Time of War

[0:00] 1 Timothy chapter 1. 1 Timothy chapter 1.

[0:19] Wanting to talk along a theme of a time of war. 1 Timothy chapter 1.

[1:00] 1 Timothy 1 verse 18. Paul writes, he says, This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightst wage, mightst war, a good warfare.

[1:19] He says, war, a good warfare. Again, warfare. War. Wartime. There's a lot of talk about war lately with recent developments.

[1:30] Now, I have not lived in wartime. Some of you have. You've lived in wartime. I can't really imagine what it would be like to live in such a time because it would be so different from living in peacetime.

[1:44] And we know some have come from nations that have been torn by warfare and conflict and armed struggle and fighting between rival groups.

[1:54] And what a testing time that would be. What a challenge that would be to live in a time of war. And I think one of the big problems about modern day Christianity is that for the days that we live in as Christians is that we are actually at war.

[2:15] But a lot of the time we don't realise it. We don't realise that we are at war. We don't realise it. We don't live like it. There was a man who was coming to church one day.

[2:27] He was coming out of church. The custom was to shake the hand at the door. And as the pastor was standing at the door to shake people's hands as they left the service, as he shook the man's hand, he pulled him aside and said, You really need to join the army of the Lord.

[2:47] He put that challenge out there to the man. And the man replied, I'm already in the army of the Lord, pastor. So the pastor inquired, then why do I only see you at Christmas and at Easter?

[3:02] And the man whispered back, I'm in the secret service. A lot of people are like that, aren't they? They're in the secret service. They're not in the army of the Lord.

[3:13] That's what he wants us to be. In the army of the Lord. And people today, we need to be in the army of the Lord because it is war time.

[3:24] It is a time of war. And all around us, we see Christian values are under attack. Constantly, the media just launches attack after attack after attack.

[3:35] And anyone who names the name of Christ tries to do something to change things. Just for example, I don't know Bob Day, but he took the trouble to, I guess, stand as a Christian, to be standing for something.

[3:54] And for all his mistakes, and maybe some were real, maybe he made some foolish decisions, whatever. The media just loves to attack Christians, don't they? The media just loves to launch attack after attack after attack, lambast them, label them, smear them, call them names, and cast all sorts of muck on them.

[4:16] Because Christians are fair game. Because there's a war on. And we're in the target sites, every one of us, that believe. In the workplaces, when you stand up, bang, bang, try, who's the next Christian who's going to stick their head over the trenches and say something and do something.

[4:35] And we're under attack, people of God. And all around the world, the strength of the church is being eroded. It's a time of war. That's what's going on. And many Christians are defeated and weakened in this time of war.

[4:54] Many churches are closing their doors because Christians have lost their fights. I read a recent news story from April the 2nd, you know, just days ago.

[5:07] And this is how it read. This is in the secular media. Welcome to Londonistan. Londonistan. 423 new mosques.

[5:20] The city of London. London. UK. 423 new mosques. And it goes on, 500 closed churches.

[5:33] This is London. In the Queen's England. And the writer goes on to say, given the current trends, Christianity in England is becoming a relic.

[5:45] While Islam will be the religion of the future. End quote. This is the centre of British civilisation, London. And the same is said for Manchester, Birmingham.

[5:58] Main cities in England are just... Churches are closing, mosques are opening. I mean, what's going on? This is the secular media reporting this. And what a sad reflection on the decline of Christianity and the weakening of Christians.

[6:13] It's a time of war. That's what's happening, people of God. And we are living in a time of war. The writer of Ecclesiastes tells us of Ecclesiastes 3, verse 8.

[6:26] It says, we know there's many times for this and times for that. It says, a time to love and a time to hate. A time of war and a time of peace.

[6:37] We are living in, I put to you, a time of war. We are living in wartime. Wartime. And for some of you who have lived through some times of war, you've lived, some of you have lived in World War II.

[6:50] You might have been much, much younger, I'm sure, but some of you might have been around at that time and seen and remember and recollect what a time of war is like. And some of you in more recent times have come from war-torn countries.

