Wake the Faith up Slayer… This is Garth Heckman with the David Alliance and you can reach me at

[email protected] 

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As a long time, forever, follower of Christ… I mean I started following Jesus at the age of 4… I many times sit back and contemplate… why is my Christian walk not easier… when does the massive breakthrough happen when life does not get me down, and circumstances no longer push my buttons… when I no longer wrestle with my flesh… when do I just feel happy and joyful and full of wonder…

I guess I want to a finish line. Break the tape and enjoy the spoils of this journey.

However I must remember that being a Christ follower is understanding I must embrace the daily conflict of spiritual war. Ephesians 6 talks about the perils of spiritual warfare and how we must be on our guard 24/7. So what gives… how can we ever find peace when in war? 

This may sound strange to some unless you have actually been in war. I have friends who were in the Vietnam war and they would say that in the midst of hell on earth many times after a fire fight, they would enjoy the peace of night… the pitter patter of rain… it was almost like the war made times where there was no gunfire or madness even more intensely calm and … might I say it even enjoyable. They say

Scar tissue is stronger than regular tissue. You can enjoy the strength that pain brings even more when the pain has left. But you still gotta go through the pain… Accept the pain, learn -move on and be thankful for the extra strength… and keep warring on! 

God does promise us rest in the midst of trial… but that doesn’t mean that trial ends… we just simply get a break at times in God. 

If you read all of Ephesians 6 you get a wave of insight and emotion that prepares you for war… I always hear Eminems song lose yourself when I read that portion of scripture

Look

If you had

One shot

Or one opportunity

To seize everything you ever wanted

In one moment

Would you capture it

Or just let it slip?

Yo

His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy

There's vomit on his sweater already, mom's spaghetti

He's nervous, but on the surface he looks calm and ready

You know but the lyrics are out of Ephesians 6

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, 

Ok, Im not Eminem… im not even milk chocolate… but the point is at the end of this chapter The apostle Paul says peace to all those in the faith.

Its like a parody in a movie… someone hands you a gun and says “there gonna try to kill you, don’t die, keep your head down… oh and have fun and peace”.

Really?

Men if you are not involved war then you are not growing. If you are not growing you are not leading and if you are not leading then you are following when you are following you are at the mercy of whomever is leading…  and they might never give you a rest.    

War, Rest and then War on!