... he stood before the soldiers.
What had he ever done to deserve this posting? His brother got to fight in the wars against the barbarians and here he was stuck; nurse-maid in this lousy province. He couldn't wait until troop rotation took place. It had been over ten years since he had last seen Rome.
If it wasn't for the distraction these prisoners provided he would go crazy with boredom.
He looked over the latest unfortunate victim. Looks like he had already met the wrong end of a spear or two. Someone had worked him over pretty good. He looked tired. Better than what he would look by the time his friends had finished with him.
He wondered what his story was. Probably some political thing. Better not to know. It really didn't matter by the time they were handed over to the soldiers; flesh was flesh, regardless of what it was before.
Already his buddies were beginning the fun. There would be some shoving, mocking, a bit of mind games. Then they would strip him down and begin with the fists. After they tired of hitting him they would start in on the whips and chains. That's when it would really get messy.
He would rather be out fighting against other soldiers. At least then it was a fair fight. What they did here was just entertainment. He still didn't have a stomach for the scourging. He was a seasoned soldier but it was too hard to see a man's flesh ripped from his back like that.
He looked over the prisoner again as the first fist landed squarely on his jaw. His buddies are bowing to him as if he were a king. This, a king? Ha! Doesn't matter much now what he claimed to be.
He heard a deep rasping laugh escape from his mouth as his fist proved to be the fifth one to find its mark. He actually allowed himself to smile as his blow sent the prisoner falling onto his back. In about an hour there wouldn't be much left of that back.
He stood over him, pondering what tomorrow would bring.
Poor guy. It didn't matter much any more what he had claimed to be.
He would be dead soon enough ...
Showing posts with label soldiers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label soldiers. Show all posts
Friday, April 18, 2014
Monday, March 4, 2013
Let's Get Serious
Enough playing around. Let's get serious. We are not here for a long time and there is a lot to do. Perhaps not in the same sense that some would value work but it is work nonetheless. Our work is to tell as many people about Jesus as we can and to teach those who decide to become followers of Jesus. It is not a joyless work but one that gives us the sense of completion as we work in the Spirit in the will of God. But just because it is a labour of love does not mean it is not the most serious labour there is on the planet because it is a labour that has an eternal outcome.
Now we are not rogue agents. We don't get to do whatever we feel like. We get to do according to the direction of the Spirit. We are not the General calling the shots but the soldiers who carry out the orders. There are rules and principles at play in this fight for the souls of this world and we need to learn them if we are to be effective warriors in service to the King. The mighty warrior Paul wrote to his fellow warrior and friend Timothy:
Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules. (2 Timothy 2:5)
Do you know, understand, live by and operate in the rules of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ? All citizens, especially all warriors, must know and live by the rules of the Kingdom. The first rule is a simple one: love God with your entire being, so much so that nothing else even comes as a remote second. It is not a whimsical love, up one day and down another, but it is a love so strong that it dictates obedience to our flesh. It is a love that gives birth to obedience, faithfulness and a desire for God's righteousness. It is a love that spurns sin and pledges allegiance, not matter the cost, to the King of kings.
This love is such that rules like "love your neighbour", forgiveness, mercy, compassion, become our nature. These are not things we must think about but what we are. Just as the knights of old lived by the code of chivalry, we modern day knights live by the code of God's righteousness. But there is more to the principles of the Kingdom than just these; there are actual spiritual laws that are in place.
There are simple things to understand but we fail to operate in. There is the law of authority.The authority of Jesus Christ lives in you. When you speak to the things you are coming against you do it in Jesus'authority. Demons must flee from you, they have no choice because of the authority of Jesus. Disease must obey. Spiritual principles must come into play. You are an incredible spiritual powerhouse, a mighty warrior in service to the King, in the authority of the King. And as such a warrior you have the responsibility to fight against the dark realm according to the rules; you have the responsibility to defend the weak according to the governing spiritual principles.
