The Introspective Warrior

When I first began this website, without hesitation, I felt led to call it “The Introspective Warrior”. I did not think on it hard or long. It just felt right. I briefly associated it with the battles one encounters as being part of the army of the Lord. Another light association for the title would have been about battling our way through hardship in our Christian walk.

However, now I think the Lord has revealed the deeper meaning for the title of the site. It is true that we do battle with the principalities of the air. It is true that we must fight as soldiers for Christ to lead a lost and dying world to know the Savior. It is also true that we each have our own battles and demons to overcome in our lives. But I want to ask, what drives us in this fight?

History has recorded numerous times of the persecution and torture of Gods people. We know that in the Roman period, Christians were killed in the arenas for sport and entertainment because of their faith. We know that during the medieval period that certain segments of the Christian faith were persecuted and martyred for defying the Roman Catholic Church. The Nazi’s tried to destroy the Jews and completely exterminate them. We also find that in the early 1900’s how the Mexican population was denied the ability to worship. Their churches were closed and Christians were executed leading to a war that lasted for years. Missionaries throughout the world have become martyrs for the cause of Christ. God’ s people when accepting the cross seem to also accept a target on their head.

In my mind I have envisioned warriors from the beginning until present day. I tried to imagine what it takes to make a person able to become a true warrior. I determined that the person must first make a decision of commitment. He has to be willing to make a choice that he will stand for some ideal. Then this person must be trained for battle and the art of warfare. Whether it is swords or tanks the warrior must be strong, skilled , alert and prepared.

Our bible tells us how to obtain our armor and to prepare ourselves for spiritual battle. A warrior must be able to take orders and follow the direction of their commander. We must also be listening for Gods direction in our lives. But no matter how well trained, no matter how skilled, and no matter how the commander leads, the warrior is only as good as his belief in the cause.

When our country was discovered by Christopher Columbus, it is recorded that a cross was erected immediately upon the shore. We know that the primary objective of the pilgrims in establishing our country was to obtain religious freedom. The freedom to worship God in whatever manner the individual wanted. We fought a war for that freedom. So what gives people the strength, conviction and courage to endure in the hardest of times?

I know that every soldier who has experienced battle and loss has had to ask himself why he does this thing? Why would he give his last ounce of blood and all of his heart in a cause that may require his ultimate sacrifice? The answer is love.

The answer is love of those he fights for. Duty and honor are not enough to encourage people to that level of sacrifice. It is love. Only love led Christ to a cross to die for us. Love moved God to send his only son to become man’s salvation. Only love has given masses of people the strength and conviction to fight for their right to worship. Only love of God, Country, Family and Freedom will cause an exhausted wounded warrior to step up to battle one more time.

We cannot be effective warriors, if we do not look inside ourselves. We must examine with truth what is in our hearts. To be an effective warrior for Christ, we must first really love Him. If we love Him, we can then love others. Then we have a reason to fight. We have a reason to be strong. We have a reason to put on the whole armor of God.