As I began studying for an upcoming retreat, my research led me to a quote from Pastor Steve Furtick, Elevation Church:
“The birthmark of a believer is a bullseye.”
Truth!
While I’m not one to see the enemy behind every bush (believing that sometimes we simply battle the entanglements of this world, and sometimes we just get in our own way), the spiritual forces of evil are alive and well in the unseen world, and actively working against us.
When I was a kid, I loved Vacation Bible School. I most loved the singing time, when we’d all gather together in the fellowship hall, one of the teachers would play the piano and we’d sing fun songs about Jesus. My very favorite, because of all the motions, was this one:
“I may never march in the infantry, ride in the Cavalry, shoot the artillery…I may never soar o’er the enemy, but I’m in the Lord’s army…Yes, sir!”
Remember it?
It was catchy, fun, and kept us moving (which I NEEDED after having sat for so long listening to Bible Stories and doing crafts, which were often beyond me).
But, it was more…
I recall feeling like my life had a sense of purpose…
A mission…
A destiny…
Even before I really understood what it meant to give my life to Jesus and follow Him…I felt important.
I was in God’s army.
He was calling me, would equip me, and I would fight for Him, because living for Jesus was a battle not a playground!
I felt like I might, just maybe, be useful for the sake of His cause…
Maybe, just maybe, it was #mywhy (after all, that’s what we’re all looking for, right?)
#mywhy
Yes, sir!
But, somewhere along the line, perhaps in the midst of the fun, I forgot the seriousness.
I lost the sense of purpose and the importance of being a part of God’s army.
We are in a war with unseen forces; and, it’s complicated.
Scattered throughout Scriptures, the call to spiritual warfare reminds me of this truth, and I’ve decided to go back and RE (my prefix for this year) CAPTURE the Lord’s call to arms.
I need fresh, new insights and reminders, so I’m digging for both within the Word. My shovel hit this word first:
Spiritual warfare isn’t just a guy thing, a pastor, preacher, or missionary thing. It isn’t just for the strong and the brave. There’s no sexism, racism, or religious exclusions. It’s not simply for the experienced and physically strong. It’s for warriors and wimps (maybe especially wimps)…men and women…all who claim to be disciples of the Lord.
As I wrote the paragraph above, I was, first, reminded of Gideon.
In the Old Testament, spiritual warfare took literal form as the Lord called His people to battle the idolatry of the nations around them.
Just so: Gideon (Judges 6).
The Lord calls Gideon, while he’s in hiding, threshing wheat in a wine press, where the enemy (the Midianites) could not find him or his wheat.
From the words of his mouth, we know the condition of Gideon’s heart: fear-filled and timid.
He was the youngest of his father’s sons.
It’s obvious huge doubt about God lodges in Gideons heart, and he’s an idol-worshipper himself.
Of all candidates to be a strong military leader, Gideon is the least likely.
But God sees what we don’t – His eyes beheld unseen valor: “The Lord is with you mighty warrior (Judges 6:12).”
Gideon, once surrendered to the Master and confident in God’s strength, idols torn asunder, stood firm against the enemy…gathered a tiny army, and brought defeat to the multitude of Midianites that held Israel captive for years.
Once more in our day, God’s looking for the surrendered-weak that He can make strong, in order to do battle against the seen and unseen enemy of our souls.
I’m reminded of Deborah and Jael (Judges 4) – women who rose to heroine status and again brought Israel victory over her oppressors (Jael’s story is impressive: think tent peg to the skull).
God’s looking again for willing warrior women (Hebrew word often translated “noble,” is a military term for a warrior, person of great valor, strong one – think Proverbs 31:10): A woman of noble character is a rare find…she’s like finding precious jewels.
In the New Testament, I think of Peter: rash, impulsive, quick to give in to anxiety and worry. “Master, don’t you even care that we are perishing?” He certainly wasn’t a poster boy for the Lord’s army! How dare he try to lecture anyone on resisting the same emotions that dictated his life?
Yet, a different Peter emerged, once surrendered to the Lord, and after Pentecost, we see a bold, confident, even courageous Peter stepping up and speaking out. Folks wanted to know what it was that made the difference in his life…and he was able to give them the key:
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because He cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith…
(1 Peter 5:6-9a)
Oops…I inadvertently ran across another lesson in humility.
There is no chance on earth, or under the earth, or beyond the earth, for spiritual victory if there is not humility reigning in the life of a Jesus-follower.
God is looking for humble, surrendered, anxiety-casters, who are willing to keep a sober-mind and be on the lookout for the enemy’s attack. It doesn’t matter who – even a child will lead them. The well-prepared to resist the enemy are those who heed Peter’s own experiences, and the words of his mouth.
Yep, the birthmark of a believer is a bullseye…
We best learn to do battle God’s way…
To not fight for victory but to fight from a place of victory.
-Warren Wiersbe-
If you’re a Jesus-follower, you’re in His army….you just may have been hiding in a wine press, thinking you’re not qualified, wondering if God is all He really says He is, and living out of your fears…but, it’s time for each of us, to salute our Commander in Chief and say, “Yes, sir!”
Then humble ourselves under His mighty hand…
