In order to win a battle we must know who we are fighting, and we must know how our enemy functions. But all of that is useless if we go into battle unarmed and unprepared for a fight. We have weapons for war, and it is crucial that we arm ourselves and train with them so that we are skilled and ready for combat.
"Against the flesh, the traitor within, a warrior uses discipline." This is all about connecting with God. To quote James 4.7 again, "Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." Discipline and connecting with God, is all part of the submission. "Most men have a hard time sustaining any sort of devotional life because it has no vital connection to recovering and protecting their strength; it feels about as important as flossing." (Which is actually a really important part of health) "But if you saw your life as a great battle and you knew you needed time with God for your very survival, you would do it... We give a half-hearted attempt at the spiritual disciplines when the only reason we have is that we 'ought' to. But we'll find a way to make it work when we are convinced we're history if we don't."
Remember, the Enemy works to cut off our communication with God. Part of the reason that quite time and devotionals can be hard, is because the are about connecting with God. The Enemy will do whatever he can to try and prevent them. My schedule has been so busy and random the last few weeks. When I do find myself with some private moments of solitude my mind wanders and it's hard to focus. This is the Enemy working to disrupt communication with God.
No communication means no connection. No connection means no submission. No submission means no resistance. No resistance means no victory. We must connect with God, everything depends upon it. And it can actually be easier than we might think.
"Time with God each day is not about academic study or getting through a certain amount of Scripture or any of that. It's about connecting with God. We've got to keep those lines of communication open, so use whatever helps... The point is simply to do whatever brings me back to my heart and the heart of God."
In college there was a prayer room, a place free of distractions devoted to time spent with God. Since then I've tried to find solitude in nature, but certain areas of Ohio don't provide much of that. I've done a lot of connecting through this book and blog. There have been a few songs that have hit me and spoken to things that I'm going through. I enjoy times of silence, alone with God, (this is something I find most easily in nature). And of course there is Scripture. Over the last few years I've come to really see that it isn't about how much I read, or how many times I read it, but again, it is about connecting with God through His word.
"The discipline, by the way, is never the point. The whole point of a 'devotional life' is connecting with God. This is our primary antidote to the counterfeits the world holds out to us. If you do not have God and have him deeply, you will turn to other lovers." We all serve something, and if we are not submissive servants of God, we are enslaved to the Enemy. If we are not connected with God, who were are told in the Bible, is the source of life, then we are empty and searching for it. Without God, we don't really live, simply exist until we die.
"The believer is in spiritual danger if he allows himself to go for any length of time without tasting the love of Christ... When Christ ceases to fill the heart with satisfaction, our souls will go in silent search for other lovers." And these others never satisfy, they leave us empty and searching. Without Christ we are warriors with no cause to fight for. And so we must be disciplined. Every warrior is disciplined, because that is how a man becomes a warrior. Without it there is no training, there is no perfection of skills, and without those he will be killed on the battlefield immediately.
Our first weapon is discipline so that we can connect with God. And it is with this first weapon that we receive the second. First we must overcome the traitor within, they we are ready to take on the enemy outside the city. "Against the Evil One we wear the armor of God." Ephesians presents an incredible picture that I don't have the time to go into now, but will at a later date. But in this we see God's gifts to us so that we can stand firm and confident on the battle. The belt, breastplate, shoes, shield, helmet and sword are ours to use in combat. And we have a connection with the Holy Spirit that instructs us how and when to use them.
And as we go into battle we are given something more, a purpose and the authority to fight with. "And we walk in the authority of Christ. Do not attack in anger, do not swagger forth in pride. You will get nailed... All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Jesus Christ (Matt. 28:18). He tells us this before he gives us the Great Commission, the command to advance his kingdom. Why? We've never made the connection. The reason is, if you are going to serve the True King you're going to need his authority. We dare not take on an angel, let alone a fallen one, in our own strength. That is why Christ extends his authority to us... Rebuke the Enemy in your own name and he laugh; command him in the name of Christ and he flees." Submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee.
A warrior is only a warrior if he fights for someone greater than himself, we are warriors for God. It is in His authority that we advance HIS kingdom. And it is by His authority that all enemies flee. Again, submission to God is so crucial, it is the most essential part of our lives.
One final thing we have as we go off to war is each other. A fight is between two people, one on one. But a war involves armies. And so, "Don't even think about going into battle alone. Don't even try to take the masculine journey without at least one man by your side. Yes, there are times a man must face the battle alone, in the wee hours of the morn, and fight with all he's got. But don't make that a lifestyle of isolation. This may be our weakest point... a man need other men."
The Spartans were, arguably, the greatest warriors of all time. And while each one was disciplined, highly trained, heavily armored, and deadly, one Spartan on his own was nothing compared to a group of Spartan's standing in the phalanx. In my book on page 177 I have nine names written down. These are not my accountability partners, they are my brothers. they are fellow warriors who I have fought alongside of, guys who have my back. We all need that. We need a band of brothers, we need the phalanx. "The whole crisis in masculinity today has come because we no longer have a warrior culture, a place for men to learn to fight like men. We don't need a meeting of Really Nice Guys; we need a gathering of Really Dangerous Men."
"Yes, we need men to whom we can bare our souls. but it isn't going to happen with a group of guys you don't trust, who really aren't willing to go to battle with you. It's a long-standing truth that there is never a more devoted group of men than those who have fought alongside one another... We need a band of brothers willing to 'shed their blood' with us."
Earlier this week I contacted the three names on my list that I am closest to, asking them to join me in prayer, and I thanked them for having my back. They are my brothers, they have fought with me and I with them. And though I don't have the time with them that I would like due to our geographic locations, there are no three people in this world that I trust more than these men. We all need brothers like that.
With these weapons we will overcome for the glory of God.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
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