Are You a Warrior?

He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.  For You equipped me with strength for the battle; You made those who rise against me sink under me.  (Psalm 18.34-39)

I’ve just come home from boxing with Bill so I’m not sure if this blog is Holy Spirit directed or just a testosterone overload.  At any rate this is what is on my mind this morning.  The Christian life is often likened to a battle.  We sing “Onward Christian Soldiers” and “Am I a Soldier of the Cross” and such hymns.  The Bible is full of metaphors comparing the Christian life and service to God as war or battle, so the idea of war and warriors must be on God’s mind.  So let me ask you a question, “Are you a warrior”?  Before you answer consider three types of people that find themselves engaged in a battle.

I.                     The Soldier.  A soldier may be a volunteer or a draftee, he or she may or may not agree with their country’s ideology but goes to war out of a sense of duty and obligation and on rare occasions by compulsion.  The distinguishing characteristic of a soldier is that he or she fights for only a season.  They enlist for 2 or 4 years and then return to normal life.  I have great admiration and fully support our “citizen soldiers”.   

II.                  The Mercenary.  Hollywood movies often depict mercenaries as romantic, soldiers of fortune.  The truth is they are selfish people who fight for money and really don’t care for whom or what cause they are fighting for as long as they are paid their fee.  I have no respect for mercenaries and cannot believe the USA is utilizing them in Iraq, Afghanistan and heaven knows where else. 

III.                The Warrior. This is the noblest of all.  The warrior’s occupation is war.  His or her heart is to serve the country or king no matter the consequence and no matter what he or she is paid.  The warrior lives by a code of honor.  He constantly trains in the “art of war”.  He studies weapons, strategy, fitness, technology in order to be a more effective warrior.   A warrior is motivated by love and compassion.  The Samurai of feudal Japan is an example of a warrior. They were radically devoted to perfecting their bodies, minds and spirits in order to better serve their Shogun (King).  They gladly gave their lives to protect and serve others.  Samurai means “servant” in Japanese. 

Applying this to God’s kingdom, a kingdom that involves a great deal of spiritual warfare, I find all three of these archetypes represented in the church.  There are a lot of soldiers.  These folks get involved in kingdom warfare for a brief season, some even act heroically, but then they quit after they have “completed their tours”. 

            Then I find a great number of mercenaries in the church.  These folks are only in the battle for personal gain and profit.  They could care less about serving others or the greater goals of our Lord and King.  The mercenaries tend to go from church to church-get what they can-then move on leaving a trail of pain and destruction in their wake.   

            I praise and thank God for the warriors in the church.   These men and women (and quite a few boys and girls) invest their whole lives in training, fighting and serving.  They gladly endure hardship and pain and give up their lives in service to the Lord and His church.  I challenge each of you to become a ‘Christian Samurai” and be radically devoted to advancing the Lord’s kingdom.

            So are you a warrior?  Soldier?  Mercenary?  How can you be a warrior for the Lord Jesus Christ?