War

II Timothy 2:2-3
Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus> And as Christ's soldier, do not let yourself become tied up in the affairs of this life, for then you cannot satisfy the one who has enlisted you in his army.

The month of October has always been a time of change for me. A time of spiritual change that seem to reset my "spiritual" compass if you will. Over the past 18 years, October has been a time of visitation by God to prepare for the coming year. To let me know that there is going to be a different focus in my life. This year is no different. I was spending some time praying and reading, and as I did had this picture in my mind. It was of World War II soldiers marching in the mud. It was pouring down rain and they had on their battle gear and raincoats. The road/path they were on was completely muddy and they were slogging along, heads down, leaning into the rain. It was night time and only the lightning from the storm ,along with headlights of approaching vehicles, silhouetted the outline of the formation as it moved forward. It wasn't a parade of shiny boots and medals. It wasn't even a snappy march of a unit that moved as one. It was a line of battle hardened vet's who were moving to their next engagement. Moving with purpose and determination.

What does all this have to do with anything? That is what I asked God. His reply? life is a war. This relationship I have with Jesus puts me at odds with the devil and the kingdom of darkness. WAR! Whether I wanted to believe it or not, I have an enemy who's only purpose is to destroy me, discredit God's work in me, and see me dead. What came next caught me off guard.
God commanded..........yes, that's right..........He commanded me to take down the flag of Compromise. Compromise? When have I compromised with the enemy? Compromise had taken  place when I didn't want to speak up when it might costs me something. When I didn't really let God finish the message I was to speak at a meeting, but rather just shared something that had no power on it. Someone was at the meeting that needed to hear the pure, unadulterated , Word of God..........and I didn't deliver it. That was compromise. Needless to say, I felt shame and remorse for my actions. Compromise was when I didn't love like I should have, but sought out my own comfort at someone elses expense. Compromise! Now God was telling me.....take down your flag of compromise.

Unfurl the new flag, the cross of Christ. Shake it out and let the wind of Spirit blow against it and cause it wave and be revealed for the truth it possesses. God told me that in this war, blood is spilt.....that we are marching and moving on a blood-soaked path. We move on the blood of Christ. Now the picture of the soldiers I had seen in my mind was now making sense. Thinking back on the picture, I could tell that the mud was tinged red...this was the blood....
The rain that was falling on the soldiers, was the rain of the Holy Spirit........a rain of God's presence. The rain is the anointing sent from God. When you combine the anointing of God, the rain, with the blood of Christ, the path we are to march on, there is purpose and power for the job ahead.

As I went back over this picture in my mind, soldiers all in line, rain running down their helmets and raincoats....I thought back to my own time in the military when such marches were terrible. You were wet and cold and all you could think about was getting back to the barracks for a hot shower and some dry clothes. God kind of stopped those thoughts and told me that this "Marching In The Rain" was not wearisome or hard or troubling. In fact my thoughts on how miserable it would be to have to be a part of something like this march came from being on the outside looking in at this picture. My view of wanting hot showers and dry clothes was my own flesh seeking its comfort. It was a selfish view...a self-centered view.  God went on to say that everyone who enters this march does so because they have denied their flesh. They have set aside their selfish desires, wants and needs to enlist in something that is greater.....The Kingdom of God.

So what does all this mean?
It means that God is on the move. We are preparing for a new season of spiritual warfare. The enemy will seek to attack you in areas of your comfort. Possibly your finances....your home...things that you consider to be security for your life. What do we do about it? Pray! I've heard it said that God's army marches on its knees. We must realize that the "rain" that has begun to fall on us is the anointing of God's Holy Spirit to do what we were created to do and be the person God created us to be. It means that our focus shifts from ourselves to others. We are to seek out and find those who don't know God. Who have never tasted salvation. Those who are wounded and dying from the wounds of this world. In other words...it's time to move out. We no longer have the right to stand at the side of this road and simply watch others march by. We are to engage in this battle.

Pray for Rapha, if you will.
Pray for your church and your pastor.
Take the appointed role God has given you in your families and exercise the authority God has placed on you.
Study the Word of God....
I know that today's' posting may seem strange and you may not understand some of what I have written (I'm not the best writer in the world, especially when it comes to putting thoughts and images down on paper trying to explain them).
If you have any questions, feel free to leave comments here on the blog...

God on you....
mb