to stand for another when they can barely stand alone any longer?  The invitation is to be prepared - learn how to use your weapons of warfare well!