This Present Warfare

The True Holy War

 Part I The Battle Hymn of Fellowship

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Recruited

Induction

1 Boot Camp

2 Love & War

3 Battle Plans

4 Marching Orders

5 AWOL Behind Enemy Lines

6 In the Bunkers on the Front

7 Beyond The Thrill Of Victory

RECRUITED

The saving of a nation, historically according to scripture, is not first and foremost accomplished through military maneuvering, pacifism, political strategizing or even through prayer! There is, and has always been, but one way to save a nation . . . obedience. That obedience requires participation in This Present Warfare.

In exchange for adjusting the “obedience index” of its God-fearing citizens, God offers this consolation, “I will spare all the place for their sakes” (Gen 18:26). Achan’s baggage buried in his tent threatening to take down a whole nation, or corporate files about to be exposed to a nation, are not “private issues” to God. There is something God has asked of all that most are not doing. 

Continued survival will absolutely depend on getting at issues before they destroy a life, marriage, company, city – the infrastructures of a nation. “The Fix” demands a level of training and intimacy that churches, unless they are willing to improvise, are too large to accommodate.

For leaders of churches or free-lancing Christians who long for a certain aliveness and liberty that only God’s combat purposes can deliver, this is a Training Manual. The Training Manual is tightly bound by the Word of God but loosely outlined to afford necessary leeway for following a live dynamo of a Commander as opposed to a dead-file full of commands. It is strongly stated to inspire a fighting, spirited, “holy moxie” in the ranks of a nation.

The world’s dilemmas are addressed in great political speeches, media articles, sermons, literature and even by God Himself with His simple, explicit, compelling, yet redundant communiqués. However the poignant cry still challenges; "What can one person do?" Language and dogma have sometimes shrouded God’s increasingly timely answer. As Einstein said, “I want to know God’s thoughts, the rest are details.” 

The prescription in this manual is really all any one can do and at the same time the only ingredients for the most powerful act any individual has ever done! It summarizes God’s answer with a language that is fresh and relevant to what is at the forefront of minds in the nation and in the world . . . war.

This is where Christianity begins (a war in heaven) and this is where it ends (a war on earth). It is the reason the Lord came here, died here and left saints here . . . for such a time as This Present Warfare.

Whether it’s a nation, a church or an individual, God has a way of orchestrating events to pin each one in a corner until they will come out fighting! God has been known to intentionally leave one’s enemies in place specifically “to teach…war” (Judges 3:2)! 

The True Holy War does not engage some religious or national opponent but an enemy within the recesses of one’s own soul that opposes obedience to God. And once those terms of engagement are established there is no enemy equal to the task on whatever front the Lord directs anyone to.

As old fashioned as it may sound and as strong as the tendency is to delegate the word to the likes of Mother Teresa, holiness, is the most modern, powerful, and joy filled force on this planet and more importantly, contrary to popular opinion . . . is doable. Whether it’s a solitary saint in India or a salesman in Indiana, we are on assignment to produce the greatest power the world has ever witnessed.

Most of us are pacifists by nature (a residue from the womb-like garden we were designed for) but pacifists are not happy campers because the nature of this present life refuses to line up with their ideologies. Until one learns to love “the fight” they will miss most of the fun.

Life has one major Theme. Each life must revolve around that Theme or spin out of control. The Theme is the heartbeat of God. It is what He came here for and what He left us here for . . . to fight . . . and to win . . . a Holy War.

Things change! Life’s awesome! Be ready!

INDUCTION

If one continually seeks the Lord for His glory to fall on His church, they may feel as though they are hurled headlong into an unseen war in the midst of an unprepared army . . . one that is ignorant of their weapons, armor, enemy, warfare strategies, and Commander's orders. 

Considering the motley troop David started out with may be only slightly encouraging; "Every one that was in distress, and everyone that was in debt, and everyone that was discontented" (1 Sam 22:2).  At least the barracks are familiar! However the only encouragement might be in knowing that God has a propensity for using small disastrous lives to make grand successful entrances!

David ended up with a real strike force: “Men of might, and men of war fit for the battle, that could handle shield and buckler, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and were as swift as the roes upon the mountains....men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do....expert in war, with all instruments of war....they were not of double heart....All these men of war, that could keep rank came with a perfect heart"(1 Chr 12:8,32-33,38).

We also, out of love for our King, are destined to be top-notch soldiers.  "No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier" (2 Tim 2:4).

This Present Warfare, that surrounds us today, to a great extent relates to fellowship.  Fellowship is the instrument God designed to bring the thrill of victory!  The following road map to fellowship is taken from the Word of God.  It surveys vistas from His vantage point.  It is an aerial view, a "sectional" in aviation terms, with bombing targets attached!  It's meant to help instigate the writing of an historical account of the Church on human hearts: the final chapters of "The book of the wars of the Lord" (Num 21:14)!

A fellowship is a gathering of saints, but is typically thought of as a more intimate one than the large congregational meetings. Many attend fellowships such as, Monday night prayer, Tuesday night cell group, Wednesday night Bible study, Thursday night intercession, Friday night singles, Saturday Sabbath service, or traditional Sunday church services.  However, if none of these meetings involve the purposes intended by God for fellowship, then let God's Word offer its challenge!  Start an additional one, find a different one, or convert a present one to . . . "boot camp!"

BOOT CAMP

Once acknowledgment of the reality of This Present Warfare occurs, then this sequence of events might be expected.  A few casualties hear the General's Word that war has been officially declared and convince troops to unite in . . . Boot Camp (Chapter One).

LOVE AND WAR

In Boot Camp, the realization hits home that to "love God and others" requires a major sacrifice, not unlike the one the Commander demonstrated at Calvary.  It slowly becomes apparent that venturing into the true act of love brings on a spiritual counterattack so monumental that war looms as the only response and that survival depends on both . . . Love and War (Chapter Two).

BATTLE PLANS

MARCHING ORDERS

These plans are then dispersed among the troops.  Next the thoughts and intents of the hearts are set on the compass headings of: "confess your faults one to another and pray for one another" (Jm 5:16); "speaking the truth in love" (Eph 4:15); "flee from idolatry" (1 Cor 10:14); and "be ye holy, for I am holy" (1 Pet 1:16).  True to His Word, God causes the terrain to clear of enemy forces as the recruits run their training drills and await deployment and their . . . Marching Orders (Chapter Four).

AWOL BEHIND ENEMY LINES

There is something about knowing where one is going that can make them not want to go there!  The moment a soldier receives their orders, comes the greatest propensity in their career to go . . . AWOL Behind Enemy Lines (Chapter Five).

IN THE BUNKERS ON THE FRONT

Those who remain true to the cause up to this point will soon face an additional internal war.  As they look about themselves at the weird bunch of unlikely, mismatched, ex-traitor, cohorts, they may wonder if they've survived the war thus far, only to expire amidst the insanity . . . In the Bunkers on the Front (Chapter Six).

BEYOND THE THRILL OF VICTORY

But those who overcome will enter the joys of true fellowship becoming war heroes, legends in heaven, and “living letters,” testifying to the fact that there is a place where life exists . . . Beyond The Thrill of Victory (Chapter Seven).