Chariot #2.4 - Out of the Trenches, Men! Part 3
 
      During the last two months we have been reviewing one of the messages from the Rising to the Call audio tape series. The topic of The Chariot articles has been about our becoming spiritual warriors. We've considered the qualities which characterize men who are good soldiers and we've contrasted two characters from the Old Testament, David and Uriah. In this month's edition, I would like to focus our attention on what hinders men from becoming the spiritual protectors of their families.

What happened to the warrior spirit in men?
 
      Perhaps one factor which has contributed to the lack of a warrior spirit in men today is that most of our fathers didn't call us out or train us to be spiritual warriors. I don't mean to imply that they didn't care about us. But if their fathers didn't give them a vision for preparing spiritual warriors in the next generation, when they became fathers they weren't equipped with that vision.
     On a visit to Tanzania, I was privileged to have an interpreter from Kenya named David Taruz. David told me about his "calling out" by the fathers of his tribe. For one year, David lived outside his village and was given daily assignments to prepare him to be a warrior for his people. At the end of the year he was given his last name, Taruz. In Swahili, Taruz means warrior. The men of David's community understood the importance of preparing the next generation to be defenders of their people. Although this training was in a physical sense, it illustrates the determination of one generation of fathers to prepare the next generation. As believers in Christ, we fathers ought to have an even greater determination and vision to prepare our sons to be spiritual soldiers for Christ.
     Another factor which has affected this generation's preparation for being spiritual warriors is the feminization of our culture. David Blankendorn, author of A Fatherless America, credits the feminist movement for the changed view of what it means to be a father. Another factor he cites is the damage of egalitarianism. We are victims of a culture war to make men and women equal in all respects. To accomplish this, distinctive roles and responsibilities must be erased and ignored. The role of being a protector and soldier has for millennia been assigned to men. Only in the past forty years has "women in the military" been promoted. Today, it's the woman who is portrayed as the conqueror, fighter, and tower of strength. Commercials, TV sitcoms, and movies more often than not portray the man as weak, stupid, or inept while being overshadowed or controlled by a powerful woman.
     A third factor has influenced many of my generation. For those of you who were around during the Vietnam war era, you might remember the cry of protest from the feminist movement, "Make love, not war." For the men of my generation, the baby-boomers, going to war, protecting our freedoms, and battling the enemies of freedom were not hailed as positive qualities for men. For decades, the western culture has gone to war against men who fight for truth, righteousness and justice instead of encouraging those virtues. Being a soldier caused one to suffer slander and reviling until the Gulf War. During the Clinton presidency, as numerous people in the military I have spoken to indicated, the United States military was held in disdain and systematically dismantled. Being a soldier of truth, righteousness and justice was mocked by the highest office in our nation. We should be grateful to God that we have a president now who is bringing honor back to these essential qualities of manhood.
 
We're to be soldiers for Christ.
 
     Numerous scriptures have been given to us by the Holy Spirit to encourage us to be spiritual warriors for Christ. Consider the following examples from the writings of the apostle Paul.
 
You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier (2 Tim. 2:1-4).
 
This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may fight the good fight, keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith (1 Tim. 1:18-19).
 
Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm (Eph. 6:10-13).
 
      These verses alone give us a clear mandate: the church is to be united with the cause of Christ in a spiritual battle. One aspect of our calling as sons of God is to fight the good fight in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. To become effective combatants in the heavenlies requires training, practice, and experience. These things should occur while we're in the preparation season of our liveswhile we're at home with our parents in spiritual boot camp.
     All too often, fathers are more consumed with being recreation directors instead of spiritual drill sergeants. I mean this in a positive sense. Although the typical stereotype of a drill sergeant isn't positive, if someone didn't push the men to their limits, train them to become skilled in the art of warfare, brief them about the enemies tactics and weapons, and lead them to think and act as a unit, they would surely be defeated. How can we expect our sons to be spiritual leaders and protectors of their families without demonstrating expertise on the battlefield ourselves and instilling in them a long-range vision and purpose in the cause of Christ?

Beware of an independent spirit.
 
      As a man and a pastor, I found an independent spirit to be one of the most formidable foes in the spiritual battles of life. We should consider a solo mentality to be one of our most dreaded enemies. It militates against our calling as sons of God, as husbands to our wives, and as fathers to our children. We noticed the advantage that sin has within man when he is isolated from other men with the same vision, purpose, and calling when we studied the lives of David and Uriah.
      As we watch the battle plan of the coalition forces in Iraq unfold, we see the strategy is to separate the individual divisions of the enemy from their command center as well as from each other. Divide and conquer! At the same time, securing and maintaining cohesiveness, communication, and a coordinated effort between the branches of the military and each individual is vital to accomplishing the mission. There is no place for an independent spirit on the field of battle!
     So it is in life for men who follow Jesus Christ. As Gordon Dalbey stated in his book, Healing of the Masculine Soul, "The man who is out of fellowship with other men with the same vision, purpose, and commitment fools himself in thinking he can grow as God's son all by himself." Sometimes looking at ourselves through someone else's eyes may be helpful. What do you think your wife and children see as they watch you live your life? Do they see you independent of other men and your family or do they see you functioning as a regular, vital part of the army of God against evil, unrighteousness, and injustice? Could they give the names of the men who are in your "company?" Could they name the men to whom you submit yourself in the body of Christ, men to whom you look for training and direction in the honing of your skills for the spiritual conflicts of life? If not, what can you do to correct that?
Beware of fear and pride.
 
