Can you hear the distant call of battle? (not so distant now) The enemies forces are entrenched and fully armed. Their strongholds, well built, ancient structures. They are masters of deceit, using our own battlements against us. The stronger we become, the mightier they. But in our weakness comes Christ, our only hope in this war we wage. As we submit, we gain victory. As we endure... honor. We can not fight this battle, only survive it.
The world we live in is filled with violence. Wars, rumors of wars, crime, abuse, fraud, hatred. We live in a lost world, dark in its iniquity. But is violence a bad thing? Is war, hatred, and fighting a vice? Then why do we seek "battle" so readily? Why do we charge off at the first sign of conflict? We are like sharks, drawn by blood, we "Spiritual Warriors". We move about, seeing demonic activity in everything, attacking our enemy at each opportunity. We hate our adversary, we violently confront his minions, after all we are in a war. Aren't we?
Who told you to fight this war? Did Jesus sound the battle cry, tell you to draw your sword? Has the Holy Spirit given you orders to seek and destroy? What did our Lord say? "He who lives by the sword shall die by it". We are not told to fight, but to stand. If violence and hate are evil, why do we embrace them? This is why the enemy grows strong, we strengthen him. With each assault, we refresh him and damage ourselves. We were never meant to fight this battle, the victory is the Lord's. We are given armor, shield and sword for our defense, not to terrorize. Jesus said "Love your enemy, bless them that curse you". This is our battle cry. LOVE.
If you hate, even the enemy, the battle has been lost. You have become the servant of the enemy in your hatred. Don't be so quick to jump into battle, don't be so enthralled by the melee. We battle at need, without hatred, without malace. Look at the instances of Jesus dealing with the enemy and his minions. Jesus exhibited no malice, he spoke cordially, even with satan himself. Jesus was stronger in His rebukes of the Pharisees than the demons He cast out.
Satan stirs these emotions within us, our hatred has no effect on him. If he can tempt us, he has won. If he can not fill our hearts with fear, he fills us with violence and hate. He doesn't care if it is directed at him. Hate is Hate. Jesus said "If you have hatred in your heart you are guilty of murder". If we take on the attitudes and devices of the enemy, what sets us apart? Or have we become the enemy?
This world is filled with violence, we should not be adding to it, even with our "righteous indignation". We are to be the Light of grace and truth in a world gone mad with lust and violence. We stand against the hatred, against the violence. We stand for Love. And, like our Savior, we too must be willing to give ourselves as sacrifices in obedience to the Law of Love.
Ours is a different kind of battle. We do not fight as the world fights. We follow the Lamb. If we fight as the world fights, we have become one with the world. Learn the ways of the Lord. Learn to war in Love, battle in Grace, stand in Righteousness.