Wage War

By Jessica Armstrong

There is a war zone surrounding us all. Are we going to be on the battlefield? Will we stay on the sidelines? It is your call. All I know is that so many things are worth fighting for. When fighting for your life, loved ones, and against fear, peace of mind and victory are worth every bit of the work, sweat, and tears. Will you join me in the fight? Choosing to chase down the thing that terrifies us instead of trying to hide? You cannot stop the war from waging, but you were created to withstand the war. So let's. Wage. War.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jan 17, 2022
• ISBN: 9781639035014

Book preview

cover.jpg

Wage War

Jessica Armstrong

ISBN 978-1-63903-500-7 (paperback)

ISBN 978-1-63903-501-4 (digital)

Copyright © 2021 by Jessica Armstrong

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter Six

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Introduction

For we wage war not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm.

—Ephesians 6:12 (NLT)

Would you believe me if I told you that God is calling us to wage war? I know, it sounds crazy. How could a God of peace be calling us to war? Don’t get me wrong, I am not at all promoting violence and division. When it comes to the physical realm, God is an advocator for peace and harmony among His people. However, there is so much more to our lives than the physical world. The spiritual realm surpasses the natural and is much bigger than you and I. This is where we are called to wage war.

I wonder what it would look like if we as Christians refused to live our lives as mere bystanders but actively chose to get on the battlefield. Think about how many lives would be changed and how many people would experience restoration in their homes and every aspect of their lives. We can either be a soldier for Christ or a prisoner of this world. The choice is ours. Regardless of what we choose, the war is happening. It is simply a matter of if we will take part in combatting the enemy or letting him have his way. God is calling and challenging me to combat, and I know He is calling you too. Today I am choosing to accept the call and challenge that is war. Will you? As believers, we are in this together. So pick up your sword, and I’ll pick up mine. Let’s. Wage. War.

Chapter 1

Armor of a Soldier

Therefore, put on the fall armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all of the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God.

—Ephesians 6:13–17 (NLT)

Iwas at a worship service with my life group not too long ago; it was one of those experiences where you could just feel the presence of God in the room. As I sat there, I began to ponder on the fact that raising your arms high is a symbol of surrender and humility. When your arms are raised away from you, you are vulnerable and ultimately at the mercy of the one before you. Thankfully for us, our God is the essence of grace and mercy. The word surrender echoed in my heart as I contemplated how exactly I was supposed to surrender yet still be a fighter and defender. In that moment, God gave me an epic revelation of the life of a soldier. When someone first enters the military, they are sworn in. They promise to defend their country to the best of their ability. This is similar to when we first accept Christ into our lives. When a soldier is gearing up for the battlefield, they do not put on their regular civilian clothing. They strip themselves of that clothing and put on the equipment and clothing of a soldier. Why? Because they know that those old clothes cannot serve a purpose for them in the war! It’s the same thing with our spiritual walk. Our old ways cannot aid us in where we need to go. We have to be willing to strip ourselves of the old patterns that were once our normalcy so that we can put on the armor that was strategically designed by the King. In order to be the best soldiers we can be, we first need to dress like one.

I love how Ephesians 6 says to put on the full armor of God. Nowhere in the passage does it mention getting to choose which armor we do and do not want to wear. Yet somehow we still try to justify living our lives with an incomplete set of armor. Ultimately the choice is ours; however, we cannot expect to have the same level of protection and strength if we are wearing less armor. That is foolish. Most of us want to have the full armor and protection that comes with that, yet we get caught up with the armor that comes naturally to us while abandoning the pieces that don’t. Personally I tend to struggle with worry and anxiety. Sometimes it is easier for me to rid off the armor that is peace because it is not my strong suit.