      Fear while engaging the enemy may paralyze and jeopardize lives. Along with an independent spirit, the spirit of fear may be another one of the top spiritual enemies we men face. Frequently, I hear testimonies of men who fail to rise to their calling as husbands and fathers because they are afraid of failing. Some men don't teach their wives and children God's Word because they are afraid they will be compared to their pastor or even their wives and be found wanting. What man hasn't been confronted by the fear of facing his weaknesses, sinful actions and habits, and inabilities? How often have you shrunk from the responsibilities of your calling as a husband and father because you were afraid you might fail? Is it not our pride that feeds that kind of fear?
     God's Word clearly tells us nothing can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:37-39). Paul informs his readers that they "have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, 'Abba! Father!'" (Romans 8:15). When writing to Timothy, Paul encourages him, "For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline" (2 Timothy 1:7).
     These verses and more should cause us to strengthen our resolve and go for it! Yes, we may fail, but that failure isn't wasted. Consider it training and practice and honing of the spiritual skills necessary to our calling as soldiers of Christ. We'll learn from those experiences, pick ourselves up by the grace of God, and go at it again, and again, and again, if need be until we are equipped and skilled for the glory of God.
     In the comic book Sergeant Rock that I referenced in The Chariot #14, Easy Company had acquired a new recruit nicknamed "Shaker." You can probably guess how he got this nickname. When the enemy was engaged, he shook with fear and became immobilized. What could happen to your family if you were to be the "Shaker"? What if a father is a shaker when it comes to facing his strong-willed preschooler or his teenage daughter or son when he sees behavior which is wrong or damaging? What happens if a husband freezes under fire when the devil is attacking him with temptations? May I encourage you to consider the destruction that could occur to your "company" if the leader is a "Shaker?" Beware the shaker in us, men.

Unity of mission and combined resources are keys to victory.
 
     How is the spiritual battle won? Unity of mission and combined resources are keys to victory in the body of Christ as well as on the real battlefield. If we are unified with Jesus Christ in His mission (glorifying His Father and advancing His kingdom) and if we are being strengthened, equipped, and encouraged by our brothers in Christ and their spiritual gifts, we may proceed with confidence.
The only way to win the spiritual battle is to be filled with the Spirit of Jesus Christ, the Son. His Spirit cries out to God, our Father and His, for everything we need in the battle. The apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesians in chapter 5, verses 18-33 the practicality of being filled with the Spirit. When we practice the following things, the Holy Spirit fills us because they are His things!
 
1.      Worship the Lord by encouraging yourself and others with God's truth through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.
2.      Worship the Lord by giving thanks for all things.
3.      Worship the Lord by arranging yourselves in loving relationships, especially for us men, loving our wives as Christ loved the church.
 
     As men in the body of Christ are practicing these things, we grow together and walk in a manner worthy of our calling as sons of God, husbands to our wives, and fathers to our children. Armed with the Spirit of God, we fight together against the enemies of God's people. Paul warned, "the days are evil. Make the most of your time" (Ephesians 5:16).
     Individually, we are as useless as a hand is without the rest of the body. It is the combined strength that makes us effective. When men in a church unite with a common vision and purpose, the Holy Spirit will give them the resources they need collectively to rise to their callings in life. That is our hope! Jesus Christ in us. He is our fullness, our adequacy, and our strength. Apart from Him we can do nothing, and His promises are many to His body as they are united and ministering to one another. If you are to succeed as the spiritual leader of your family, you will need the ideas, encouragements, and reproofs of your fellow soldiers for Christ. They will challenge you, protect you, and help you when you're down.
 
Beware of trench talk!
 
     We need to be careful about what I call "trench talk"excuses for hunkering down in fear in the trenches instead of rising to the call to fight on the spiritual battlefield. Here are some examples of "trench talk" when men have been asked why they aren't involved in the men's ministry at church or leading in their families: "I'm just too busy." "Well, I'll have to see what's happening." "I don't think I can do that."
All the casualties in the spiritual war occur to men in the trenches.
 
     One Sunday morning as the men of our church and I were praying for the worship service, a battle scene came to mind. I envisioned the men and me in the trenches preparing to attack. We were waiting for the command to charge. When I heard the command, I yelled to the men to charge, but all remained frozen in fear in the trenches. Again, I screamed the command, "Attack." When no one moved, I grabbed the nearest man and told him to grab the next one and so on. Finally, all of us were on the attack. As we ran toward the enemy, an incoming artillery shell exploded in the trenches. Had we remained, we would have all been killed. At that point, the thought that struck me was, "All of the casualties in the spiritual war occur to men in the trenches."
     I don't know if that was the Holy Spirit or me, but the truth is verified in the scriptures. When men fail to rise to their calling as sons of God to be soldiers for Christ and remain in the spiritual trenches, it won't be long before they will suffer the consequences. Often, their entire family suffers with them. Has this happened to you?
 
What is your status in the war?
 
     What best describes your status in the spiritual war? AWOL (absent without leave), MIA (missing in action), POW (prisoner of war), KIA (killed in action), WIA (wounded in action), or RFD (reporting for duty). These acrostics come to mind as we think about warfare. As I write this, a real war is unfolding on a daily basis in Iraq. What rich spiritual analogies there are in this event! Men, this presents an opportunity to teach the truths of God's Word "as you walk by the way" (Deut. 6:7). Both armiestheir leaders, their strategies, their training, their equipment, their resolve, their cause, etc.provide examples from which we may draw spiritual lessons for ourselves, the men of the church, and for preparing our sons and daughters for the spiritual warfare in life. You might consider having a number of family times dedicated to examining the analogies brought to mind by the news of the war. What can you learn about the enemy's tactics? How can the adversary of your souls be defeated? What is your battle plan? Who is in the battle with you?
 
Out of the trenches, Men!
 

            Norm Wakefield
            Elijah Ministries
            PO 377
            Bulverde, Texas 78163
            www.spiritofelijah.com