Like it or Not, You’re a Soldier if You’re a Christian
Have you ever thought of yourself as a soldier? There are few classic physical manifestations of warfare in most of our lives; we’re not surrounded by bombed out villages and carnage so we may doubt the reality of a spiritual war or be lulled into thinking we really don’t have to be involved in any “spiritual warfare.” If you’re thinking any variation of these thoughts then you’re wrong and potentially endangering yourself and others.
Although it will change during the final conflict, we are now dealing with destruction and carnage in the lives of everyone at a spiritual level as the spiritual battle for men’s soul’s rages around us. The carnage is being displayed in many lives as people make bad choices and cause themselves and others serious harm. Broken lives, broken marriages, broken commitments of many sorts litter the battlefield of this war.
What is Going On Today in the World?
Last week I wrote on right and wrong and this week I would like to dig into more of the background that has produced the framework for this spiritual battle between right and wrong. While the trend in society seems to involve an abandonment of objective moral standards; the problem of right and wrong, and good versus evil, goes back to a time before the creation of man.
It is entirely possible that we are approaching the climax of this ancient struggle; the Bible has outlined the general conditions that will prevail at that time and it appears that more and more pieces are falling into place. God moves according to His own timetable so this climax may occur within the next few years or the next few hundred years.
I feel it a real blessing that God is waiting; it is pointed out in 2 Peter 3:8-9, “8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
I suspect each of you can join with me in an outpouring of praise to the Lord for our opportunity to join the body of Christ by faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. By God’s grace we are still living in a time when people all over the world are being saved. “And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” Acts 2:47b It is exciting to see how many are coming to the Lord in faith and being saved each day that passes!
Going Back to a Time Before Time
The problem with sin did not begin with Adam’s direct disobedience to a command from God but at a time, possibly before the creation of time, in eternity past. There are a number of brief references to this event given in the Bible. Let us start with what appears to be an account of the earliest recorded incident which is described in Ezekiel 28:12b-17; the following is believed to describe Lucifer who is later known as Satan:
“‘You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. 13 You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: carnelian, chrysolite and emerald, topaz, onyx and jasper, lapis lazuli, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared. 14 You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones. 15 You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. 16 Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones. 17 Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor.”
We are given further information in Isaiah 14:12-15 where the infamous five I wills of Satan are recorded:
12 How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! 13 You said in your heart, “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon. 14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” 15 But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit.”
At this point Lucifer/Satan had lost his position in heaven but still had access to heaven; we encounter Satan in heaven speaking with God in Job 1:6-7:
“6 One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them. 7 The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”
Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”
Notice how Satan brags of his authority over the earth; when Adam sinned, the human race died spiritually and forfeited its position of authority over the earth to Satan, Satan became the “Prince of the Power of the Air” and mankind became spiritually dead slaves to sin as described in Ephesians 2.
“2 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.” Ephesians 2:2-3
The World and God’s Plan Put in Danger
If this was not enough, a Satanic plan was put into effect to try and eliminate any possibility of one who would be the seed of the woman and crush the head of the serpent described in Genesis 3:15:
15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
The reference to the offspring of the woman is seen as the first promise of the Messiah and the victory that would someday be won at the cross when Christ would spiritually crush Satan’s head. The striking of his heel is seen as the death of Christ on the cross, a short lived victory as Christ rose from the dead three days later.
Satan’s plan involved a corruption of human DNA that would prevent the promised redeemer from ever being born; a dangerous plan that required extreme measures to defeat it, the death of billions of human beings by a world-wide flood. This event is described in Genesis 6 and has been covered in some detail in other articles. It is sufficient to point out Satan’s plan was defeated and those most directly responsible, the sons of God who kept not their first estate, are being severely punished.
4 For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; 5 and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly” 2 Peter 2:4-5
6 And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day” Jude 6
To be continued.
davidbowerkingwood 
Wow. Thank you for pointing me here David. This is amazing. I have gotten behind on your blog but you always bring out the Word of God in great detail and illustration. Thank you for all that you do.
LikeLike
By: Marie Duncan on February 16, 2016
at 2:39 pm
Marie,
I’m pleased you found it helpful and you are most welcome.
David
LikeLike
By: davidbowerkingwood on February 16, 2016
at 2:57 pm
Please add me to your email list : angiebrntt@gmail.com. I am interested in the series on the Sin Problem. I got the intro to this on fb. Also I would be interest in past essays or articles you have written.
Thank you for your wisdom,
Angie Barnett
LikeLike
By: Angie Barnett on May 13, 2016
at 10:39 am
Angie,
Good to hear from you and thank you for writing. I’ve sent a subscription invitation to your email address and look forward to having you as a subscriber. I’ve written a great deal on the sin problem as it affects all of us so deeply. This current series I’m doing on Romans 5-8 will cover many of the key points. I see you have responded on the soldiers in the spiritual war series and that one is helpful in the area of the spiritual war. I suggest you carefully consider “A Flood of Confusion” and then the remaining three in the Romans series; they should help you gain some insight into the problems we face with sin. I’ll also send an email to your email address that will allow a faster response if needed.
