Spiritual Veterans
Good Morning Friends,
This year marks the hundredth anniversary of the beginning of the War to end all wars. Of course it was not. The wars continue. But it reminds me that the real war is against evil. John Stuart Mill, said, “War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight is a miserable creature…” Well there are some things worth fighting for that make a difference. And some of them require us to become true veterans of the cross, but first we must first be good soldiers of the cross…we must become Spiritual Veterans.
Scripture: You then, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus; and what you have heard from me through many witnesses entrust to faithful people who will be able to teach others as well. Share in suffering like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving in the army gets entangled in everyday affairs; the soldier’s aim is to please the enlisting officer. And in the case of an athlete, no one is crowned without competing according to the rules. It is the farmer who does the work who ought to have the first share of the crops. Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in all things.
2 Timothy 2:1-7 (NRSV)
12For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
Ephesians 6:12 (NRSV)
After Jesus had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. A centurion there had a slave whom he valued highly, and who was ill and close to death. When he heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to him, asking him to come and heal his slave. When they came to Jesus, they appealed to him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy of having you do this for him, for he loves our people, and it is he who built our synagogue for us.” And Jesus went with them, but when he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to say to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; therefore I did not presume to come to you. But only speak the word, and let my servant be healed. For I also am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and the slave does it.” When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, he said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” When those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave in good health.
Luke 7:1-10 (NRSV)
Message: Tomorrow is Veteran’s Day and it reminds me of the battle we have for men’s and women’s souls and the power of prayer as the best weapon at our disposal and often the last one used in the fight…not just one used on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. We are to have specific targets of prayer but also develop a lifestyle of prayer as natural as breathing continually. Friends, so goes our prayer life, so goes our relationship with God, so goes the war. Have the courage to deepen and strengthen your prayer life in the battle for your soul and others. Realize that the reason we have freedom of religion, freedom of the press, freedom of speech, the freedom to assemble and the rights to a fair trial and to vote is because others have been willing to fight for this freedom, but that there is an even more important freedom and right to claim.
Pray we fight the good fight for the freedom found in Christ. Pray our unceasing prayers are always under the influence of God in the Spirit filled with belief and overflowing with action. Pray we grow in love for God’s Glory. Pray we are faithful to doing our part. Pray we use our spiritual gifts, talents and abilities in serving God and others. Pray we are committed to a discipline of prayer. Pray we are completely obedient in devotion to God. Pray we realize that God is listening and encouraging us to pray powerfully as Spiritual Veterans with authority in the Word of God.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 