Battle Scars of Spiritual Warfare

Spiritual Warfare is one of the scariest realities for believers. We are constantly aware of the enemies that despise us simply due to our faith in Christ. We do our best to prep for battle. We take time out of our week to go and worship and be around other believers to rejuvenate. We do what ever we can to get ourselves back to fighting order, but after a while it gets harder and harder. The fiery darts seem to be coming more often and without warning, we are struggling to hold up our shield of faith, to even use the sword of truth is taxing on our remaining strength. We get wounded and now we are on the ground in pain.

Our lives are full of these moments where the enemy does everything they can possibly do to mess with us and it wears us down. We see the blessings coming down the pike, but then the entire rug gets pulled out from underneath us and we find ourselves lying on our back in pain. It is a struggle to stand back up and continue walking. These are the moments I keep finding myself in lately, but I have come to find a few simple truths that help me get back up and continue on my path.

The first truth is that I do not have to get up on my own.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:29-30 KJV)

Christ calls for us to lean on Him and He will give us rest. Taking on a yoke is to be lashed together with Christ pulling the same load. It is easier to pull something when two work together compared to just one. In the moments of our lives where we feel as though we cannot get back up, or that the load is just too heavy to keep going, we need to remember that we do not have to go it alone.

The second truth is that if God is on our side then the enemy does not stand a chance.

What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31 KJV)

I am reminded that the endurance of Christ is much better than mine. I have to no hope if it was not for His word. I think the verse from Amazing Grace says it best:

The Lord has promised good to me, His word my hope secures. He will my shield and portion be, as long as life endures. (Amazing Grace by John Newton)

We are under the guidance and protection of the ultimate shepherd. The wolves do not stand a chance and the thieves will not make it to us. We are safe.

The third truth is that our shield never breaks.

We often remember the Spartan warriors. We think of the ferocious warfare they instilled into their entire culture and the importance of the shield they carried. “Return with it or on it” was the mentality given to them as they raised their shields for battle. These shields were thought to be impenetrable. They were not just simply wood like the rest of the world had, they were covered in bronze. The shield to the Spartans was the way to protect both themselves and their brothers in combat and it was very successful. Even when I am reminded of the Spartans I have the hope that the Shield of Faith is even stronger. Even when raising it may be hard, we can hide behind it in the midst of battle.

The final truth is that the scars is what heals us.

But He was wounded^[a] for our transgressions,
He was^[b]bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes^[c] we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5 NKJV)

We may be battered and bruised. We may feel as though we will never be the same again, but it is by the scars that Christ bore for us that we may be made whole again. I am reminded of my friends who have been hurt and nearly destroyed by the enemy. I see them struggle and the scars they received are a constant reminder of the pain they went through. It is nothing to be scoffed at, yet the promise that is there is that Christ was scarred too and by those scars we can find healing from ours.

The war may be raging, but remember these truths. I hope they help remind you of Christ.