[7:02] We are living in Australia in a time of war. We are under attack. And when there is a war on, everything changes. Shouldn't it? It should. We should take it seriously that we are in a time of war.

[7:16] And I put to you some reflections along this theme as to how we can translate this. I'm talking in kind of picturesque language about the symbology of war and how it can relate to us as God's people when we are under attack.

[7:33] Priorities. When it's a time of war. When it's wartime, things are in short supply. There's rationing that goes on. You know, you can't scarcely get anything.

[7:45] The shop shelves are bare or sparse. And when you live in such time, you don't take things for granted. You realise, I've got to stock up and manage my resources carefully.

[7:57] And you learn to bear with some hard times. You learn to go without some things. You learn to make do. And you learn to reassess your priorities. Priorities.

[8:08] So, we see in the word of God that the prophet Moses foretold of a time where the essential resource, the essential resource of God's truth, the essential resource for God's people would be in short supply.

[8:24] Amos 8, verse 11, he says, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land. Not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.

[8:39] A famine of hearing the words of the Lord. It says, And they shall wander from sea to sea, from north even to the east, and they shall run to and fro seeking the word of God to seek the word of the Lord and shall not find it.

[8:54] There's a time of short supply. There's a lack of faithful Bible teaching churches in our land. In a time of war, you value what you have.

[9:05] You value what you've got. And in a time of war, you brave hardships and deprivation and austerity and suffering. And you use your resources wisely.

[9:17] Priorities. When there's a time of war, you really, you lock into what really counts, what's important. And you determine how to best use your time and your money. How to direct your energy so that they're wisely used.

[9:29] How to use your resources to help with the war effort. Now when there's a war on, everybody's mind is concentrating on this. This is the priority. We've got to beat those people, the enemy.

[9:41] We've got to win this war. We've got to fight this battle together. And so all the resources, all the energies are directed at this one goal. And when there's a major war going on, you know, the headlines, the stories, it's all about the war.

[9:59] You know, I've seen some reprints of papers in World War II and it's all about the war, what's going on at the war. You know, who cares about the latest game down at the Oval?

[10:10] I mean, we're at war. You know, some things just kind of get put on the shelf and kind of sidelined because it's not really important in the context of what really counts. And there's always time for small talk and the gossip, the gossip stories.

[10:28] People's attention is focused on this priority, the war, the war effort and what's going on. And Paul says to Timothy, war a good warfare. What are we doing as Christians in a time of war?

[10:42] Fact is, we are in the midst of a relentless warfare. And do we take it seriously? Sometimes I think we fail to. And we are in a time of war.

[10:53] And in such a time, it should be where we review our priorities. What really counts? What really matters? What's important? And do we value those opportunities that we have to assemble, to gather?

[11:07] Do we count that as a priority? Do we treasure the times of fellowship and Bible study or do we show that we don't value them by not turning up? Priorities.

[11:19] Priorities. What is more important? When people skip church meetings, it sends a signal that that is not important to them. Of course, we know there's valid reasons. We all take time out now and again.

[11:30] But just in the general concept of it, it's so easy that fellowship or encouragement in the Word of God can get very much a low priority.

[11:44] And then we wonder why churches are closing their doors through lack of support. That's what's going on in the UK, in other countries, we know. And we've got limited human resources too.

[11:56] We had a crying need for some help with one of the church programs lately. And I've got a big long list of people in our fellowship and I had to really nut through that list to try to narrow it down to who could I call on at this short notice?

[12:13] There was a need. Who could I count on to call on who would say, yes, I'm available. Yes, I'll volunteer. We've got limited human resources. That's the fact, people, isn't it?

[12:25] We've got a church that is relatively small still in number and we know some have got less ability, some have got health restraints, some have got limitations of this and that, some have got work on, Sunday work is common now, we know there's reasons, some have got commitments in other ways.

[12:45] We've got limited human resources, we're not always available, we know that, that's the reality of life. But when there's a crying need for some help, who can I call on with some of the ministries of this church?

