I'm in the Lord's army!

OK...let's give this a go shall we. =)

Two Fridays ago, we sang this song and as I was doing my devotional last night I was pondering what it really meant to be in God's army and two things spoke to me.

Firstly, when you're in an army you're placed as part of a unit...a team. Only in exceptional cases, you get a one man army like Rambo or James Bond, and even in those movies, we are often left shaking our heads, laughing as one man dodges the bullets of a hundred enemies and takes them all out through sheer force of will and heroism.

Although quiet times with God are irreplaceable and essential, it has to be balanced with a unity with the body of Christ. By extension, the church and cell that you're part of becomes the unit that goes to battle together. Many people have gotten too focused on the 'God and me' idea, failing to fully understand the way that they 'fit' into their assigned unit.

I've heard comments before like "Actually, why do have to go to church or cell, if I just maintain my quiet times at home and stay close to God like that?". Only in exceptional circumstances this may hold true, but on the whole, there has to be a good balance of involvement in the body of Christ - encouraging and exhorting each other, praying for each other, watching each other's back. If you've watched the movie 300, it gives a good visual example of how important teamwork is in battle, where just one weak point in the team can leave openings for the enemy to attack.

No person should try to stand alone.

Secondly, a soldier of God was likened to a Roman soldier in regards to how to armour up.

• The belt of truth




• The breastplate of righteousness




• The shoes of peace




• The shield of faith




• The helmet of salvation




• The sword of the spirit

The only place that remains unprotected on a Roman soldier is his back. That means that he is meant to face forward all the time and never retreat, even in the face of foes that are far more powerful than he is.

That means that even if you are infantry against Sherman tanks you go forward because you know that He has made you more than a conqueror, being able to to all things through Him. And you know that it's not by might and not by power, but by His Spirit.

Not with our own strength, but through Him and in His name.

That's all from me today, folks!