Adoption, Disciple, Enlistment – A Call to War – 2

August 16, 2014 at 3:30 am (Devotionals, WSGD Newes) (Adonai, armor, Courage, fight, God, Jesus, stand, strength, The Christian in Complete Armor, trust, war, weakness, William Gurnall, Yeshua)

The Christian in Complete Armor by William Gurnall – pages 24-25

~ The Follower’s Call to Courage ~

A cowardly spirit is beneath the lowest duty of a Follower of the Messiah. You of all men will need courage and determination if you hope *to obey your heavenly Captain’s orders.  He commands you, ‘Be thou strong and very courageous. ..’ Why? So you can stand in battle against war like nations? So you can make a great name for yourself? No! But ‘. ..that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses, My servant, commanded thee.’ (Josh. 1:7) That is why you need a more courageous spirit to obey God faithfully (in full trust) than to command an army of men; to be a Follower of the Captain than a captain. The challenge exceeds the bravery of the best unless they have help from a source greater than themselves.

Secular reason sees a Follower of Christ on his knees and laughs at the feeble posture God’s child assumes as his enemies descend upon him. *Only divine insight can perceive what mighty preparations are actually taking place. Yet just as an unarmed soldier cannot achieve the military exploits of a well-equipped infantryman, so the carnal follower cannot hope to do the exploits for God which the committed follower can expect through prayer. *Prayer is the main line that leads straight to the throne of God. By it the Follower approaches God with humble boldness of faith (trust), takes hold of Him, wrestles with Him, and will not let Him go until he has His blessing.

Meanwhile, the canal follower, asleep to the dangers of his sinful state, rushes headlong into battle with a foolhardy confidence that soon turns yellow when his conscience wakes up and sounds the alarm that his sins are upon him. Then, unnerved by this surprise attack, he throws down his weapon, flees from the presence of God with guilty Adam, and dares not look Him in the face.

*Every duty in the Followers whole course of walking with God is lined with many difficulties which shoot at him through hedges on his march toward heaven. He must fight the enemy for every inch of ground along the way. Only those noble-spirited souls who dare take heaven by force are fit for this calling.

《Continued tomorrow》
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–Questions to ponder for further digestion–

♡Being united in the Messiah gives the profound gift of the Spirit which then causes the soul to fight and delight to do all that the Master instructs. Do I fully understand the heavenly view of who to please and why this is so vital as stitching in the garment of my battle attire?

♡Why do we as humans seem to struggle with “seeing” prayer as an inactive action?

♡Do I see that my tendency is always to place my own actions and tactics as the primary power in the exchange between the seen and unseen?

♡How should the opening of my eyes to these new perspectives sharpen my courage, shape my breast-plate, and train my knees for war?

And that man is only One, His name is Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ)! Who alive and active within many becomes such an army!

Grace and peace in Yeshua the Messiah