[12:59] We've only a few who are willing to serve, and I thank God for those who did serve at short notice. Thank you for that, sister. I heard that you put your hand up. We've only got a few who are willing to serve, available to serve, ready to say, yes, I'm there, I'm there with my skates on and I'm willing to take an active role in this church, to be one you can count on.

[13:28] How sad that there's only a few. It has to change, this has to change. We need to get behind the war effort. We have to turn the ship around and see things change, because the war effort calls for all hands on deck, all hands on deck.

[13:47] Some people need to be tipped out of their hammocks and summoned to their stations. That's the kind of picture that I see in a time when there's a time of war, priorities, priorities.

[14:00] We need to call on God also for supplies. When there's a lack of supplies, we need to call on God for his supply, to send forth labourers into his harvest field.

[14:12] We need to call on God, pray the Lord of the harvest. Ask God for supplies, make supplication, ask for supplies, make your request known to HQ, headquarters.

[14:25] Our commander in chief is waiting to hear for our call. So times of war calls for priorities, to be re-evaluated. Vigilance is another thing, vigilance.

[14:37] When it's a war time, when it's war time people have to be extra careful. You're seeing that even when you hear these travel warnings. If you go to this nation, there's a threat level that's being raised.

[14:49] This is red alert. This is a high risk place to go. As you've heard about the Anzac Day celebrations, they're saying you're at high risk if you go there.

[15:03] There's a warning. You've got to be extra vigilant. And there's need for vigilance in a time of war. We've got to mount guard over our nation, over our families, over our loved ones. Because we are under threat.

[15:17] But by and large we take no action. We take no action. We don't maintain our alertness. And the church by and large has lost its fight. It has little or no vigilance.

[15:30] What am I saying? Vigilance. Whether we realise it or not, there's a propaganda campaign going on. We see this in time of war. The Germans employed some very articulate, well-spoken, Queen's English kind of woman who would broadcast over the airwaves and try to destroy the morale of the people back in Great Britain.

[15:55] She was used as a propaganda merchant. And we're seeing that in these times of war that we're living in now, there's more and more of an effort to sway people. Through the universities, there's a breaking down, there's an attacking of Christian truth, there's a propagating of the evils of evolution and all the hogwash of scepticism, such that it breaks down people and it wears people down in their resolve.

[16:23] It sways people and it destroys the morale of those that are Christians in such environments. They can get worn down. And there's a deliberate effort going on to shape public opinion.

[16:36] It's constant. Right wing radicals or whatever they call Christians. They label us because we're willing to say we don't believe in abortion.

[16:46] We don't believe in same-sex marriage, so called. And such rubbish and evil. But the enemy has control over the airwaves and is manipulating people.

[16:58] Even Christians. I've had Christians who jump on those bandwagons because they've fallen prey to the propaganda. They don't even realise it.

[17:09] And the devil is that master propaganda merchant. He is the master of propaganda. And he's slowly dumbing down the masses such that they swallow lie after lie after lie.

[17:22] You know, the gay FL, for goodness sake. I mean, God help us as a nation. What on earth are we coming to? God help us.

[17:33] God help us. It's a deliberate misinformation, a deliberate intimidation and deception that's going on. The Australia of today is different from the Australia of yesterday.

[17:44] And it's going worse and worse. We need vigilance, people of God. You know, Peter tells us in 1 Peter 5 verse 8, Peter says, be sober, be vigilant.

[18:13] You see, when there is escalating risks, that the government issues a warning, and it includes the degree of threat or danger. Australia has got a degree of threat at the moment.

[18:24] There's a degree of threat. Gradually they ramp it up until, when's the next thing going to happen? And we must maintain a state of vigilance and resistance, because spiritually speaking it's happening too.

[18:37] We are under threat. We are in the target sites and we must maintain vigilance and resistance. Now, to be ready to act as soon as need arises.

[18:47] You know, I was reading a story in World War II, how at a certain time a general said that the soldiers had to sleep in their uniforms, because they had to be ready to jump out of bed and into battle.

[19:06] And that's the kind of state of vigilance, the state of readiness, the state of resistance that we need to be at, ready to launch out into battle as soon as we get the call, to have that heightened sense of awareness, that vigilance, because the propaganda campaign against Christianity is constant.

[19:25] And brother, sister, it will wear you down if you don't maintain your vigilance. Another big problem in time of war is the problem of fraternising with the enemy. Fraternising with the enemy.

[19:37] People like that need to be rebuked and called to account. Don't toy with it. Don't toy with the world and the things of the world and the things of the flesh and the devil. Don't fraternise with the enemy.

[19:51] We can also succumb to the enemy's propaganda to the extent that we fall into line with it and we just end up marching to the devil's drum. We just march along with the rest of them, with the lemmings.

[20:02] We just go along with it. Another thing about a time of war is that some of our number will suffer and be wounded. Let's not fight each other.

[20:15] Let's care for the wounded. There may be casualties. We know life can take its toll on people and we need to be gentle with one another. We know that some will get shell-shocked and become a statistic.

[20:31] They'll walk away because they've been worn down. They give up. We all need to prompt and encourage and have that love and compassion to embrace and urge and loving discipline, loving consideration, loving compassion, loving exhortation.

[20:49] How will we help them? That should be our attitude because as the word says, it tells about how we restore people and how we need to be careful ourselves.

[21:02] We that are the restorers of those who fall because we can likewise slip up. So vigilance, we see vigilance as needed. Another thing about a time of war is the home front.

[21:14] The home front. When it's a time of war, when it's war time, there's big need of training and drills and we need to know what to do when the siren sounds, when we're under threat and how to help with the war effort on the home front.

[21:30] So not everyone has a post on the front lines of the battle ground. Some are less able, some have got other work to do. And in time of war, yet, everyone has a part to play.

[21:41] Everyone lends a hand, lends their efforts to the cause and gets behind. What needs to be done? Even those with lesser ability or lesser health. As much as some of you might recall the old TV show Dad's Army, it makes that motley crew of the Home Guard volunteers a bit of a laugh.

[22:00] But the real Home Guard in Britain's time of war, they kept the home fires burning and they gave a real support to the war effort back at the home front.

[22:12] And even in nations that were occupied, the French resistance, that was the home front. They were fighting behind enemy lines. And the point is that everyone has a job to do.

[22:25] In this time of war, everybody has a job to do. You might think, oh, I'm not cut out for this or that, or I've got limited capacity or effort or training or skill or qualification.

[22:37] Everyone has a role to play in the home front. front. And really that's where the battle's won, is in the home front, the morale of the nation. We have a whole mission field at our doorstep here.

[22:49] This community, this nation, this city. We want to rally the troops to engage the effort and the resources to put a priority on the local mission.

[23:00] We've got work to do, people of God. This nation is falling and we need to stand up for our Lord. Our primary effort is to start this at the home base, at our Jerusalem, as it were.

[23:14] I've been talking to folk about our need to reach out in this place, in this city. And there's some that are doing that. We thank God for you. Let's all get behind the war effort, amen, because the home front is particularly under attack.

[23:30] And we need that determination that Joshua had in that familiar one of Joshua 24 verse 15. Joshua was appealing to the people gathered here and they were being a bit torn in following the false gods, small g, the idolatrous gods, or the true God.

[23:49] And Joshua said, Choose you this day, whom ye will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served, that were on the other side of the flood, the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell.

[24:02] But as for me, and my house, we will serve the Lord. He made a conscious choice. We are here to serve the Lord. And men and women of God, there's families here today.

[24:13] We need more families that are engaged, that are encouraging, that are encouraging one another, that urge our families, our homes, to get behind this important cause.

[24:27] And keep guard over the home front, where we're under attack. Another thing about a time of war is this need of weaponry. When it's a war time, it's a call to arms. We're entering into armed struggle.

[24:39] In 2 Corinthians 10 verse 4 it says, For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. war. It tells of weapons of our warfare.

[24:54] We are contending with contrary forces. It's a struggle. Every day is a struggle out there. It's a jungle out there. It's a constant combat that we're in.

[25:08] And these hostilities will only escalate. It's only going to get harder. So we need to regain our fight and confront the culture. We need to engage in combat. And really it's time to mount a counter-offensive, a counter-attack.

[25:22] Let's not be afraid to speak up. Let's not be in the silent service. Amen? Let's be in the army of God. Let's be willing to stand up, to stick our head above the trenches, to be willing to take that attack and counter-attack rather than cave in.

[25:44] So we can consider the elements of the armour of God. Of course you all would know likely the armour of God of Ephesians 6. Let me read that through.

[25:54] You might just meditate on these words about these pieces of the armour. Ephesians 6, a familiar one from verse 10. Paul exhorts the Ephesians, Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might.

[26:11] Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against all the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

[26:33] Wherefore, take unto you the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand.

[26:44] Stand, therefore, having your lines girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.

[26:55] Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked, and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching their answer with all perseverance and supplication for the saints.

[27:19] Now just consider those things, and all of these things are under attack today. Amen? All of these things in the armour are under attack today. Truth.

[27:32] Righteousness. The gospel. Faith. Salvation.

[27:44] The word of God. All prayer. Perseverance. We're constantly under attack in all those dimensions.

[27:55] So let's make sure we put it on. Equip yourself with the armour of God. All these various qualities are lacking, sadly, in the church today. Many Christians don't put their armour on, and they wonder what's hit me today.

[28:11] The whole armour, every part of it. You know, some like to pray the armour prayer, as it were, to put it on, as it were, in the morning when they get up, and think, I'm going to have that.

[28:23] All those various items that I need to live the Christian life with victory. And so we need to leave the place of ease and self-comfort, and be willing to enter the fray. people of God.

[28:35] There's so many blessings, so many joys of being a believer, that we can take kapha in that uniform that we wear. Christ is our armour, the armour of light.

[28:46] We clothe ourselves with Christ. He is our armour. And I've heard it said too that another thing, at time of war, is that, as we know, I guess it's more so in particular nations or particular outfits, but soldiers are commanded to sink.

[29:09] You know, in some settings, soldiers sink. We know they strike up the band, don't they? The military forces have got bands that play rousing songs.

[29:23] And we are in a time of war. We should be singing. Amen? We should be singing the truth of God. And soldiers sing, I read an article here, excuse me, for timing, to get in step, to focus the many minds on a single goal, to band together in brotherhood, to fortify their courage.

[29:42] In times past, the soldiers approach their enemy, banging their shields, blasting their trumpets, and singing loudly, with complete confidence of victory. And this had a psychological effect on the enemy.

[29:55] What about us? It's good to sing the songs of the faith. And don't wait until you come on Sunday. Sing it when you're driving your car, when you're having a shower, you know, whatever it be.

[30:06] Sing unto the Lord. Sing unto Him. And it goes on, this singing has a disconcerting effect on the foe. And the opposing army, when they've thrown everything at them, are even more unsettled as they see them standing still, singing with joy and contentment.

[30:28] And the commentator here, he goes on, why has God commanded us to sing? Many reasons. In times of illiteracy, singing was a great way to remember God's word. Singing is also a genuine way to worship and honour the King of Kings.

[30:43] As Christian soldiers, in the middle of a spiritual war, singing bonds us together as a fighting unit. It fortifies our courage. It reminds us of our cause and of the ultimate victory that is assured to us by God.

[30:58] And we remember our lives are being witnessed as we're constantly under attack. And as we approach our spiritual battle, singing confidently, and knowing that God goes before us, our battle songs are like weapons that pierce the enemy and make them tremble.

[31:14] We know that Joshua went and blew the trumpets, didn't we? He had the praise unit, as it were, that went ahead of them as they went into battle.

[31:25] Was it Joshua or it could be Jehoshaphat? But certainly there is that intent that the people of God praised as they went into battle. They praised God. They worshipped him.

[31:36] And even as Moses, as he recollected, as he'd gone over the Red Sea, Moses, as he stood on the bank of the Nile, it says in Exodus 15, 1, Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the Lord.

[31:53] For he hath trived gloriously, the horse and the rider hath he thrown into the sea. Apparently that's the oldest poem that's ever been recorded, was Moses' song there.

[32:06] So sing unto the Lord. We've got that weaponry. And singing is part of that weaponry. And then we see another thing about a time of war is defence.

[32:18] Now we know there's a certain president in a certain country who's building a certain wall. They're building a wall. Sometimes you need a wall. Because there's an invasion going on.

[32:32] And we are under attack. Now sometimes we need to take shelter. And we need defence. We need defence. We need to find God as our defence.

[32:44] As our defender. As our shield. As the psalmist cried in Psalm 94, verse 22. But the Lord is my defence. The Lord is my defence. And my God is the rock of my refuge.

[32:56] So people of God, we have need for defence. And we have a sure defence. A sure defender. And he is the source of our victory also. So let us resort unto God.

[33:08] He is our defence. And let us not neglect the weapon of prayer. John Wesley said he was convinced that the prayers of God's people, rather than his preaching, accounted for the many thousands who came to Christ through his ministry.

[33:22] It was prayer. It was prayer. And he said God will do nothing except in answer it's a prayer. And that's likely an overstatement. But he was getting the message across that God moves in answer to believing prayer.

[33:37] And we need to not neglect that powerful weapon of prayer. There are some things we need to guard against, some things we need to challenge. The walls are broken down.

[33:47] It's like in Nehemiah's day. The defence was broken down and the city was in peril. The walls need to be built. The walls of separation. Again, it's that holy truth of separation.

[34:01] We're God's holy people. We're meant to be right with God. We're meant to have a separation from that which is displeasing to God. It's a wall.

[34:13] It's your defence. It's a barrier we need to put up to mount a resistance. Now sometimes in time of war we need to be protected from within. Some are turncoats and sympathise us with the enemy.

[34:26] That's a real danger in time of war, isn't it? You get people that are not really behind the war effort. And some will be murmurers and gainsayers. They'll hold us back as the fighting unit.

[34:39] They will breed discontent and disharmony. This is dangerous. Some will sit back and criticise but not lift a finger to help. Not lift their finger to help to improve things.

[34:51] Armchair critics. It's like the people that say, oh, I'm a real footy fan. But they watch the game and they just pick on this player and pick on that player. They're armchair critics.

[35:02] They don't get on the field and play the game. They just know how they should be doing it. There's a lot of armchair critics in Christianity too where it's easy to find fault but not be part of the answer.

[35:17] And I love a familiar, a famous speech that one of the presidents of the U.S. made. Roosevelt. And I've used it before but it's quite telling.

[35:28] The truth that you could capture from this purely secular kind of comment that Roosevelt made. It was a speech about the man in the arena.

[35:39] People heard that one before? The man in the arena. You can look it up. It's quite a famous speech. The man in the arena. And here's what Roosevelt said.

[35:52] It's not the critic who counts. Not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.

[36:03] The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena. Whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood. Who strives valiantly. Who errs.

[36:14] Who comes short again and again. because there is no effort without error and shortcoming. But who does actually strive to do the deeds.

[36:26] Who knows great enthusiasms. The great devotions. Who spends himself in a worthy cause. Who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement.

[36:40] And who at the worst if he fails at least fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.

[36:54] He was talking about the man in the arena. He was talking about the Christian. He says I'm going to do something for God. And I'm going to face criticism. And I'm going to be the target for attack and fault finding.

[37:09] And brother, sister, don't be afraid to stand up for God. It's like when some people do things and they say preacher I've never done that before I'm really nervous or I don't feel able I'm not capable and I know there's some that have jumped into ministries that maybe have not done such a ministry before and it's all a bit scary.

[37:32] Be the man in the arena. The woman in the arena. Be the one who says I'm willing to take a risk and to do something. And in time of war we've all got to rally our efforts and say I want to serve God.

[37:50] I want to do something I've never done before. I want to be willing to be trained to be equipped to be sent to be willing to be a victim of criticism if I have to.

[38:03] So let's not be an armchair critic. Let's try to rally our efforts together and lend our weight behind the wheel and not be as such that would be those that are sympathisers with the enemy as it were.

[38:20] You know the enemy's got a lot of people in his clutches and Christians too. When they fail up and go the wrong path it says a little leaven leaveneth the lump in Galatians 5 verse 9.

[38:36] We can't toy with that. Get it right. So another thing about a time of war I don't mean to labor this but I'm just trying to paint this picture here today.

[38:48] I'm talking in analogies in kind of a symbolic way we're thinking of real times of war there's picturesque language but it is what we are in brothers and sisters.

[39:01] We are in the army of the Lord or we should be we're meant to be soldiers and another thing about a time of war is discipline. Discipline.

[39:12] That's a word people don't like. I don't like discipline when the supervisor has an honest talk with me about what I need to do to lift my game.

[39:24] None of us like that do we? But we need it don't we? I need it. And so discipline when it's wartime everyone has a responsibility. We have to shape up.

[39:35] In 2 Timothy 2 Paul says to Timothy Thou therefore my son be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus the things that thou hast heard of me among witnesses the same commit thou to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also.

[39:51] Thou therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warneth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

[40:04] So Paul says be strong in God's grace he says commit to faithful men that's what we need faithful men faithful women commit to them that they may be able to teach others also.

[40:17] I mean I'm thinking of this church that closed of recent times there wasn't a succession plan I suppose. this pastor suddenly had a brain tumour and he was gone within weeks of them hearing of it there wasn't a succession plan someone to take it over that church had to close its doors that's a sad thing I think when a church has to close its doors we need a succession plan I need to see young men rally to the cause here to learn how to serve to be ready to step in when I fall over or get run over by a bus amen that's what we need we need faithful men that's what we need and so it says endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ discipline takes discipline because the men I need are faithful men men that I can count on day night midweek men faithful men

[41:20] I need men like that that they can be faithful and that they can teach others also so as we enter into a time of war we need discipline as a fighting unit that's the armies and the combat units that were victorious had discipline they were very disciplined and we likewise have to march together and keep strong together in a time of war the enemy tries to break down a people's resolve they cut off the supply lines in time of war they attack the supply ships they want to break down the morale and encourage infighting and rations get short people get war weary battle weary battle scarred morale can get drained we can run short of fighting men the casualties can be high many go AWOL and how we need discipline desperately you know a sergeant has to be strong with the recruits and galvanise them through strong discipline you know I was in the army reserves for only a couple of years or so and I had a bit of ambition to do other things but I couldn't be a corporal just shouting at men you know he had to be able to shout at people and you know attention and all that that they do and they had to be really bossy and loud but a sergeant has to be strong because they're sending men to their deaths they're sending men to kill men they're sending men into battle and he has to galvanise them through strong discipline they have to say yes sir they have to smarten up they have to get do what they're told and do it now and brothers and sisters we're in a time of war we need to be faithful attending the drills as it were to be ready for action to get go to bed with our boots on as it were ready to get out and fight the fight and to get in step together we need discipline

[43:18] I'm not talking about legalism here some people mistake that and they think well if a church is like that they're legalistic and they're under the thumb and it's bondage it's condemnation we're not talking about that but there is something we've got to work to do and we need to have a discipline and not be a weakly army of wimps that lack discipline because why because we are at war so we need to stop wimping out and start being warriors people of God I'm speaking to myself today everyone is called to this war effort it's a reality and we need to follow the orders that he has written for us in the army units there's general orders there's these orders that are written and these are the orders these are our marching orders and we need to do what it says follow the orders that he has written for you to know what your duty is another thing in a time of war is we need to fight back fight back we need to maintain our resistance and our resolve in Jude 1 verse 3

[44:25] Jude says beloved he says it was needful for me to write unto you and exhort you that you should earnestly earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints he says earnestly contend for this he says fight for this this is something worth fighting for don't give the devil the foothold in your life in the bible it talks about neither give place to the devil don't give him place there's christians they give the devil place the bible says neither give place to the devil don't let him get a foothold in your life it's time to fight back amen to choose sides to volunteer to enlist today there's no conscription in this army enlist today volunteer we have to be combat ready and that takes discipline and training that's what footy players need that's what soccer players need that's what volleyball players need regular training regular discipline so that they're ready to play the game and this is no game this is war we have a mission to accomplish you know there's a time told a story here that accounts for the spiritual warfare that we're in about how we need to rely on the

