Onward to Battle
As believers, we are summoned to battle against hellish foes, and our strength and victory come from Christ, whom we can access through faith and prayer.
Horatius Bonar emphasizes that upon believing, we are called to a spiritual battle against formidable foes, not to a life of ease. He stresses that our strength comes solely from the Lord, who empowers us to fight the good fight of faith. Bonar warns of the invisible enemy, who uses deception and falsehoods to mislead believers, urging us to remain vigilant and equipped with divine armor. He reminds us that retreat is not an option, as we must face our adversary with courage and perseverance until the end. The ultimate victory belongs to those who endure in the battle.
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It is to battle that we are summoned the moment that we believe. All at once we are translated, not to paradise, but to a battlefield, and there placed face to face with our hellish foes. "Fight the good fight of faith," is the war note with which our Captain cheers us on.
For this battle strength is the first thing needed. But where is it to be found? Not in us, nor in the creature; not in human wisdom, or fleshly sufficiency. Only in Him who hath bought us, and called us, and washed us. "Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might." Here is the source and secret of our strength. Here is a fullness truly divine and heavenly, and yet as accessible, as much within our reach, and at our disposal, as if it were our own; for it is at the disposal of One who loves us better than we love ourselves.
But strength is not all we need. We require weapons and armour; for the battle is no common one, and the enemy is the leader of the principalities and powers of darkness, who himself needs no armour, seeing he is invisible and invulnerable; who is not only powerful and skilful, but has every kind of weapon at command--the snare, the wile, the sword, the dart, the fire. His object in the present day is to persuade us that he does not exist, that we have to fight no such battle, that we need no sword nor shield, that we can do without anything beyond our own human power and skill. But the divine warning assures us that our enemy still lives and rages and deceives; that he is most to be feared when most invisible; that his last delusions will be his worst, when, as an angel of light, he comes into the Church to mislead by falsehoods, so beautiful, so attractive, so intellectual, so like the truth--it may be, so evangelical--that, if it were possible, the elect shall be deceived.
We must not turn back in the day of battle. We have no armour for our back. We must face the foe. "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." And this must be to the end, however long the warfare may be. The prize is not to the conqueror in one field, but to the conqueror at last.
-From "The Armour and the Battle" in Light & Truth Vol. IV.
Sermon Outline
- The Call to Battle
- The Source of Strength
- The Nature of the Battle
- The Call to Resist
- We must face the foe and resist
- The prize is to the conqueror at last
Key Quotes
“Fight the good fight of faith, is the war note with which our Captain cheers us on.” — Horatius Bonar
“Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.” — Horatius Bonar
“Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” — Horatius Bonar
Application Points
- We must not turn back in the day of battle, but face the foe and resist him through faith and prayer.
- Our strength and victory come from Christ, whom we can access through faith and prayer.
- The prize for the conqueror in battle is not just in one field or moment, but at the end of the warfare.