Blessed Assurance

During the Persian Gulf War of 1991, the Iraqi soldiers who had boldly marched on neighboring Kuwait were quickly dispersed by the coalition forces who came to Kuwait's defense. After about four days of counter attacks by the coalition, the Iraqis surrendered in droves. Saddam Hussein had boasted that no one could take down his army of highly trained soldiers. Nevertheless, the coalition military forces defeated them handily with very few coalition casualties in a very short time. Had it not been for the fact that then-president George H. W. Bush, commander-in-chief of U. S. forces, was a man of integrity, the coalition might have marched all the way to Baghdad. Bush, however, had stated that the aim of this action was to force Hussein's army out of Kuwait and back into Iraq. So, the coalition forces stopped at the Iraq border, true to their word.

Why did the Iraqis fall apart? There was evidence that many of them, especially the "Republican Guard," were, in fact, highly trained and capable soldiers. Hussein had amassed considerable fire power and had stockpiled arms and ammunition, before his incursion into Kuwait. He himself was prepared for protracted war. So what happened?

It is my belief that no army, regardless of how well trained and equipped they are, will prevail, unless they have an abiding faith in and commitment to their cause. War is hell, and without faith in a transcendent cause to fight for, the human heart is too frail, long to endure it. A little shepherd boy named David was sent by his father to the camp of the Israelites, as they faced the Philistines and their giant champion, ostensibly to bring lunch to his brothers and bring back to his father assurance that the battle was going well. (1 Samuel 17:17-20)

When David arrived at the Israelite camp, he found his brothers and the rest of the soldiers despondent and in disarray. The Philistine champion, Goliath, stood about 9 feet tall and had completely demoralized the army of Israel. He seemed just too powerful and intimidating. "When the Israelites saw the man, they all ran from him in great fear." (v. 24) But little David, probably 16 or 17 years of age, said, "Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?"(v. 26)

The Israelites, like the Iraqis, were focused on the might of their earthly foe, but David was focused on the transcendent cause for which Israel was fighting, the living God. David didn't see a human giant; he saw a puny, "uncircumcised Philistine" who dared to defy the armies of the living God. His assurance was that his God was bigger, stronger, more just, more faithful, and more powerful than any earthly foe. There was no question in David's mind that Goliath could be defeated, because God was with Israel. David's brothers and the rest of the Isrealite army had forgotten that.

Christian soldier, you have a transcendent cause. The advancement of the Kingdom of God is our cause. If you are to endure long in the war "against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places," you need assurance that God is with you. The Iraqis had a tyrant for a commander-in-chief. They had no assurance that, even if they fought valiantly, their leader would not later turn on them. He had already slaughtered tens of thousands of his own countrymen, because they got in the way of his selfish agenda.

But you, Christian, have assurance. Job, for all the afflictions he endured, was able to say, "I know that my Redeemer lives." (Job 19:25) In First John, chapter 5, the Beloved Apostle tells us, "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life." (v. 13) Paul wrote to Timothy, "I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day." (2 Tim 1:12) "We know that we live in Him and He in us because He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us." (1 John 4:13-16). This is no Saddam Hussein we are serving.

As you can see from the highlighted passages:

1. Our Redeemer lives,
2. We know we have eternal life, because,
   
3. We know Whom we have believed,
   
4. When we acknowledge Christ as the Son of God, GOD LIVES IN US, and
5. We know and rely on the love God has for us.
   

It took me a long time to realize how amazing it is that we have first-hand, eyewitness accounts of the things Jesus did and said. John was there! Paul was brought into the very presence of our resurrected Lord and transformed from Saul, the persecutor and muderer of Christians, into Paul, the "ambassador in chains" who, for the sake of the gospel of Christ, was beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, and imprisoned multiple times.

Think what it means to be a Christian! "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!^a]"> Therefore the world does not know us,^b]"> because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure." (1 John 3:1-3) We are His children, "and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together." (Romans 8:17) We are God's children, His heirs; we shall be like Him. If we are willing to suffer with him (i.e., go into battle against the rulers of the darkness of this age), we will be glorified together with Him.

Sometimes, in an appeal to universal brotherhood, we hear one of Satan's captives say, "we are all God's children," and we mustn't think unkindly of those who don't accept our beliefs. Sorry! Paul tells us, "those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship.^a]"> And by him we cry, 'Abba,^b]"> Father.'" (Romans 8:14-15) We are not God's children simply because he created us. No! We are God's children if we are led by the Spirit of God. So, Christian, you who acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God, you who are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, you who have Christ in you, the hope of glory, stand firm in the face of the enemy. Rest assured that you have a transcendent cause worth fighting for and a commander-in-chief who not only will not desert you, but who has laid down His life for you and made you a joint heir of God Almighty, Himself.