|
God's Army
"For
though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh;
for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty in God for
pulling down strongholds" (2 Corinthians 10:3-4)
The other day, I
was listening anew to an "old" Christian song, by Graham Kendrick,
from 20-years ago. It speaks of God's holy army, using the imagery:
"They rush on the city, they run on the
walls; great is the army that carries out His word…" and then
it continues, "The Lord utters His
voice, before His army…" and so on.
The song was
running through my mind, as we unpacked and were about to have
dinner, at the start of a recent Christian Men's event, in Pomona,
CA. The men who "worked" this "Walk,"
as it is called, had arrived early, setting-up; performing different
tasks, but working together; giving their time and energy, so that
others might receive something from the Lord. Earthly armies fight
and kill; whereas this army loves and gives life. An amazing
difference, but the intensity and dedication is much the same.
Everyone had an
assigned task and all seemed to know precisely what needed to be
done. Newer guys stayed close to the "older," and they functioned
like a well-oiled unit, each performing his own task. It's not
unlike the song, "They rush on the city,
they run on the walls;" for that is how it seemed at the
moment. They were attacking the gates of the enemy, that walls
might be broken down, allowing others to be brought from unbelief to
faith in the Lord.
In the Old
Testament, especially in the Book of Joshua, we find battle after
battle, as city after city fell to the advancing Israelite forces.
Sometimes, they lost those battles, as when the nation went against
the city of Ai (Joshua Chapter 7). There was sin in the camp of
Israel and they were complacent, thinking Ai was small, and
therefore could be easily defeated. Israel’s sin and complacency
defeated them.
If you think
about the churches we attend, we have sin in our midst and we are
complacent, often thinking the enemy either does not exist, or is
easily defeated. Actually, the enemy is very real, and you are to
"be sober, be diligent; because your
adversary, the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom
he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8). We’re in a war.
The Moody Bible
Institute's "Today in the Word" reported that, "since
3600 B.C., the world has known only 292 years of peace! During this
period there have been 14,351 wars large and small, in which 3.64
billion people have been killed. The value of the property destroyed
is equal to a golden belt around the world 97.2 miles wide and 33
feet thick. Since 650 B. C., there have also been 1,656 arms races,
only 16 of which have not ended in war. The remainder ended in the
economic collapse of the countries involved." War is costly,
for every life has infinite value.
Right now, the
United States of America is at war with the country of Iraq, and
many prayers are being offered for the safety of those concerned.
Such prayers are good and you are encouraged to pray even more. But
there is another, even greater war that is behind the scenes of this
world, which has been raging since before the dawn of mankind. The
casualties in this war are terrible to contemplate: far worse than
the end of physical life, is the loss of a human soul.
The end of life
on earth is not the end. Daniel the Prophet understood this,
millennia ago, revealing that, "Many of
those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to
everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt"
(Daniel 12:2). The "end" is not the end, and God's army, is sharing
the LIFE offered in Jesus Christ, to those who otherwise would
suffer the horrors of "everlasting
contempt." The end is a beginning, for death is merely the
onset of eternal LIFE, for those who TRUST in the Lord.
Much like those
who killed the 3000 people in the World Trade Center, in Manhattan,
New York, the enemy is largely invisible, for we often see only the
effects in the casualties that ensue, not even understanding that a
battle has occurred. Users of "Crystal Meth," a recent weapon of
the enemy, have been lured from the safety of trust in God, into the
minefield of unbelief, fear and death. We all have emotional pain
in this world, and such pain should be dealt with through TRUST
(faith) in God, for He will bring us through. But, far too many are
lured by the enemy into substitutes that will destroy us,
physically, mentally, and most important of all - spiritually. We
must trust in the One who made us - and then tell others about Him.
In addition to
the “Sword of the Spirit” (“the
Word of God” – Ephesians 6:17), a key weapon in this unseen
war, is prayer. The Holy Spirit of God, through Paul, taught us to
be "praying always with all prayer and
supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to the end with all
perseverance and supplication for all the saints" (Ephesians
6:18). Prayer is probably the greatest privilege ever given to
mankind, and is probably the least-used weapon in our arsenal.
Something greater than the splitting of the atom is unleashed when
we fervently pray.
William Temple
said, “When I stop praying, the
coincidences stop happening.” Robert Murray M’Cheyne assured
us, “God will either give you what you
ask, or something far better.” We learn from John Wesley
that, “God does NOTHING but by prayer,
and EVERYTHING with it.” And our Lord assured us, “Whatever
you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it
will be yours” (Mark 11:24).
What is the war
you are fighting today? Are you afraid? Are you weak? Have you
given up? Are you angry? Do you lack forgiveness? God ANSWERS
prayer, which involves your: humility (He is greater than you are),
faith (trusting that He can and will help you), perseverance
(continuing to pray when the answer is slow in coming), and love
(praying out of love; not duty).
In prayer, you
will “rush on the city
(and)
run on the walls" as God gives the victory. You will be “mighty
in God… pulling down strongholds” in Him. Father, we trust
in You now. Forgive us, heal us, enlist us in God’s army, and equip
us. Teach us to pray. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Ron Beckham, Pastor
Friday Study Ministries
www.fridaystudy.org
E-mail:
Ron@FridayStudy.org
Tel: (562) 688-5559
PO Box 92131
Long Beach, CA 90809-2131
"While
we were yet sinners, Christ died for us"
(Romans 5:8) |
