Battle Weary

    There is a simple formula in military strategy.  Resources x Will = Victory.  If a Nation has more Resources (men and material) than their enemy, and they have the Will (determination to keep fighting no matter the cost) then they will be victorious.

At the start of the Civil War, the leadership of the South knew they could never match the industrial might and larger population of the Northern states.  They were outnumbered three to one on the Battlefield, sometimes much more than that.  So how did they hope to win against the Union's superior industrial and numerical advantage?  General Robert E. Lee's strategy was this, make the war so costly for the North in blood and money, that the Union's Will to keep fighting would have to break.  The Confederate states knew that after every Northern defeat, and there were many, the Union's will to keep fighting decreased.   The Northern press was screaming for a peace settlement.  Even Lincoln's own Republican Party was divided on the issue of giving into the South's demands.  The demand was simple.  Let the South keep their slaves.  The war was wearing out the country.  The Will of the North was bending.  The spirit of compromise was growing in Lincoln's Administration.  BUT IT DID NOT BREAK.  Lincoln and many, many people in the North believed that the blood, sweat, and tears needed to win the war was worth it.  Slavery must end!

The spiritual parallels of the Civil War and what the Church is facing today are remarkably the same.   We have all the supernatural supplies we need for the spiritual war we are waging.  Just like the North, the Church of Jesus Christ has overwhelming resources and power.  Paul writes, "We are more than conquerors through Him who loves us." Romans 8:37  "The weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but are powerful through God for the demolition of spiritual strongholds."  2 Corinthians 10:4  "I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me."  "My God shall supply all my needs according to His riches..." Philippians 4:13,19

Our enemy the devil, knows he cannot win.  He wants to keep men and women in slavery, the slavery of sin.  The devil knows he cannot match the power of the Holy Spirit working within the Body of Christ.  So he is employing the same last ditch strategy that the Rebel leaders employed.  He is determined to break the Will of the Church, to wear out the saints.  "He will attempt to wear out the saints of the Most High."  Daniel 7:25 

 
Our enemy believes by making the cost to follow Christ so high, and by discouraging us by the hardships of constant spiritual battles in our culture, we will just give up.  The devil wants us to shut our mouths and stop telling people about the freedom waiting for them through the Blood of Jesus Christ.

Church, Hear Me!  The battle is hard.  The War is long.  The Commitment of our blood, sweat, and tears is costly.  We may be tempted to stop and let the devil keep his enslaved souls.  BUT OUR WILL SHALL NOT BE BROKEN!  We are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus.   "Let us not grow weary in doing good, for we in due season will reap a harvest, if we don't give up."  Galatians 6:9