A few thoughts from Others - REVIVAL FIRE!

A few thoughts from those around the country on being a warrior!

--

Matt,

Good word! When I was in USMC the favorite term was "hurry up and wait" which to some is a contradiction in terms; but it stood for even in rest you must always expect the unexpected and not grow lazy.

So be blessed and keep pressing on!

David Kenworthy
Life house, Arcata

--

 

 

Connie, it is Hebrews 4

 

Ramon   

 

 

--

 

 

Matthew, when the Roman war machine was working the men on the frond lines fought for 5-6 minutes then rotated to the back and the next man in line took his place. Each one took his place on the front line and rotated back. Each one coming back to the front line after a 20-30 minute break. War and Rest and ready to war again. The enemy was always facing a rested warrior.

Bo Walker

 

--

 

 

Hi Matt,

Your e-mails this week have been really good.

 

A bunch of different thoughts have been coming into my mind and I am not sure if there should be a particular order to them.

 

Yesterday or this morning I realized that I spent the previous 11 years fighting in foreign countries in the way that God had called me to.  I never had really good vacations and my breaks at home were never totally refreshing.  So, here I am back home wanting to be a part of the fight because I know I have this calling for teaching, equipping, encouraging, etc.  I just realize I am tired and I do not have all the strength I need right now.  It is tough because people do not understand what all I have been through.  They think I was always having fun living overseas and seeing cool things.  They think that the fighting and the struggles to be in the fight are just the same as being here.  I understand there is fighting here that can be intense, but going into a foreign country to engage is tougher than fighting at home.  Home-field advantage is the same in spiritual warfare.  Perhaps that is why people don’t like to take the fight outside of the walls of the church because they are thinking they won’t have home-field advantage.  It is your city or your state – you have home-field advantage!  Anyway, I want all my strength back because I want to fight like I have been called to and have been trained to do.

 

Another thought – there are different types of warriors.  The USA has the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard.  These different branches each have different groups that specialize in different types of warfare.  So, the same is in the church.  There are several unfortunate things that happen in the church.  One is that people do not try to find out what type of warrior they are.  They would rather watch from the sidelines.  They may just want to be support staff that does not carry a weapon.  They may wear the uniform, but they never engage the enemy.  There is of course need for support staff, but they also are a part of the fight and are not just spectators.  Another unfortunate thing is that people try to imitate other successful warriors because they think that is the only way to be significant.  They try to talk, pray, walk, preach, etc. like these successful/popular warriors, but do not have the character or authority to do exactly like them.  They are so desperate to be significant that they never consider that maybe they are to be a different type of warrior.  They need to know that to be the most significant they need to be the warrior God has called them to be.  They just need to go out, get conditioned, go fight and find out what type of warrior they have been called to be.  God has not called everyone to be a Rambo or a Lone Ranger.  Some people are called to Special Forces units which may be as small as five.  Some are called to be identified with platoons.  Some are called to be identified with brigades.  Others are called to be identified with battalions.  In every instance there is an identity that is bigger than themselves and there is the need for working with others.

 

The diet of the warrior – a warrior needs to be conditioned for the fight and needs to be disciplined to achieve the best condition.  Some people only get their spiritual food on a Sunday.  Others may only listen to preachers that give really motivational messages.  Then they do not give themselves spiritual food through the rest of the week.  It is like getting a good caffeine and/or sugar high on a Sunday and then having a spiritual crash by the time Monday comes around.  People need to feed themselves through the week.  A steady diet of the Word, prayer and getting refilled with the Spirit is like having the protein and complex carbohydrates that give you continuous energy that lasts longer.  Teachers are like physical trainers that help give you the understanding that stays with you.  Some people need to listen to teachers to get the food that will stay with them so they can be conditioned for long fights.

 

I can not remember if there was something else to add.

 

Thanks for shouting the battle cry.  I know God has called me back home to be a part of the fight here.  I may not know fully what I am to do here and when I will feel I have my fighting strength back, but I am with you.

 

Blessings,

Tom