Prepare for War

As long as we live in this world, following Jesus, we will suffer bumps, bruises and wounds of all sorts. Our ability to survive and recover depends, to a large degree, on how well we have prepared for battle. Making the basic elements of Christian living an integral part of our daily life is the key. Below, the components of a spiritual first aid kit are listed along with instructions for their use.

Prayer

The book of Hebrews tells us that we can go boldly to God's throne of grace to get help in times of trouble, but for many people, prayer is like that little red box on the wall that says, "In Case of Emergency Break Glass", it is ignored until a crisis arises. When we make prayer an integral part of our day-to-day lives, reaching out to God is a matter of habit rather than a last resort. A doctor told a patient's family, "We've done everything we can do, it's in God's hands now". Shouldn't we be bringing our needs and concerns to God in the first place rather than waiting until all our efforts have failed? As the time for Jesus' incomprehensible suffering approached, he prepared himself by spending time in intense prayer. He instructed his disciples to “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. Jesus knew the challenges that lay ahead for them and that prayer was the best way for them to prepare themselves. Rather than praying, they slept. When the time of testing came, they failed. Let's learn from their mistake and prepare for battle by praying.

Praise & Worship

In an account of a battle in the Old Testament, the armies of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir ganged up against the people of Judah who were no match for their strength and numbers. How did God's people prepare for this battle? First of all, by fasting and prayer. As they sought direction from the Lord. He told them to stand firm and not be fearful because He world fight for them. The world's most brilliant military leaders never would've or could've formulated the battle plan God gave to the king of Judah: send the worshippers, the singers and musicians, out into battle ahead of the troops. When the people of Judah obeyed, the enemy was totally defeated. God's ways are beyond our comprehension, but when we give Him our trust and obedience, he gives us the victory.

A Firm Foundation

In the following parable, Jesus teaches us how to survive the storms and battles of life: 

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”    Matthew 7:24-27

Overall, the two houses in this parable may have been very much the same, but one critical difference became apparent when they were pummeled by the forces of trial and testing. The foundation was the deciding factor that determined the difference between survival and destruction. Our ability or inability to stand strong in the face of adversity depends very much on how we have built our lives during times of "fair weather". Specifically, Jesus referred a to a lifestyle which is founded on consistently hearing God's word and putting it into practice. As we do this, God's truth moulds and shapes who we are what we do, how we think and what we value. It is our wisdom, strength and comfort in battle. If you are not doing so already, now is the time to begin reading, meditating and memorizing scripture. It's power is released into our lives and circumstances when we put it into practice. You will stand strong, no matter what comes your way.

United We Stand

We are not meant to face life's battles alone. The book of Ecclesiastes explains some of the benefits of sharing our journey:  "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. " Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 "If either of them falls down, one can help the other up." This is true physically, emotionally and spiritually. We have a responsibility to encourage one another. In First Thessalonians, Paul instructs us to "encourage one another and build one another up." We are to help one another grow spiritually.  Proverbs explains that , "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another."  In Paul's letter to the Philippian church, he explains the value of having a mentor. "Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." As the book of James tells us, we are to pray for one another.  There are times when we need someone to correct us. Usually that is done by those who are in spiritual authority over us. Paul told Titus to "speak and exhort and reprove with all authority." In preparation for battle, we must develop bonds of trust and respect with those who share our journey. Never try to win a war all by yourself. It may be humbling to ask for help, but God has put us right where we belong as a member of the body of Christ.

Know Your Enemy

I’It seems you can't walk very far in this life without finding yourself in the middle of some sort of battle. In each and every one of these conflicts, one thing is certain: we want to win. According to Sun Tzu's 'The Art of War', in order to see victory, it is essential that you know your enemy. You may be thinking, "I know my enemy very well, we work together 40 hours a week" or "I hear all about my enemy's political maneuvering on the news every day" or "oh, I know all I need to know about my enemy, let me tell you about my ex." Scripture tells us that we must look beyond the tangible, visible world to recognize who our true enemy is. Although we live in these physical bodies, we are actually spiritual beings and the real enemies are spiritual as well. There are dark forces waging war against God annd his people. Being aware of this in our day-to-day life is half the battle. I am not saying that there is a demon behind every bad thing that happens to us, but we must be aware of the reality of spiritual warfare. Satan does his best to keep  us focused on fighting flesh and blood enemies with worldly weapons, but victory only cones when we use God's weapons against the unseen forces. Our arsenal icludes, the name of Jesus, prayer, worship, love and forgiveness. Paul's letter to the church at Ephesus explains it quite succinctly:So put on all of God’s armor. Evil days will come. But you will be able to stand up to anything. And after you have done everything you can, you will still be standing. So remain strong in the faith. Put the belt of truth around your waist. Put the armor of godliness on your chest.  Wear on your feet what will prepare you to tell the good news of peace.  Also, pick up the shield of faith. With it you can put out all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Put on the helmet of salvation. And take the sword of the Holy Spirit. The sword is God’s word. At all times, pray by the power of the Spirit. Pray all kinds of prayers. Be watchful, so that you can pray. Always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.   Ephesians 6:13-18

Responding to Your Accusers

We must respond to our accusers with mercy, grace and irrefutable wisdom.  Of course Jesus always came up with the perfect answer, but how can we possibly do that? Jesus knew the persecution his followers would endure, so he gave us these instructions: "Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit."  Mark 13:11  
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