Soldiers

I recently read an author who shared something like this:  Some of my most significant times of spiritual attack have come after periods of great accomplishments with the Lord. How I wish I’d have listened, really listened to that statement, and done a better job of preparing for battle. 

 

My book is published and marketing is going well, praise the Lord!  Stepping out in obedience to the Lord has brought great joy, but instead of resting on a mountaintop, in the last 4 weeks the enemy has come with considerable attacks.  It has been tough to stand firm in the Lord.  I believe this is among the most difficult periods in my spiritual journey thus far, and the battles some of the most significant I have faced, yet HE continues to prove Himself faithful. 

We are all soldiers in the Lord’s army where battles rage continuously. Until we become warriors, until we face off with our enemy, until we find ourselves trembling with our heads ducked for cover behind our shields of faith, we – especially we women – may think that spiritual warfare is meant only for others.  Perhaps we believed that God uses only the strong and mighty as warriors, but in reality we, too, stand on the battle lines.  Our role as soldiers becomes evident when particular trials get personal, when resisting the enemy is crucial to survival, and when we can do nothing else but stand firm in our faith.

Paul teaches that our weapons are not of the flesh (2 Corinthians 10:3-4).   This is a spiritual battle to fight with spiritual weapons.  He instructs us to stand firm, and when he teaches about each aspect of the full armor of God, (Ephesians 6:10-20) we see that the complete armor leaves our backs unprotected.  We make ourselves very vulnerable if we turn and run, so we must stand and face our foe.  Peter tells us to resist the enemy, staying firm in our faith.  He then gives us the encouraging reminder that the Lord will perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish us.  (1 Peter 5:8-9).    

As you begin to see yourself as a warrior, perhaps for the first time, let the truth sink in.  Our orders are simple:  stand firm, resist the enemy and stay firm in our faith.  This is the good fight.  Our only offensive weapons (prayer and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God) are divinely powerful.  Our armaments may seem meager if we judge them by what we can see, but we are in the Lord’s army, after all.  Do you believe He would send His soldiers into battle with anything less than what is needed for ultimate victory?  We are more thoroughly equipped than any army and we know that victory is ours.  Satan is vanquished and Jesus is King.  Stand firm, then, and praise His holy name!

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.”

Ephesians 6:10  (NASB)