When I say that we should be Warriors, I don’t mean we should be “warlike.” To be warlike can be associated with fundamentalist extremism, unadulterated aggression and a desire to fight those who don’t believe the same as us–NO! “For we wrestle not against flesh nd blood, but against the rulers, , against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
I am currently attending a training course on the Middle East. Part of this, of course, is an introduction on Islam (as if 6 months fighting terrorists wasn’t enough intro) –I have learned that throughout its history, Islam is marked by wars, infighting, and strife (it’s not just a 20th/21st Century phenomenon) The leaders of Islam, going all the way back to good ol’ Mohammed, were ‘war-like’–a direct polar opposite of Jesus Christ and his teachings, who told his followers to Love above all.
When I say we must be Warriors, we must be bold, unashamed, followers of Christ who realize the power of the Holy Spirit that is already inside of us. We have to realize the spiritual battle that is raging in this world and confidently defend our families from attacks of the enemy. We have to be trained and ready, and then step out in faith.