War

I've been thinking of warfare lately. The spiritual battlefront is rife with imagery, but we mustn't think that is all it is (imagery). It is real and constant in all of our lives. 

It all starts with the war that rages in our hearts before we come to understand that Jesus is Lord. A song performed by Chris Tomlin at Passion 2012, White Flag, speaks to this directly:

It is a wonderful picture in helping understand that whether you know Christ or not, you are involved in a spiritual battle for your soul. And when you finally put your offensive weapons against our Lord down and raise the flag of surrender, your war with Him is over. A time of peace with God commences and Christians, the world over, rejoice in having you as a  spiritual brother or sister.

However, we mustn't be mistaken in thinking that "the war is over." Your war with God is over, but you haven't left the battlefield. Now you must take up your new weaponry, turn around, and begin to fight your new enemy- the one you just defected from: your flesh and its counterpart- Satan. Like it or not, we are engaged in spiritual warfare, constantly, and it will not end until Christ returns. 

Make War, by Tedashii (featuring John Piper), speaks to this:

Christianity isn't easy to live out. Anyone proclaiming different simply hasn't read the Bible. Allow this to be our encouragement to stop sitting outside the ring, tape-up our knuckles, and go to work ("against lust, against pride, against me, 'til I die!"). Let us be active combatants in our faith, rather than just the punching dummy in the corner.

Links to John Piper's related messages:

• http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/sermons/how-to-kill-sin-part-1
  
• http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/sermons/how-to-kill-sin-part-2