Zephaniah 3:17 The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves
Most people don’t want to think of God in this manner.
• They would rather hear about peace, love, mercy, and forgiveness
• That’s ok…but it’s not the true essence of God
Which Jesus would you serve?
• Bro Bobby Altman or Sis Sara Lois -William Wallace or Mother Teresa
• When the enemy comes at you like a flood
• When depression and guilt consumes you
When we think of warriors we think of
• The Mongols- lived in rough terrain, jump from moving horses, trained from youth
• The Spartan- exercised, weight trained daily, ran drills daily, trained from youth
• These are the men little boys want to be like
• Not some limp wristed altar boy, not some hippie, not Mr. Rogers
Matthew 11:12 the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force
• That’s why little boys wear spider-man underwear
• That’s why we get scraped ,cry, then do it again
• People don’t want to hear about this side of Jesus
God has called us to battle
• It is inside all of us to battle!!!
• To be dangerous, but still be the good guy
• Why else would He tell us to put on the Armor of God
The trained and experienced warrior came to display certain attributes. These include
• enhanced awareness,
• calmness in the face of danger and death,
• perception,
• emotional control,
• objectivity,
• integrity of character,
• and the ability to make rapid,
• Accurate decisions followed by proper and timely action even in situations that would horrify and mentally overwhelm most people.
This adds up to an ability to think and act at one’s maximum capacity when the danger is greatest.
Jesus would have displayed all of these.
• Perfectly discipline
• Resolute in the face of death.
• Bent on conquest.
• Master strategist having outwitted all of Satan’s schemes.
• A fierce fighter against sin.
• In complete control mentally, physically, emotional and spiritually.
Many warriors were hardened, bloodthirsty and merciless.
Jesus was the ultimate warrior being able to perfectly hate, but love perfectly as well. He could be soft as velvet and as hard as steel. Moses saw the warrior side of God in:
Exo 15:1 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD: "I will sing to the LORD, for he is highly exalted. The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea. The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him. The LORD is a warrior; the LORD is his name. Pharaoh’s chariots and his army he has hurled into the sea. The best of Pharaoh’s officers are drowned in the Red Sea.
What did Moses see? He saw God hurling men into the sea. He saw God destroying an entire army. He saw God punishing his enemies. One of the most frightening passages of scriptures in the Bible is found in:
Isa 66:6 Hear that uproar from the city, hear that noise from the temple! It is the sound of the LORD repaying his enemies all they deserve.
Let’s look at the picture that John the apostle had of Jesus in:
Rev 19:11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice He judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but He himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
But why does he have to be so angry and fierce when he returns to make war with Satan?
• He has a BRIDE to take care of
• This is why we train our soldiers so hard and teach them so young to become skilled at war,
• We have a DUTY
• We need to take a VOW (Nazarite Vow)
If we want to be set apart and used Mightily for God
• We must be intimate with HIM
• We have to become lovesick Warriors!!!
When we fall in love with God
• Then we can truly say we love our family
• How far are you willing to go for your family
