Table of Contents
Chapter 4: A Theological Reflection on the Christian Warrior's Spirit
"He who fears being conquered is sure of defeat."
Napoleon Bonaparte
1.1 INTRODUCTION
ONE of the most essential preparations for a warrior is the preparation of his spirit. His attitude must be imbued with certain attributes vital to warfare. The Christian warrior is no different. Without the right Spirit, he is doomed already. That Spirit is the Spirit of God, given to make us mighty.
That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man. (Ephesians 3:16)
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power. (2 Timothy 1:7)
The "spirit of power" empowers! The Bible tells us,
Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. (Galatians 5:16)
As we learn to walk in the spirit of power, we are granted power over the flesh. This is indeed the Spirit of war.
For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. (Galatians 5:17)
This Spirit of war against the flesh is received into the soul through the born-again experience, an experience that must occur daily. Jesus said,
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (John 3:5-6)
In other words, the fruit of the flesh is flesh, the fruit of the spirit is spirit. This is the law of like producing like. We must be born of the spirit, if we desire the fruit of the spirit.
The book of Galatians describes the fruit or the work of the flesh in these words:
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21)
The fruit of the spirit is spirit. The same book tells us that there are nine attributes of the Spirit that make up the Spirit of war against the flesh.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)
These nine "spirits" are the basic building blocks of righteousness. They are the sum total of the character of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit received into the heart produces within us a spirit identical to its Own.
These nine spirits form every possible righteous "combination" that can be performed. A combination is described as a set of movements or actions. The word is also used to describe a code which opens a lock. The nine spirits of the Spirit are essential for the warrior to perform, through God's grace, the correct combination, or set of moves when confronted with temptation. These combinations will include movement of thought and feeling, as well as physical action. These thoughts, feelings, and actions will consist of a combination of one or more of the nine fruits of the spirit.
To every temptation, there is a code, a combination, which if used with power will provide a way of escape.
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)
When one is confronted with temptation, he or she is often overcome because they cannot perform, through God's grace, the right combination of thoughts, feelings, and actions that will yield the path of victory over that temptation. The mind "short circuits" in the midst of temptation and is paralyzed by it. Just when joy is needed, followed by longsuffering, the mind seems unable to grab hold of these attributes.
For others, the mind is aware of the combination needed, but there is lack of power to carry out the action. We know to do good, but do it not.
For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. (Romans 7:19)
Either way, the combination of righteousness has not been fully carried out, and we are left trapped in sin as a result.
These nine spirits then, become the focal point for the warrior of righteousness. His success or failure will be in proportion to his mastery of these attributes. Failure to master these nine attributes produces or reveals a warrior's weak spots. There are in reality only nine weak spots for a warrior. They are failure in one or more of these spirits. These nine weak spots are the target of every assault from self. Eliminate the "weak spots" and self will become virtually powerless. Then to eliminate our "weak spots", we must learn to be strong in and master these spirits, through the Spirit.
1.2 THE SPIRIT OF LOVE
THE Spirit of love is a product or fruit of the Spirit of war against the flesh. The warrior's strength and victories will be in proportion to his mastery of this spirit. This is the love the warrior must possess for his Master and Lord. Love is a powerful force.
Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned. (Song of Solomon 8:7)
Through love, the warrior is willing to give all, everything he has.
Our General tells us,
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. (John 15:13-14)
Mastery of this spirit means a willingness to lay our lives down for Jesus. It is in essence, power in the face of temptation to be willing to crucify self, rather than betray Jesus.
Not only should he possess a love for his Master, he should possess a love for his country, the Kingdom of Heaven. The sons of this world have sacrificed themselves for the love of an earthly country. The sons of the heaven should be moved with a love for their country as higher than the heavens are above the earth. "The Kingdom of Heaven" must be our battle cry, our cause to die for.
Finally, the warrior must have a love for righteousness. Like his God and General, he must "love righteousness".
Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. (Hebrews 1:9)
He must adore it, be emotionally connected to it, moved by it, enamored with it. In loving all that is good, and holy, and true, he is equipped with an essential part to the combination of righteousness.