Yes, the battle belongs to the Lord and the victory is ours but we have been left here to fight in service to the King. We are not here to be pampered but to seek the things of the Kingdom. We are doers of the Word. We are agents, warriors, knights, soldiers and we are here to fight. We fight on our knees. We fight with the equipment we have been given. We fight in the full authority of Jesus Christ. We are not weak. We are not defeated. We are not sick. We are not complainers. We are not fearful. We are not doubters. We are not worriers. We are not gossips. We are not destroyers of people. We are not haters. We are not list keepers.
We are warriors!
We are warrior servants, and Jesus is our King. Now walk as Jesus has called you to walk. Walk like Jesus did when he walked in the fullness of the Spirit in obedience to his Father. We are to walk in the fullness of the Spirit, in obedience to our King.
Now we are not rogue agents. We don't get to do whatever we feel like. We get to do according to the direction of the Spirit. We are not the General calling the shots but the soldiers who carry out the orders. There are rules and principles at play in this fight for the souls of this world and we need to learn them if we are to be effective warriors in service to the King. The mighty warrior Paul wrote to his fellow warrior and friend Timothy:
Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules. (2 Timothy 2:5)
Do you know, understand, live by and operate in the rules of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ? All citizens, especially all warriors, must know and live by the rules of the Kingdom. The first rule is a simple one: love God with your entire being, so much so that nothing else even comes as a remote second. It is not a whimsical love, up one day and down another, but it is a love so strong that it dictates obedience to our flesh. It is a love that gives birth to obedience, faithfulness and a desire for God's righteousness. It is a love that spurns sin and pledges allegiance, not matter the cost, to the King of kings.
This love is such that rules like "love your neighbour", forgiveness, mercy, compassion, become our nature. These are not things we must think about but what we are. Just as the knights of old lived by the code of chivalry, we modern day knights live by the code of God's righteousness. But there is more to the principles of the Kingdom than just these; there are actual spiritual laws that are in place.
There are simple things to understand but we fail to operate in. There is the law of authority.The authority of Jesus Christ lives in you. When you speak to the things you are coming against you do it in Jesus'authority. Demons must flee from you, they have no choice because of the authority of Jesus. Disease must obey. Spiritual principles must come into play. You are an incredible spiritual powerhouse, a mighty warrior in service to the King, in the authority of the King. And as such a warrior you have the responsibility to fight against the dark realm according to the rules; you have the responsibility to defend the weak according to the governing spiritual principles.
Yes, the battle belongs to the Lord and the victory is ours but we have been left here to fight in service to the King. We are not here to be pampered but to seek the things of the Kingdom. We are doers of the Word. We are agents, warriors, knights, soldiers and we are here to fight. We fight on our knees. We fight with the equipment we have been given. We fight in the full authority of Jesus Christ. We are not weak. We are not defeated. We are not sick. We are not complainers. We are not fearful. We are not doubters. We are not worriers. We are not gossips. We are not destroyers of people. We are not haters. We are not list keepers.
We are warriors!
We are warrior servants, and Jesus is our King. Now walk as Jesus has called you to walk. Walk like Jesus did when he walked in the fullness of the Spirit in obedience to his Father. We are to walk in the fullness of the Spirit, in obedience to our King.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
No Ordinary Day; No Ordinary Person; No Ordinary God
This is no ordinary day. You are no ordinary person. Jesus is no ordinary God. Do you believe that? If you do then you are part way to an extraordinary life. Only part way because knowing it and acting upon it are two different things. But let us at least start at this point: You are no ordinary person.
What makes you extraordinary? In a word: Jesus.
For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. (Colossians 2:9-10)
Don't read it too quickly. Savour the words on your spiritual palate for a moment. The fullness of God is found in bodily form in Jesus. Sounds obvious, right? Jesus is exactly who he said he is, no surprises there. But consider the implications of this. The fullness of God is in Jesus "and you have been given fullness in Christ". You are in Jesus and Jesus in you which means the fullness of God lives in you. Pretty amazing stuff.
Now, just in case you missed this point, it means Jesus is the head over every power and authority. You are so much more than you can possibly understand at this moment. You are the most beautiful and powerful creature on this planet because of the fullness of God in you. But this is the sad point: We don't know it and we don't act on it.
