God's warrior....

The Bible is filled with strong images of battles, warriors, kingdoms won and lost.  It is frequently harsh in its imagery - a wounded man passed by, a poor widow giving all she has, death, destruction, mayhem.  Seen in the context of the times they lived in when the Bible was written, it is easy to understand the immediate appeal of verses which talk about strong defenses and winning battles.  Onward Christian Soldiers wasn't just a song, they lived it every day as Christians faced persecution and death for their faith.

Christians today feel under siege from many directions.  We are attacked by those who hate us not only for our faith, but our whole way of life.  Churches are struggling to maintain membership.  Young people are falling away from organized religion in ever increasing numbers, while the elderly who have led us so faithfully are moving into the next world and their final reward.  We look to our leaders and we see a void, both spiritually and morally, and we don't know where to turn.

But it is not just on a national level that we feel the lack of connection and association.  We see that same lack of direction in the day to day, as well.  We gossip about our friends and neighbors.  We speak out in frustration against those who don't see things our way.  We rail against our town councils and our fellow church members and those who are different and don't fit into our narrow vision of how life should be lived.

In ​Ephesians 6:12-13 we read:

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. Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

These are strong words, harsh words, words we use to justify our troubling responses to what is going on in the world right now.  But, as so frequently happens in the Bible, we have it wrong.  We act as if there is an earthly kingdom which we must, at all costs, defend from the enemies who seek to destroy our comfortable, unchallenged faith, while ignoring the state of our soul.

While we try to shut the world out, closing ourselves off from those who cause us to struggle, God has called on us not only to face the trouble, but to stand firmly against those who seek to destroy us.  But his defenses are not what we expect.  When you examine this passage a little more carefully, you realize that his armor is not an earthly raiment at all.  We are standing, not on terra firma, but on The Word.  His full armor is not a coat of kevlar but full knowledge of God through the Bible.  It is not the world we are fighting for, but eternity.

Satan is the enemy, and he is waging his battle with God through each one of us.  When we gossip, slander others, spread hate and anger, he is rejoicing, because he is winning the fight against God's endless mercy.  Satan baits us, entices us, knows our weaknesses and exploits our human tendencies.  He understands how much we love the juicy tale, the whispered story, the hidden agenda we too often have in our interactions with others.  Worst of all, Satan takes our fear and capitalizes on it by turning it on ourselves, making the story about us instead of about God.

Satan is trivial, God is eternal.  It should be an easy choice.

The day of evil does not always come in obvious form.  Sometimes it is the careless word, the cruel taunt, the ugly behavior.  It is deviating from God's vision for his kingdom and allowing Satan a moment of victory in our hearts and minds.

We are flesh and blood, and God specifically warned us that our struggle is not with our fellow humans.  Rather, it is the evil that Satan spreads throughout the world which divides us and separates us, both from each other, and more importantly, from God.

When you find yourself in conflict with your brother or sister in Christ, ask yourself whether you are fighting for you, or for God.  God's Word is the pathway for our lives.  If we stand firm in our faith, keep our eyes on heaven and our hearts grounded in The Word, no one, and nothing, can separate us from our Savior.  Our earthly existence will pass away, and in the end, we will be standing in eternity with our God.  There is no where else I would want to be, and his Word is my armor that will protect me on the journey.