We Must Be Battle Ready

Yogi Berra once commented “You can observe a lot by just watching” and I have learned that the more I observe people, the more uncertain I become about what I am watching. For example, too many people claim they believe in something but they have no real idea about what they really believe in and since joining the ministry, I have noticed a significant amount of Christians fall into this category.

The problem is not about knowing everything as this is clearly impossible for anyone. Instead, the problem is people are uncertain of what they believe because they are not truly in God’s word. Rather than spending time with God and studying His word, more and more believers are making time for other things they find more important. While we are all busy and have issues that we must tend to, we cannot forget that God desires our attention, as well.

Give ye ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech.”

—Isaiah 28:23

Finding time for God should be something that, as believers, we strive for. Finding time for God is something that should be at the top of our list as time with God is not only important for our spiritual lives but for our mental health. At different times in my life, I have had to spend time in hospitals for different reasons and have never met a doctor that did not encourage faith and nowhere have I found studies where doctors discouraged their patients from faith.

The point of this article is not to bring attention to Christians and their lack of being true to their faith nor is it to put emphasis on how important faith is within the medical field but I do want to bring attention to the rising number of Christians who say they believe in Christ but they are completely unaware of who Christ is and clueless about what He is able to do. This is not necessarily a lack of faith but rather, a real lack of interest as they have fallen for the trap of a false Gospel preached by many and this gospel does not allow for us to be battle ready.

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”

—1 John 4:1

There have been many conservations that I have had with believers, some twice my age, and it’s clear that they know very little about scripture and what they do know, well, it’s greatly misinterpreted. From these conversations, I know that they believe in Christ and what He did for us, however, they do not understand what it is that they believe in which is rather difficult for me comprehend because if I do not understand something, I will do my best to figure it out and come to a conclusion.

This I not just a common sense approach to a problem but it is also something that scripture tells us to do. Yes, we are to spend time with God and study scripture but there are important reasons why we are instructed to do this. God is not a tyrant or dictator who instructs His followers to study and obey Him because He is some insecure person or narcissist who has to have the spotlight. Rather, God wants us to be sincere in our faith, genuine in our walk with Him, and battle ready and if we are not battle ready, we will be unready for the enemy when they come.

When Christ tells us to put on the full armor of God, He says this for a reason. The enemy is real and He knows that the enemy means business and because He loves us, He does not want us conquered. If we are not ready, that is exactly what will happen to us. We are told in James 4:7 to “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” If we have faith in God and share in His word, we will be ready when the enemy comes calling: “But thus saith the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children” (Isaiah 49:25).