The Christian life is a secret war. It is a war unlike any other ever waged in the history of the world. It is fought within the secret hills and valleys of a battlefield which carnal eyes cannot see. The fighting is hidden, the suffering is silent. The belligerents are eternal spirit forces manifesting attrition within the temporal canvas of time. All followers of Christ are immediately conscripted into this war upon the New Birth, yet not all followers have taken up arms. These are the conscientious objectors of spiritual warfare, and they do not overcome the foe but remain defeated and spiritually impotent. But the followers who fight and fall, fall and fight are granted measures of ever-increasing light. They are protected by God and enjoy divine rejuvenation daily. Their many wounds are treated; their souls are healed. If they continue to fight and not abandon rank, they are promised food, armor and restored health. They are assured of final victory, though the individual battles are fierce and sometimes lost.The lost battles are used for good they are designed by God for an ultimate beneficial purpose. They are the seedbeds from which grace is grown; grace, which in turn, will blossom into secret flowers of victory. As the soldier advances unto perfection, these flowers begin to give off more and more fragrance. The more the flowers proliferate upon the battlefield, the more the fragrance becomes apparent not only to the soldier in secret, but to others who may be strangers to the war.The Holy Spirit is given to abide within bosom of each and every soldier of Gods army. He points to Jesus Christ and to the ever-blazing light of the grace of His holiness. It is a revelatory light. It reveals the camp of the enemy; the strategy of Gods foe; the schemes of Satan. It prepares the soldier beforehand and equips him with the grace to overcome during the time of the battle. The Holy Spirit is given that the follower of Christ might always triumph on the battlefield, and win another secret victory. If given the choice between the gifts of the spirit or the fragrance of fruit, I would choose the fragrance; for it is among the fragrance that the gifts are manifest. Set your heart, therefore, on gaining secret victories upon the hidden battlefield of your heart and mind and do not fret if you become wounded. God has abundant grace to bind your broken heart and restore you upon the war paths of righteousness. Victory will come in time! This I assure you. It comes first as a trickle, sporadically, followed by more setbacks. A pattern will soon emerge as God teaches you more about the enemy and the devices he employs. All Gods teachings direct the soldier to the power of blood of Christ and the sin-mortifying grace of the Holy Spirit. Secret victories lend to the open fragrance of life in Jesus Christ. Dear believer, you can overcome on the battlefield and be a vessel of edification. There is not an enemy in the ranks of Satan which Gods grace cannot instantly vanquish. There is not a temptation of the flesh and mind which cannot be overcome and cleansed by the holy blood of God. The joy of the soldier never need be broken even during defeat.Be diligent in these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy progress may be manifest unto all (I Timothy 4:15).Brother Paul
_________________Paul Frederick West
Amen! One of the most emancipating revelations was to learn that all that satan has done and will do is used by God for the good of those who are His own, thus making satan serve the Most High!
_________________R. Evan Gombach
"conscientious objectors" Spiritually speaking, I hope.
_________________Fifi
Spiritually speaking, I hope.
Of-course I understood the context, brother Paul, for the weapons of our warfare (and the warfare itself) are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds.Good readingGod bless
yet not all followers have taken up arms
It depends on what God does with them. I am thinking of Gideons army which God divided among them between the lappers and the ones that didn't care if they got water all over them. But the ones that were held back became more than a conquerer in that they were partakers of the booty that was won by the 300. God was in essence saying that the one's who obeyed in going and the ones who obeyed by staying were all made partakers of the spoils and it's as if God saw the complete people to be all victors.
