This is the beginning of the New Year. It’s good to be back with you. I wonder what 2016 has in store for each one of us. What challenges, battles, and difficulties will we face? How many will we win?
Those who are spiritually mature understand that our life here on this earth was never meant to be one big bed of roses. We were born for battle and we were born again in Christ Jesus to win the battle. Good and evil rages on and will continue until the end when every enemy will be crushed beneath the feet of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:25).
C. T. Studd, the famous English cricketer wrote about The Chocolate Soldier. He scorns those who run from the battle and melt when the going gets too hot. He writes that true soldiers are like children who when the school bell rings at the end of the last semester, bound out of school to begin their vacation, full of excitement. True soldiers don’t like to be confined and coped up. They just can’t wait to fight on the battlefield.
Job describes the war horse in Job 39: 19-25: “Hast thou given the horse strength? hast thou clothed his neck with thunder? Canst thou make him afraid as a grasshopper? the glory of this nostrils is terrible. He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength: he goeth on to meet the armed men. He mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted: neither turneth he back from the sword. The quiver rattleth against him, the glittering spear and the shield He salloweth the ground with fierceness and rage: neither believeth he that it is the sound of the trumpet. He saith among the trumpets, Ha, ha; and he smell the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.”
This is the same attitude we should as we fight the Lord’s battles against evil. We men must also teach our children to fight the good fight of faith. We must prepare them for the battles of life (1 Timothy 6:12; 2 Timothy 2:3,4 and 4:7). We must pray that 2016 will prove us all to be great warriors for the truth, that we will embrace the call God has given us to draw our swords, and that we will never back down no matter what the devil hurls at us.
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell