Fight Together

DEVOTION
PHILIMON
FIGHT TOGETHER
Philem 1-3
1:1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,
To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker, 2 to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier and to the church that meets in your home:
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
NIV
Is there any question about being a soldier of Christ? God has provide me with all the armor I will ever need for the battle of my life, and for my life. But I believe there is a purpose for being referred to as a fellow soldier. An army functions as one living breathing organism, moving in one direction for the one purpose of defeating the enemy. It also moves in this singular direction at the command of its leader. I am a soldier of Christ along with my fellow believers and I think somehow this truth has escaped the hearts and minds of many. How often am I going in my own direction? How often are others bearing different than mine? I wonder just how much singular purpose exists within the army of Christ. I am sure God commands each and every one for his divine purpose and for the benefit of both his children and his Kingdom. Although I believe if I am following his commands for the benefit of the Kingdom I will benefit as well. I think much in the way in the heat of battle if the soldier obeys the commands of the leader, he will be far better off than running ahead into battle all alone. This is a fight to the finish, one or the other is going to perish and it is not going to be me. God has already ordained it, if I follow his commands, and serve his purpose I will be kept safe from harm and the victory will be mine. The enemy of my soul will be crushed, and defended for all eternity, cast into the lake of burning sulfur, to perish. But I think it would do me good to remember I am but a member of a unit within the army under the command of God. I am not a singular warrior, alone on the battle field of life. As I always teach, if many of us circle around with our shields of faith, no attack of the enemy will stand a chance. But alone he may well out flank me. But what does this army look like? How does this look in practical terms? How does this all work in the fractured society of today with people living so far apart, so remotely physically, emotionally, and spiritually? How do we all join together for the advancement of his agenda, when we are all doing our own thing? Is getting together once a week, listening in our own way, to some message being a true army? Is doing good deeds, helping one another in some way, being an army advancing toward the defeat of our enemy? I know we need to do, and be, to encourage, love, and serve one another, as an army does. But I think we may have forgotten to fight together.