The Fight

So, it's been interesting recently for me in my life. The reality of spiritual warfare has become a very serious reality for me. Now I know that some of you will begin to read this and immediately dismiss me as a nut or "one of them" types. Here's the bad news for you people...whether you believe in spiritual warfare or not, it is real and all around us. How do I know? Well, I know because of two reasons. First and foremost, the Bible says it's real and all around us. For example, read Ephesians 6:10-18. Why would we be told we need to put on the "armour of God" if we weren't about to be in a fight? Second, I know it's real because I've experienced it, lived in it. Now, you may say whatever and that's cool...you're allowed to have your opinion. But, I KNOW what it is I've experienced.See, we as "Christians" are ill prepared for this kind of warfare. It's sort of like the British during the Revolution, walking around in straight lines and wearing bright red while the freedom fighters hid in the woods and engaged sparingly. It's like the white men fighting the American Indians back in the day. We are not ready for this type of fight. Satan is the king of guerilla warfare, a master of subterfuge and deception, the ultimate terrorist. If he can't beat you outright, bully you to run, he will attack others around you, those closest to you because he's a coward, a bully. But, perhaps his greatest weapon is that he will try to convince you he's not there, he doesn't exist. I assure you he does and he hates you and wants only the worst for you.We are called by Christ to be fighters, warriors for the Kingdom. We are to be the elite, the fearless. Some are the navy seals of faith, dropping behind enemy lines...silent spiritual assassins. Others will march on to open battlefields but all of us are called to fight. So FIGHT!! Stop sitting around wondering what's going on...get in the fight!This has been the inspiration behind the new tattoo I have recently gotten. I was reading that passage in Ephesians not long ago, thinking and praying about this and was reading back through some old journal entries. I found something I had written almost ten years ago...a vision if you will of the fight. I took what I wrote and the passage from Ephesians to my artist and read it to him. My new ink is what he came up with. So, I'll share what I wrote. As I said, I wrote this almost ten years ago.

I saw a long hall. The walls and floors were hewn from the very ground and rocks. The windows were huge and open to the sky. Sunlight poured in, making it so bright in some places one had to squint almost painfully yet so dark in other places it is almost terrifying. How to describe the terror and joy I feel as I enter this hall is impossible to describe in words. We had just finished a particularly brutal engagement, my company and I. Some were not coming home. Our borders, our people are under constant attack. So now, I come to report to my King of a victory won...but at what cost! The hall is full of nameless faces. There is a hush, an echoing ghostly rattle as I enter, still bloodied and wounded. It is a long, holy walk toward the throne, which seems to be bathed in both light and shadow. I can see the King and His Son, who has often led us in battle. As I approach, They stop talking and turn to face me. I can feel Their eyes. It is so quiet in the hall I can hear the leather in my armour squeak and the quiet rasping of my sword being drawn echoes faintly. I fall to my knees at the stairs leading to the throne. In both hands, still bloody from war, I lift my sword, bowing my head. I hear the cloth of His robe whisper as He stands. And then, He speaks. His voice is thick like oil, yet smooth as trickling streams. It is deep like thunder, yet as clear as the pealing laughter of children. "You are tired. Rest now. Well done, my most faithful soldier." And then, His hand touches my shoulder and I cannot stop weeping...