Carnage on the Battlefield

By Tracy Tennant

     With the Independence Day celebration behind us, it is on our minds and hearts the battle that was fought some 229 years ago. It was a battle for liberty from the oppression of a king; a revolution of such proportions that freedom rings in our ears to this very day. General George Washington, who was a humble farmer, and his rag-tag army of ordinary citizens were able to rise up and defeat what appeared as a formidable foe by the might and power of God. Only a small percentage of the population had the vision and fortitude to stand for what was right and rally around the cause of freedom. Their strength was not in numbers, but in the belief that God had set America apart to be a Christian nation. The cry of Patrick Henry, "Give me liberty or give me death," is even more appropriate on the battlefront of the spiritual warfare we are engaged in today, for it is only through the freedom of the cross that we can escape eternal death.

     Every Christian is part of a heavenly army advancing the name of Jesus Christ before the world, while all hell rages around us to keep the lost in darkness. As the apostle Paul declared, "…we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere” (Ephesians 6:12, Amplified Bible).

     Daily we are mindful that many people are on the broad path to hell and our hearts yearn for their salvation. Although not every Christian has the gift of evangelism, every Christian is nevertheless commanded to take the gospel to the entire world, in light of the Great Commission. Your world might include family, neighbors, co-workers, friends, teachers, and grocery store clerks---anyone with whom you come in contact. It is not necessary to beat someone over the head with a Bible or stand on a soapbox on a street corner (although that can work for some people). However, we must do as Peter exhorts, "Always be ready to give a logical defense to anyone who asks you to account for the hope that is in you, but do it courteously and respectfully" (1 Peter 3:15).

     As children of a heavenly King, can we complacently stand by while those around us perish? We cannot convert anyone. That is not our work. It is the work of the Holy Spirit which convinces a man of truth. Instead we are to speak the truth in love with boldness. We’ve all heard the cliché "You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make him drink." That is correct, but we can make the horse thirsty! Jesus said, "You are the salt of the earth..." (Matthew 5:13) Salt gives flavor; salt preserves; salt also makes one thirsty. You can speak of God in such a way that the unsaved will long to know Him and partake of the peace and assurance they have seen in you. God is "not desiring that any should perish, but that all should turn to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). Our heavenly Father does many miraculous and mighty things, but most often He accomplishes His purposes through people. We must be willing to be used as vessels through which God reveals Himself to those around us.

     Without the liberty we have in Christ, we would be subject to spiritual death. His shed blood on the cross provides freedom from death and hell for those who repent and ask Him for salvation. As we go about our daily lives, let us always be mindful of the carnage on the battlefield; those lost in false belief systems, whether they are "religious" or "worldly" it matters not. Lost is lost.

     It can get discouraging to see loved ones reject the truth. Some of you have never been Mormon, but have relatives or friends who are. They politely listen to you, but just do not see the gospel of Christ in its truth and simplicity. Others of you came out from Mormonism and have family who are still in it. They refuse to listen to anything you have to say because you are considered an "apostate" led astray by Satan. As Nehemiah encouraged the Israelites, so God encourages us; "Do not be afraid of them; remember the Lord who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives and your houses" (Nehemiah 4:14). Don't be afraid of what they think of you, nor afraid of the real enemy, which is Satan. Our families are surely worth fighting for!

     We can do what the Israelites did as they strove to rebuild the walls while the enemy tried to frustrate God's plan (unsuccessfully!) Let's look at Nehemiah 4:17, 23; "Those who were rebuilding the wall and those who carried burdens took their load with one hand doing the work and the other holding a weapon...So neither I, my brothers, my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us removed our clothes, each took his weapon even to the water."

     What is the weapon God has given us to fight with? The sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. What is the clothing we must always wear? The full armor of God. As we seek to build relationships with the lost and to build the wall of faith in the Biblical Christ, we must carry our load with one hand while wielding the word of God in the other! We have God's promise, "So shall My word be that goes forth out of My mouth: it shall not return to Me void [without producing any effect, useless], but it shall accomplish that which I please and purpose, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it." (Isaiah 55:11) The result may not be what we expect or hoped for, but we have the assurance that it will be according to God's purpose. The Word might work in the person we are witnessing to in such a way as to force them to choose between their god and God of the Bible. His word might work in us, conforming us to the image of Christ. A seed might be planted that we ourselves might not see the harvest of, but remember it is the end result that matters!

     I urge you, my brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, to fight the good fight and not become weary in shining light upon darkness. Let us ever be mindful that the spiritual battle we fight will be won on our knees. Pray, pray, pray!

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