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216. Warriors Arise

 

The sky was hazy, dusty and brown. I could taste the dust in my mouth and feel the grit in my nose, as if I’d been out there wandering for days. There was noise all around me. Screams, destruction, the sounds of lives, families and buildings all falling apart. 

I looked down at my shoes and it was like I was wearing dusty beaten armor. There was a heavy sword in my right hand, but my arm was weary from carrying it, my shoulder felt sore. I couldn’t lift it. I drug it along side me as I walked. 

There wasn’t much to see, there was so much haze from the dust, it was like a field of destruction. Like a bomb went off in a city, and there was nothing left of the world to hold onto. 

I came upon another person crouched down and hiding. They were shaking, almost paralyzed. I saw the same sword laying next to them, shiny and brand new. The same armor was a few feet away in a box untouched.

I felt the atmosphere change and this ominous feeling of dread, like prey being hunted. Like we were running out of time. 

I tried to get them to stand up, I tried to get them to get dressed, grab the sword and come with me, but they stared at me frozen. Shaking. It was like the louder I yelled the less they understood what I was saying. I was getting so frustrated. I knew I had to move on or I’d be lost to whatever this was that was after us. 

I kept looking for other people like me, people armored up, people walking, people ready. Yet all I was finding were people hiding, fearful, wanting to be saved but too afraid to take any steps to save themselves. 

I kept finding people who were cowering helplessly, praying to a God that’s given them everything they need to fight these battles for themselves. They ignore the armor and sword laying right next to them as the enemy comes and decapitates them spiritually.  The enemy destroys their lives with torments of sickness, fear, depression, anxiety, gossip, addiction, slander, offense, anger, and all the like. All while we desperately beg for Jesus to help us. He looks at us and says take up your cross, use the sword of the Spirit and follow Him. 

As I continued walking I found a few others like me, they’d been beaten, weary, their armor worn and hair dusty. They carried a strength from within that burned like fire through their eyes providing strength to carry on. Their goal was not their own, their lives were not their own, their assignment was not their own. 

As we stood together I felt that ominous shift, suddenly we were overcome by battle and enemy attack. What I noticed as I defended myself in battle was the ease. There was a courage that overtook any fear. The sword was no longer heavy, my arm wielded it with ease. My body was no longer tired. I had the strength to get through the battle. I had the skills and self control necessary to fight. I had the tenacity and endurance to overcome the enemy; and I had the might to cut the head off of the giant that I was facing. 

As the battle faded, we looked at one another, weary, capable, and protected by our Lord. We looked out over the land we could see many of those people who were scared, cowering, still in the same position. Some were casualties of war, their last look of fear and dread, frozen on their faces like a painting. Yet some remained hidden, tucked away in their secret place, clutching their shiny sword and brand new armor. They escaped the battle, but were still frozen in the war. 

Now is not the time to become a casualty of war. 

Now is the time to realize that you have everything that you need to fight and overcome. Jesus died for you. 

Psalms 18:39 - For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.

Ephesians 6:12 - For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Ezekiel 25:17 - And I will execute great vengeance upon them with furious rebukes; and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall lay my vengeance upon them.

Mark 8:34 - And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

1 Corinthians 1:18 - For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

Galatians 2:20 - I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Romans 5:8 - But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Matthew 10:38 - And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

Luke 14:27 - And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

Colossians 2:14 - Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

James 1:22-27 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

Hebrews 4:12 - For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Psalms 144:1 - (A Psalm of David.) Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight:

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