The greatest war ever fought in our world has continued for 6,000 years, and has not finished yet. It is the war between Christ and Satan. And we, each one of us, are fighting in this war in one or the other army. Millions of professing Christians who claim to be soldiers of Christ are falling in the battlefield into the hands of the enemy. They are caught as prisoners by Satan and are taken into captivity. They are taken into darkness, and into confusion of mind, also into a lukewarm condition and self-righteousness. They fall into spiritual death, and are losing their eternal life.
What makes this war confusing is that we do not always know who is a friend and who is an enemy—whom can we trust, and who is out to deceive us. Many are doubting which is the Lord’s side and which belongs to the enemy. Even families are divided, depending into which kingdom they belong.
Even into the church of God false doctrines are introduced at times. “God will arouse His people; if other means fail, heresies will come in among them, which will sift them, separating the chaff from the wheat.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p. 707
These heresies will purify the church. Those who believe these heresies will be separated from those who recognize that these teachings are false. This happened in the church in 1914, when the war question was brought to the members of the church. Two percent recognized, and did not follow, the wrong teaching which 98% believed, and by this heresy the church was purified.
The weapons that we have in our hands to fight this terrible war are love, mercy, and forgiveness. When we show love to our enemies, victory is possible; the enemy becomes our friend. These were the weapons that Jesus used, and by these weapons He gained a multitude of prisoners from the enemy’s army.
Paul was an enemy of Christ’s army, but with His love to him, Jesus was able to take him a prisoner from Satan’s army. “Yet for love’s sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.” Philemon 9
“I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called.” Ephesians 4:1
Every day this war continues. Every day we can gain victories in this war against the evil forces.
It is a victory when you suffer offenses quietly, without murmuring or complaining. It is victory when you answer kindly to angry words. Patience in trials is a victory that we must gain. It is a victory to be faithful in all things, and follow the example of Jesus in our daily life.
In the time of persecution, a soldier was taking a Christian prisoner to be put to death, but as they crossed the lake in the winter time the ice was not strong enough, and the soldier fell through the ice into the cold water. Now the Christian could have thanked God for his deliverance from his enemy, but, no, he could not do it; he turned back and saved the soldier from the icy water. He practiced a principle that the soldier did not know. The soldiers in the army of Jesus are practicing the same principles that are practiced in heaven and in the unfallen worlds. They love even their enemies. Serving others is the greatest activity in the kingdom of God.
“But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant.” Matthew 20:26–27
Selfishness is completely absent from the kingdom of God. In the world the greatest enjoyments are the feasts, parties, and eating and drinking; but in the kingdom of God the greatest enjoyment is the joy in the Holy Ghost. This is all what we need to make our lives happy. Even the prison cell with the Holy Spirit becomes a palace to us.
“Of all the gifts that heaven can bestow upon men, fellowship with Christ in His sufferings is the most weighty trust and the highest honour. Not Enoch, who was translated to heaven, not Elijah, who ascended in a chariot of fire, was greater or more honoured than John the Baptist, who perished alone in the dungeon. ‘Unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake.’ Philippians 1:29.” –The Ministry of Healing, p. 478
Jesus did not defend Himself when He stood before Pilate, Herod, and the angry Jews. He did not call for a defense lawyer to speak for Him. Jesus came to this world to teach us the principles of His kingdom.
Instead of defending ourselves, we are to love our enemies. If they hit us, we must turn the other cheek. If they force us to carry a burden one mile, we carry it two miles. “And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.” Matthew 5:40
Jesus saw everywhere, crying abuses, extortion, intolerance, and grinding cruelty, yet He attempted no civil reforms. He clearly indicated that His kingdom is not of this world. We may think humanly that if our government made laws that all must keep Sabbath, read the Bible, and go to church, would it be a victory? No, certainly not. God has chosen a different way to win the battle, and different weapons.
We read in Zechariah 4:6, “Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.” There is a different way to win the war that we are fighting.
“O that thou hadst hearkened to My commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea.” Isaiah 48:18
Noah was a preacher of righteousness, and he was victorious, while an estimated 100 million others perished and lost the war. In the middle ages, over 50 million martyrs lost their lives, but when one gave his life as a witness of his faith, history tells us that 20 were converted to his faith, by seeing his cheerfulness at his dying moment.
What did Jesus answer to Pilate, “Then saith Pilate unto Him, Speakest Thou not unto me? knowest Thou not that I have power to crucify Thee, and have power to release Thee? Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against Me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered Me unto thee hath the greater sin.” John 19:10–11
Job had a terrible misfortune, but it all happened because it had been given from above. No suffering and no tribulation can come upon us unless it is allowed by our heavenly Father, who loves us, and it is all for our sanctification. We are fighting the war against evil with weapons of love and mercy, which are the same weapons that Jesus used. We prove to people that we love them, and gently invite them to salvation and to eternal life. Our enemies are not only Satan and the fallen churches, nor evil people; no, our greatest enemy is ourselves. Satan cannot force us to commit sin; no, we are the ones to decide between obedience to God, and obedience to Satan.
While we are fighting the war, and gaining people from Satan’s army to God’s army, at the same time we are fighting our own battle, to overcome sin and the world, and gain victories daily through Christ.
“The True Witness says, ‘Behold, I stand at the door, and knock.’ Revelation 3:20. Every warning, reproof, and entreaty in the word of God or through His messengers is a knock at the door of the heart. It is the voice of Jesus asking for entrance. With every knock unheeded, the disposition to open becomes weaker. The impressions of the Holy Spirit if disregarded today, will not be as strong tomorrow. The heart becomes less impressible, and lapses into a perilous unconsciousness of the shortness of life, and of the great eternity beyond. Our condemnation in the judgment will not result from the fact that we have been in error, but from the fact that we have neglected heaven-sent opportunities for learning what is truth.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 490
The faithful remnant will be the victors through Christ in this great war. They will be in heaven and have eternal life. Satan and all of his followers will be cast into the lake of fire and never exist anymore. Let us be faithful soldiers in the army of Jesus, and gain the victory over every sin and over every neglect of duty and fight the war faithfully unto the end. Amen.
Timo Martin