We somehow got this notion in our head that we have to ask God to do everything. We pray about everything and then wait. We fail to understand that we are prayer in action; we are God's authority in action; we are to act on this fullness of God in us. Jesus has sent us out in his authority. We can't do anything through our own strength and ability that will be of any eternal worth but we can do all things through him who gives us strength. Jesus didn't tell us to pray to have the mountain moved; he told us to speak to that mountain and it will leap into the sea. You are a mountain mover. You are a demon caster outer. You are a powerful preacher/teacher. You are a mighty healer. You are an abundant giver. You are an affectionate friend, to your enemy. You are all these and so much more because of Jesus in you.
Of course, with great power comes great responsibility. You are accountable. You are accountable to walk closely with Jesus and follow his directions. You are not a solitary soldier doing his own thing. You are a warrior among warriors, a member of a mighty army that has been set upon this earth in a great rescue effort, to know and do the will of Jesus. You are under constant attack by subtle agents of the enemy who's desire is nothing less than the wanton destruction of all of God's creation. You are the warrior who stands his ground, takes watch over the blind and speaks truth to a dying world, fighting for the lives of the enemy of God, who he loves.
And nothing can stop you!
Now imagine if we all woke up today realizing that this is no ordinary day, that we are no ordinary people and Jesus is no ordinary God. Imagine what this day would look like around this planet. Although we respect the authorities in this world, we answer to the one who is over them. Although the natural and spiritual worlds have authorities, we are the agents, the warriors of the one who is over all powers and authorities. That is the point with which most people struggle. We speak to the mountain and it must leap according to the authority of Jesus. His authority is in us and we speak in that authority. Understand what that means. Read Jesus' words carefully. Accept who you are in him. And act on it!
What makes you extraordinary? In a word: Jesus.
For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. (Colossians 2:9-10)
Don't read it too quickly. Savour the words on your spiritual palate for a moment. The fullness of God is found in bodily form in Jesus. Sounds obvious, right? Jesus is exactly who he said he is, no surprises there. But consider the implications of this. The fullness of God is in Jesus "and you have been given fullness in Christ". You are in Jesus and Jesus in you which means the fullness of God lives in you. Pretty amazing stuff.
Now, just in case you missed this point, it means Jesus is the head over every power and authority. You are so much more than you can possibly understand at this moment. You are the most beautiful and powerful creature on this planet because of the fullness of God in you. But this is the sad point: We don't know it and we don't act on it.
We somehow got this notion in our head that we have to ask God to do everything. We pray about everything and then wait. We fail to understand that we are prayer in action; we are God's authority in action; we are to act on this fullness of God in us. Jesus has sent us out in his authority. We can't do anything through our own strength and ability that will be of any eternal worth but we can do all things through him who gives us strength. Jesus didn't tell us to pray to have the mountain moved; he told us to speak to that mountain and it will leap into the sea. You are a mountain mover. You are a demon caster outer. You are a powerful preacher/teacher. You are a mighty healer. You are an abundant giver. You are an affectionate friend, to your enemy. You are all these and so much more because of Jesus in you.
Of course, with great power comes great responsibility. You are accountable. You are accountable to walk closely with Jesus and follow his directions. You are not a solitary soldier doing his own thing. You are a warrior among warriors, a member of a mighty army that has been set upon this earth in a great rescue effort, to know and do the will of Jesus. You are under constant attack by subtle agents of the enemy who's desire is nothing less than the wanton destruction of all of God's creation. You are the warrior who stands his ground, takes watch over the blind and speaks truth to a dying world, fighting for the lives of the enemy of God, who he loves.
And nothing can stop you!
Now imagine if we all woke up today realizing that this is no ordinary day, that we are no ordinary people and Jesus is no ordinary God. Imagine what this day would look like around this planet. Although we respect the authorities in this world, we answer to the one who is over them. Although the natural and spiritual worlds have authorities, we are the agents, the warriors of the one who is over all powers and authorities. That is the point with which most people struggle. We speak to the mountain and it must leap according to the authority of Jesus. His authority is in us and we speak in that authority. Understand what that means. Read Jesus' words carefully. Accept who you are in him. And act on it!
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