[45:41] Holy Spirit and maintain our confidence our faith in God and there's a story told that came from the Korean War and the Korean War it tells about the attitude that a fighting unit should have and as enemy forces advanced Baker Company was cut off from the rest of their unit they were just cut off and effectively they were behind enemy lines in a little outfit that were cut off from the rest of the army and for several hours no word was heard and base was trying to radio and get hold of them to try to find out what's going on in Baker Company and finally the headquarters reached the missing troops and this faint signal was received and they were straining to hear what was being said by the radio man and they said Baker Company do you read me and faintly came back the reply this is Baker Company what is your situation and here's what they said the enemy is to the east of us the enemy is to the west of us the enemy is to the north of us the enemy is to the south of us then after a brief pause the sergeant from Baker

[47:00] Company said with determination the enemy is not going to get away from us now they had that faith that confidence that they would continue to keep fighting they were surrounded outnumbered but they were not thinking of defeat but of victory but of victory amen we need to mobilize the troops we have a war on it is a time of war and we need a new militancy in the church all end up like the UK church is closing do we want that people of God we have got a rally to this cause we need a new militancy to not retreat or surrender there is no time for that this is the time to step up this is the time that we need to head out to the front trenches and it says in 1 John 4 verse 4 ye are of God little children and have overcome them because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world we have the victory this is the victory that overcometh the world even our faith so let me quickly recap to close a time of war we've been using picturesque language many of us have never lived in world war ii or such a place or time some of us have a time of war when it's a time of war when it's wartime everything changes you start taking it seriously don't you amen we are in a time of war and paul says war a good warfare when it's a time of war we look at our priorities what really matters what really counts how are we going to spend our time our efforts our energies will it be the word of god will it be fellowship will it be training will we have vigilance and be sober be vigilant because the enemy roams around like a roaring lion seeking human way there's a propaganda campaign waged against you and me we need to mount the resistance there's need at the home front our families our loved ones to rally behind the troops all of us have a job to do some of us might feel less able less available for whatever reason and for valid reason but we've all got work to do at the home front we've got a weaponry that we need to grab a hold of and use sing the praises of him our victorious king he leads us in triumph there's a defence we know in prayer he is our defender be the man in the arena be willing to step out and do something you've never done before for the

[49:48] Lord and don't worry about criticism there's armchair critics all around you be the man in the arena the woman in the arena know discipline know what it is to have discipline in your life self-discipline because we've got a war effort and fight back we've got a mission to accomplish and know this that victory is assured victory is assured we're not fighting our battles with victory in prospect to come but our victory has already happened these are just little skirmishes before the victorious king comes to take his rightful reign amen we're just fighting a few little skirmishes a few little battles he's already won the war amen our Lord has already won the war and his is the battle his is the victory and by faith you can know Christian soldier you can be encouraged this morning now this is not to condemn but to encourage you to step up step up to put your armour on and get in the fight and be encouraged you that are fighting to keep on fighting fight the good fight of the faith we know that one day our king will come and he'll have that crown for you that believe let's praise his name let's pray

[51:03] Lord we thank you that there is a victory that overcomes the world and we know for every believer for each one that puts their trust in you that we are part of the army of God's own people we are soldiers with a fight to fight the fight of the faith Lord not in earthly combat with blood and flesh but yet spiritual forces of wickedness are arrayed against us and we know Lord that this battle is a constant it's a constant reality in the angelic spheres of this world that we live in spiritual forces are at work fighting with us and against us Lord help us to have a mind to that to be alert to that may we be ready to serve to be equipped to be in the fight and use us Lord in whatever capacity in the home front on the battle front wherever you call us to serve Lord let us be faithful soldiers for your glory and honor we pray in

[52:16] Jesus name Amen