Battling In The Trenches Of Everyday Experience

Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
1 Timothy 6:12

The Christian life is not something lived out from the comfort of an overstuffed armchair. Rather, it is daily battles fought and won in the trenches of everyday experience as the Spirit triumphs over the flesh.

Charles Spurgeon draws a strategic lesson from the pages of military history and challenges today’s Christians.

WALK WITH CHARLES SPURGEON
“When the Spartans marched into battle, they advanced with cheerful songs, willing to fight. But when the Persians entered the conflict, you could hear as the regiments came on the crack of whips by which the officers drove the cowards into the thick of the battle. You need not wonder that a few Spartans were more than a match for thousands of Persians, that in fact they were like lions in the midst of sheep.

“So let it be with the church; never should she need to be forced to reluctant action. Full of irrepressible life, she should long for conflict against everything which is contrary to God.

“Were we enthusiastic soldiers of the cross, we should be like lions in the midst of herds and enemies, and through God’s help nothing would be able to stand against us.”

WALK CLOSER TO GOD
What more appropriate response to Paul’s words could there be than the “call to arms” of the hymn “Onward, Christian Soldiers”?

Onward, Christian soldiers,

Marching as to war,

With the cross of Jesus

Going on before:

Christ the royal Master

Leads against the foe;

Forward into battle,

See his banners go.