Live Fire Exercise
Sep
7
Written by:
9/7/2010 8:09 AM
We would never think of sending our troops into combat without first letting them experience a “live fire” exercise.…With spiritual combat this is even more crucial because we never leave the war zone.
Live Fire Exercise
Bob Flynn, President/CEO
We would never think of sending our troops into combat without first letting them experience a “live fire” exercise. There is absolutely no substitute for this kind of combat training. Whether soldier, sailor, marine, airman, or pilot, the culmination of the training includes some form of reality check. With spiritual combat this is even more crucial because we never leave the war zone. Yet, if the truth were known, most approach the daily travels through the mine fields of life with a less than attentive mind-set. I suspect that it is because we are self-centered by nature and think the world revolves around us. The Lord Jesus Christ, in order to continue the good work He has begun in us, allows these “live fire” exercises to come into our lives to help us become and remain “combat ready.” As we live and grow in Him, one could expect that the strength of faith would grow in proportion to the size of the bullets (trials) that come our way. However, we oft times do not stop to even realize that the situations that come our way might be for our edification. We usually find that we are dismayed, discouraged and even angry with the situation. Our prayers are not for His Grace to transcend, but for deliverance from the trials.
Hebrews 5:8 makes it very clear that even though Jesus was God’s Son, He learned obedience through His sufferings. Now I suppose that we could try to dodge around all of the other places in Scripture that tell us how we should approach trials, testing and suffering and even give our motorboat imitation (but, but, but, but). However, consider that if the Son of God had to learn obedience through suffering that perhaps we who are partakers of His magnificent Grace must likewise be trained to be combat ready.
God’s training then is to make us “perfect” or ready for the future operations that He has planned for us. The question then becomes are we willing to be trained?
“For you have been given the privilege of serving Christ, not only by believing in him, but also by suffering for him.” Phil 1:29 TEV
“Let us give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the merciful Father, the God from whom all help comes! He helps us in all our troubles, so that we are able to help others who have all kinds of troubles, using the same help that we ourselves have received from God. Just as we have a share in Christ’s many sufferings, so also through Christ we share in God’s great help. If we suffer, it is for your help and salvation; if we are helped, then you too are helped and given the strength to endure with patience the same sufferings that we also endure. So our hope in you is never shaken; we know that just as you share in our sufferings, you also share in the help we receive. We want to remind you, brothers and sisters, of the trouble we had in the province of Asia. The burdens laid upon us were so great and so heavy that we gave up all hope of staying alive. We felt that the death sentence had been passed on us. But this happened so that we should rely, not on ourselves, but only on God, who raises the dead. From such terrible dangers of death he saved us, and will save us; and we have placed our hope in him that he will save us again, as you help us by means of your prayers for us.” 2 Cor 1:3-11 TEV
“Yet we who have this spiritual treasure are like common clay pots, in order to show that the supreme power belongs to God, not to us. We are often troubled, but not crushed; sometimes in doubt, but never in despair; there are many enemies, but we are never without a friend; and though badly hurt at times, we are not destroyed. At all times we carry in our mortal bodies the death of Jesus, so that his life also may be seen in our bodies. Throughout our lives we are always in danger of death for Jesus’ sake, in order that his life may be seen in this mortal body of ours.” 2 Cor 4:7-11 TEV
“Instead, in everything we do we show that we are God’s servants by patiently enduring troubles, hardships, and difficulties. We have been beaten, imprisoned, and mobbed; we have been overworked and have gone without sleep or food. We are honored and disgraced; we are insulted and praised. We are treated as liars, yet we speak the truth; as unknown, yet we are known by all; as though we were dead, but, as you see, we live on. Although punished, we are not killed; although saddened, we are always glad; we seem poor, but we make many people rich; we seem to have nothing, yet we really possess everything.” 2 Cor 6:4-5;8-10 TEV
“I have worked much harder, I have been in prison more times, I have been whipped much more, and I have been near death more often. Five times I was given the thirty-nine lashes by the Jews; three times I was whipped by the Romans; and once I was stoned. I have been in three shipwrecks, and once I spent twenty-four hours in the water. In my many travels I have been in danger from floods and from robbers, in danger from fellow-Jews and from Gentiles; there have been dangers in the cities, dangers in the wilds, dangers on the high seas, and dangers from false friends. There has been work and toil; often I have gone without sleep; I have been hungry and thirsty; I have often been without enough food, shelter, or clothing. And not to mention other things, every day I am under the pressure of my concern for all the churches.” 2 Cor 11:23b-28 TEV
Copyright ©2010 Bob Flynn