Weakness in this spirit will result in certain failure. Where there is no love, there is no desire to stand. We stand and defend in proportion to our love for something, or someone.
1.3 THE JOY OF WAR
WE struggle to do what is a burden; we love to do what is a joy. The Spirit of joy is another fruit warriors against self must not only possess, but master. Not only must we fight against self, we must enjoy it. Righteousness must not only be our duty, it must be our pastime. It must become our hobby as well as our mission. The fight against self is not a 9 to 5 job. There is no clock to punch out, except the clock of death. Whatever we are called to do all day will certainly become a burden unless we actually enjoy doing it.
My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations. (James 1:2)
We are to with joy engage the conflict against self. Why?
Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. (James 1:3-4)
Successful conflict with self only serves to make us better warriors, which in turn increases our joy and desire to step up the battle.
Who cannot identify with joy of winning. It is basic to human nature. But we are called to partake of the divine nature,
Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (2 Peter 1:4)
and the joy of winning over self is just as natural to the divine nature, as the joy of winning over others is in sinful human nature.
It was a mastery of the spirit of joy that imbued the holy warrior Jesus with power to overcome the temptations before him.
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)
The reason why one may so poorly endure trial, temptation, and shame is because the joy is not set before him. His weakness becomes lack of joy. He cannot see the joy of testing, and cannot grasp that
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)
Christ has come to
appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. (Isaiah 61:3)
It is the spirit of joy that makes otherwise difficult sacrifices easy. When we with joy serve the Lord, it is with ease that we give all for him.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. (Matthew 13:44)
It is joy that moves us without thinking twice, to do what is right. For the warrior, this spirit of joy enables him to ungrudgingly lay his will, his life, and his desires down at the foot of the cross. It is his highest pleasure to serve the Lord in righteousness.
1.4 NO WAR, NO PEACE, KNOW WAR, KNOW PEACE
THE spirit of peace is another vital spirit for the war against self. There is a popular saying: "Freedom is not free". Likewise, on this side eternity, there can be no peace without war. Yet, the war we must fight, is the war to maintain our peace in the midst of the angry storms of life. The greatest warrior is the one who can maintain his peace in the midst of temptation and trial. Jesus, the Prince of Peace, rested in the middle of the storm, revealing an uncanny mastery of the spirit of peace.
And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. (Matthew 8:24)
His ability to rest in the storm, he offers to us through the Spirit.
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)
This resting in the spirit of peace is of invaluable worth in the warfare against self. How often have you been helplessly catapulted by self into the middle of a storm of angry words, and emotions, leading all involved to be tossed to and fro on the waves unrighteousness? In mastering the spirit of peace, you reveal a mastery of and over the so-called unpredictable elements of human nature.
We are given command to be under the domination of peace.
Let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. (Colossians 3:15)
That is, let your heart be dominated by peace, so that no storm of words, however strong, can move you out of your place. Jesus
held his peace (Matthew 26:63)
during the mockery of a trial that would take his life. Amazingly enough, it is through maintaining our peace, that we bruise, and will bruise the head of the serpent.
And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. (Romans 16:20)
Whenever we hold our peace, Satan's mind is blown!
The Bible tells us
Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them. (Psalm 119:165)
Peace is our defense from offense. It is the spirit that, maintained, protects us from the trap of retaliation. The spirit of peace then may be likened unto our defense system. Our war in turn becomes the war to hold our tongues, to remain calm, and collected. How great a war this is! We win or lose this in proportion to our mastery or failure to master this spirit.
How important then, that we as warriors receive, meditate on, and live out this spirit of peace! How important it is that we master this dying art. Many are unwilling to fight the war for peace. But if we would have peace, we must aggressively fight for it, for on this side of eternity, there can be no peace without fighting to maintain it. This is the spirit of the warrior.