David
LikeLike
By: davidbowerkingwood on May 13, 2016
at 11:31 am
[…] The true nature of this spiritual war is not directly visible to our mortal lives although the carnage can be easily seen wherever we look. I have written more on this war in a series of essays that begins with: “To the Soldiers in the Spiritual War” […]
LikeLike
By: Let’s Get Real About Who You Really Are! | davidbowerkingwood on November 19, 2018
at 6:34 am
[…] While Christians are the beneficiaries of God’s amazing grace, there is a complication; we must live out our physical lives on a spiritual battlefield in complete dependence on the blessings we have received. I have written more on this in “To the Soldiers in the Spiritual War.” […]
LikeLike
By: Rejoice in the Advantages You’ve Been Given! | davidbowerkingwood on December 17, 2018
at 6:04 am
[…] the balance of our mortal lives in an alien and hostile environment. I have written more on that in “To the Soldiers in the Spiritual War.” This is part 1 in a three part series which discusses our situation as soldiers of the Lord, living […]
LikeLike
By: Rejoicing Each and Every Day | davidbowerkingwood on April 5, 2019
at 6:44 am
[…] God has set a precise date when the church shall be removed from this ancient conflict but only God knows the exact timing of the church’s removal. Until then, we, as Christians, are soldiers on the spiritual battlefield who are called upon to utilize the resources only God can provide. I have written more on this in a series of three essays that begins with “To the Soldiers in the Spiritual War.” […]
LikeLike
By: The Spiritual War Intensifies | davidbowerkingwood on July 17, 2019
at 6:19 am
[…] the first two paragraphs of “To the Soldiers in the Spiritual War” I […]
LikeLike
By: Another Civil War in the USA? | davidbowerkingwood on October 2, 2019
at 6:40 am
[…] This was recently published by Jeff Wells, Senior Pastor of WoodsEdge Community Church. I thought it very interesting and timely! I have written more on this in the three part series, “To the Soldiers in the Spiritual War.” […]
LikeLike
By: The Unseen Battle | davidbowerkingwood on January 3, 2020
at 6:35 am
[…] on a spiritual battlefield, you are not home. I have written more on this in the three-part series, “To the Soldiers in the Spiritual War,” You should not be surprised if you are feeling pressure as you fight the forces of evil on this […]
LikeLike
By: Letters From Home! | davidbowerkingwood on February 8, 2021
at 8:07 am
[…] I have written more on the ancient spiritual war in which we are engaged in a series, “To the Soldiers in the Spiritual War” […]
LikeLike
By: The Days of Noah, Standing Your Ground with the Whole Armor of God! | davidbowerkingwood on June 14, 2021
at 7:59 am
[…] The Bible clearly explains what the spiritual war is all about but too many well-intentioned people seem to ignore the Bible’s instructions. I have written more on this in the three-part series, “To The Soldiers in the Spiritual War.” […]
LikeLike
By: Getting a Grip on the Realities of the Spiritual War! | davidbowerkingwood on June 21, 2021
at 7:34 am
[…] have written extensively on the spiritual warfare and in a three-part series named, “To the Soldiers in the Spiritual War.” I covered, in some detail, the nature of the spiritual war in which all Christians are […]
LikeLike
By: The Spiritual War is Growing in Intensity! | davidbowerkingwood on February 14, 2022
at 5:00 am
[…] spiritual battle that started thousands of years ago; I have written more on this in a series, “To the Soldiers in the Spiritual War.” The secret to a life of joy, is living a life of faith, not a life based on your circumstances, not […]
LikeLike
By: Troubled by the News? You have some Great Options! | davidbowerkingwood on June 26, 2022
at 4:58 pm
[…] I’ll admit we do not know exactly which inning we are in, right now, but I think it entirely possible we are in the bottom of the ninth and have a substantial lead over the Satanic forces. I have written more on the spiritual war in a series that starts with “To the Soldiers in the Spiritual War.” […]
LikeLike
By: Astros 6, Yankees 5 – an Interesting Parallel! | davidbowerkingwood on October 28, 2022
at 5:03 am
This is a really easy and a profound read, David. Thank you, Terry
LikeLiked by 1 person
By: Terrence Richard Manning on October 28, 2022
at 8:42 am
I encourage you to follow up with parts 2 and 3, they complete the story of the spiritual war.
LikeLike
By: davidbowerkingwood on October 28, 2022
at 11:43 am
[…] This is the reality of the life we face as Christians, there is no escaping it, we are soldiers in the army of God, fighting for the souls of mankind! As soldiers, in a battlefield environment, it is our responsibility to be obedient to the orders we are given by Almighty God! Our Godly armor is ready, let us carefully put it all on and be obedient to the commands of God! I have written more on the Spiritual War in a multi-part series that starts with: “To the Soldiers in the Spiritual War”. […]
LikeLike
By: Battlefield Obedience to God! | davidbowerkingwood on January 15, 2023
at 12:59 pm
[…] references to what has taken place before the creation of mankind. I have written more on this in “To the Soldiers in the Spiritual War” The angels of Satan are referred to as demons; one group of demons has been confined to the Abyss […]
LikeLike
By: The Battle in Progress and You! | davidbowerkingwood on January 23, 2023
at 5:02 am
[…] on an ancient spiritual battlefield! I have written more on this in a series that starts with, “To the Soldiers in the Spiritual […]
LikeLike
By: Do I Believe God’s Gift of Peace? | davidbowerkingwood on October 9, 2023
at 9:50 am
[…] with carnage, death, and destruction. I have written more on this in a series that starts with, “To the Soldiers in the Spiritual […]
LikeLike
By: Do I Believe God’s Gift of Righteousness? | davidbowerkingwood on October 23, 2023
at 8:18 am
[…] The spiritual warfare will continue until it is finally resolved at the second battle of Gog and Magog at the end of the Millennium. I have written more on this in the series that starts with, “To the Soldiers in the Spiritual War!” […]
LikeLike
By: Israel at War, the Tip of the Iceberg! | davidbowerkingwood on November 1, 2023
at 5:00 am