American Christian Soldier: Willing to Stand

Everyone loves a hero...or do they?

Yesterday I ran across the most amazing story about an American Christian soldier fighting alongside Kurdish forces in Iraq against ISIS.  He calls himself "Soldier of Christ".  

As I listened to his story, I couldn't help but think about my prayers as of late..."God, raise up a David who will fight against this evil...someone willing to stand."

Willing to stand.  That's a phrase we as Americans have somehow forgotten the meaning of, or at least our leadership.  There was a time when our nation fought for the injustices of the world.  Men left their homeland without hesitation.  It was an honor and a duty to stand up in the face of evil, and the people at home cheered them on as they went.

There was a force driving them, offering courage to fight another day.  It was because of their bravery, fortitude, and God's grace which enabled our nation to become great, offering freedom to all who lived within her borders.  But, it goes farther back than that.

All throughout biblical history, men and women stood and fought in the face of evil.  God raised them up to be warriors to ensure safety, to stand for what was holy and righteous, and to bring glory to Himself.

Men and women such as:

- Abram who alongside 318 trained men went in pursuit of four kings who had captured Abram's nephew and all his possessions.  Scriptures say that "He recovered all the goods and brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people."

- Moses, per the Lord's command, sent 12,000 men to defeat the Midianites, and "killed every man."

- Joshua marched around the city Jericho just as the Lord had instructed until the walls came tumbling down, then sparing only Rahab the harlot and her family, destroyed the rest of the city by burning it to the ground.

- Shamgar struck down six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad (a long, wooden rod), saving Israel.

- Deborah, a judge and prophetess, led Barak and 10,000 men to defeat Sisera, his 900 iron chariots and men.

- Gideon along with 300 men, by the strength of the Lord, defeated the Midianites and Amalekites.

- Samson, with supernatural power from the Lord, killed 1,000 men with the jawbone of a donkey.

- David, a young shepherd boy, who defeated the giant Goliath with a stone and a sling saying, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied."

There are so many others....heroes of old, who took a stand for justice and truth.  People empowered by God to willingly go and defeat the enemy.

Yet, where are they today?  Where are our Joshua and Calebs?  Where can I find a Rahab or a David?  Who is willing to stand up to terrorist organizations hell bent on destroying any semblance of good in this world; those who follow a false god and act out evil deeds under the spell of the devil himself?

Thankfully, as seen in the news clip above, God is raising up a few - those who against all odds, are willing to sacrifice themselves in order to help so many others.  We must also never forget our brave men and women in our military, though their hands are tied as to what they are allowed to do versus what they know they could accomplish if they were not under the heavy yoke of a big government who seems to be out-out-touch and too self-absorbed to care for anyone else.

And...there are also those quiet soldiers such as our police, firefighters, EMS, nurses, doctors, missionaries, pastors, etc. who daily do whatever it takes to save, help, restore and instruct.  More-than-likely most of them will never have their name on a wall or a star in the sidewalk, but they are willing to stand and help their fellow man.

I guess there are good folks out there taking a stand, even though at times it seems as if they've all but disappeared.  Perhaps God is using average men and women around the world to stand up in the face of evil.


Because my hope does not rest in man but in God alone, I know He can continue to raise up warriors willing and able to defeat our physical enemies; men such as "Soldier of Christ" fighting for future generations.

I am also challenged by my renewed sense of calling to do what I can, where I am, with what God has given me today.  I guess you could say that my willing to stand has been called to the forefront; to speak the truth, live it out, and always be able to give an answer for what I believe in; ready to defeat the foe whether physical or spiritual, and to be a voice of truth and strength, which only comes from my Heavenly Father.

How about you?  Where is your resolve today?  Are you willing to stand?

Kristi