1.5 THE SPIRIT OF PATIENCE
PATIENCE is another key attitude, or characteristic of the spirit necessary to make an expert of holy war. Patience is one's ability to persevere regardless of surrounding, obstacles, and odds. The Greek word hupomone signifies endurance. Holy warriors will realize that theirs is the battle of a lifetime. They are by their vows of baptism sworn to war against self till death. But because the spirit of endurance, or patience is not mastered, many tire, and leave the ranks. For others, patience seems as easy to lose as one's keys.
We are told that patience is a result of joy.
Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. (James 5:11)
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)
In both these instances, the joy of the Lord, the spirit of joy, enabled patience. The moment we lose our joy, is the moment we lose our patience.
Jesus endured for us, and grants us through His Spirit, the same spirit of endurance. In receiving the blessing of the spirit, we are also to receive the blessing of endurance.
Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. (James 1:12)
We are commanded to endure, to outlast temptation! We are to be the ones left standing in this holy war, not our sins.
This spirit of endurance empowers the holy warrior with a "no retreat, no surrender" mentality. He learns to endure in the toughest of times, never throwing in the towel, for the Kingdom of heaven is his battle cry. A person may possess all the other attributes of the spirit, but endurance determines how long you possess them in any given trial or hostile situation (i.e., temptation). Therefore, the spirit of endurance, or patience becomes vital, for without it, we are at best, sometime warriors.
A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. (James 1:8)
The word unstable (akatastatos) means "inconstant". It is inconsistency that damages our witness for Jesus. Our resolutions, without the spirit of patience, as powerful, and well meaning as they may be, are like ropes of sand in the hand of temptation. Therefore, it should be deemed of the utmost importance to the warrior of Christ, that this spirit be mastered by the grace of God.
1.6 THE GENTLE WAY
THE word gentleness (chrestotes) describes a disposition, rather than an act. It means mildness, smooth, or easiness. Christ used this same word when he said,
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:29-30)
Here the word signifies "gracious". The Complete Word Study Dictionary says of this word,
"It is the grace which pervades the whole nature, mellowing all which would be harsh and austere."
The spirit of gentleness describes the way in which the warrior's battle against the force of darkness should be executed. While all his energies are to be engaged in the war against self, the spirit of gentleness gives it the appearance of an effortless (smooth) warfare. With graceful, flowing movements of the spirit of God, he is to dominate the self nature. His battle is to have the appearance of effortlessness,
for by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
This grace, or gentleness of God however, requires everything we have, all of our energies, in order to truly become effortless.
Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. (James 2:17)
Effortlessness can be achieved only through effort. The boxer, the martial artist, the wrestler reaches a stage of apparent effortlessness, his movement full of grace, because he has put forth tireless, enduring effort in an art that brings him joy, an art he loves. So it must be with warriors for Christ.
Jesus effortlessly confounded his enemy, yet it was not without
strong crying and tears. (Hebrews 5:7)
To achieve the gentle way of Christ, effortless, yet full of effort, graceful, and gentle yet devastating against self, this must be our aim.
There is another aspect of gentleness which is of great importance to a warrior of Christ. It is the use of gentleness, or softness as a defense. It is a known fact that the softer something is the better it absorbs a direct hit. It is pliable, able to adapt in form and therefore able to absorb concentrated attacks. Try breaking a pillow. It cannot be done. Make the same attempt with a stick, and see how easily it breaks. The softest things cannot be snapped. Since our enemy is often out to "break us", understanding how to be gentle spirited, soft spirited, means having a spirit not subject to snapping or breaking. Mastering the spirit of gentleness makes us snap-resistant in the face of temptation. The blows of temptation are absorbed by the gentleness of the spirit of God.
1.7 THE SPIRIT OF GOODNESS
THE spirit of goodness is the spirit of virtue and honor. The warrior of Christ is to be bound by a code of honor. The world is fast losing its moral compass. Many do what is right in their own sight. Good is being called evil, and evil is being called good. The distinction between right and wrong are nearly extinguished. It is in this very time that the spirit of goodness is needed the most.
It is the lost chivalry of Christianity. The warrior must be a "good" warrior. Be good at what you do. Paul said,
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. (2 Timothy 4:7)
We are not to settle for mediocre results.
Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might. (Ecclesiastes 9:10)
We are to continually seek to better our warfare. This spirit of not settling for anything but the best in spiritual things is another necessity for the Christian warrior.
Not only should a warrior be good at what he does, but he must also be good at who he is.
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Being born again, the warrior for Christ is a new creature, possessing the fruit or offspring of the Spirit. His character, and who he is given to him through the character of the Spirit. He is to be good at love, joy, peace, patience, etc.
In all that we say and do, the spirit of goodness is to have control. Virtue and honor, for Christ's sake must become an unbending rule. In ancient Japan, a warrior's honor was of utmost importance. He was willing to save it even unto death. The Christian warrior can be no different. He must be willing rather to die, than betray Jesus. "Death before dishonor" was the ancient code of honor for first century Christians.
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. (Revelation 12:11)
So it must be for us in our battle against self. Only then can we fight a good fight!
1.8 FAITH FIGHTERS
THE Spirit of faith is that spirit which brings us in tune with the unseen.
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)
This spirit grants us access into an unseen future. By this attribute, we are empowered to base the logistics of our warfare upon invisible realities, and the promises of God's word. Faith eliminates the power visible appearances often have over our courage and hope.
We are called to fight the good fight of faith. This is an invisible war, one where we
wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Ephesians 6:12)
The warrior who has the spirit of faith learns to fight blindfolded as it were. He no longer needs eyes to see. Faith is his eye.
For we walk by faith, not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7)
He becomes a faith-fighter, one skilled in "blind" combat. Therefore, darkness does not discourage him, poor visibility because of the storm of temptations do not trouble him.
He is not afraid of receiving bad news; his faith is strong, and he trusts in the LORD. (Psalm 112:7, Good News Bible)
Faith makes us invincible because our minds are stayed upon the promises of God. Like an invisible guiding system, faith makes accurate our warfare, leaving self baffled, and powerless to stop our spiritual advances. Let us become then experts in the spirit of faith, through the grace of God.
1.9 SURVIVAL OF MEEKEST
THE spirit of meekness at first seems contradictory to the spirit of war. But contrary to the apparent contradiction, meekness is a most powerful attribute of the holy warrior. Meekness, we will see in a later chapter, is the key to continual domination of Satan, the host of evil, and self.
For now, let us note that Christ, the ultimate Fighter, was a man of meekness.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (Matthew 11:29)
A warrior who boasts of his skill may be acceptable in the world. This is unacceptable among faithfighters. Even among some fighting arts of the world, boasting of one's skill is seen as weakness in that warrior's character.
The Christian warrior has nothing to boast about, except the power of God. There is nothing worthy in him or her to boast about. The spirit of meekness glorifies God, and puts man's glory in the dust where it belongs. The best fighters are the meekest fighters.
For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. (Luke 14:11)
God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. (1 Peter 5:5-6)
It is the meek who are given grace, the appearance of effortless fighting!
As meek students of a master Warrior, we learn that true power lies in meekness, the ability to resist pride.
Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud. (Proverbs 16:18-19)
This spirit must become our spirit, for contrary to worldly philosophy, only the meek survive!
1.10 TEMPERANCE
SELF control is the final of the nine spirits of the Spirit. The spirit of self-control is just that, control over self. It reaches into every area of our lives. Lack of this spirit means lack of power over our own eyes, over what we listen to, even over what we eat and drink, and otherwise, take into our bodies. The spirit of self control grants us power to decide for good. It is one thing to know to do good. It is another to have power to do it. Self control is what makes us dedicated to exercising love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, and meekness. It is that spirit that mastered, makes us complete in Christ. It moves us from thought to action. We not only hear what is right, but do it as well.
And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. (1 Corinthians 9:25)
Self control is necessary in "all things", because self is lawless in all things.
We are sent on a holy mission, a holy war to capture, subdue, dominate self. There is the spirit of self control, and there is the spirit of "other" control. It is often the spirit of other control that causes so many of today's wars.
In mastering this spirit, we master self. As you engage in the greatest battle of your life, for your life, may these nine spirits of the Spirit become your focus and study.