A Servant in Battle

It was an interesting Sunday,
I have to admit I was nervous.
But this is how it went:

Amongst the older Catholics that were there, I felt the urge, a calling to say the truth.
To be real and have it make sense.

It started with the types of soldiers on battle field.

There are several types,
those that don't seem to care at all about the battle, those that don't seem to know there is a battle going on.. those that are unfit for the fight, they have to embraced God's armor and the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives.
There are those that fight but are alone.. actually, this is the problem..
we have soldiers, missionaries, ordinary people doing extraordinary things that have no support.. Are we praying for them? Are we holding them up? Are we beside them in battle?
Are we tithing so that they may continue the fight?

Ahh.. so that hit didn't it..

So how can I be a soldier?
To be a Christian solider you have to accept and wear the armor of God.
Taken from Corinthians, you must wear the whole armor of God, not just one piece here and there.

You must embrace the entire suit, the battle gear.. and here's the catch.. God made it for marching forward.. it protects you sooo well that you will not fall when with he armor, but the minute you turn your back, well the enemy will attack.

so your asking.. what enemy, what armor, what battle?
hahah.. ok.. The enemy is Satan. The armor I will discuss, the battle is real, it is spiritual battle.

Why would I bring this up in a change management blog about servant leadership? Because if you don't get this part of it, it matters not how well you now the mechanics of change and servant leadership. You must protect yourself with knowledge, you must go forth and fight this battle.

The minute you claim you are a servant leader, in its pure true form, you are a follower of Christ. And this means that Satan is now watching your every move even more greatly. If he knocks down a soldier, imagine all the other things he brings down, the service, the relationships, the mission work.. its a big blow.

So back to the armor.. cause this is something you need to know.
The armor starts with the belt of truth.
Wear this belt cause it hold everything together, the belt of truth is what keeps us grounded in our work its what helps us not live the dual life. it is the way of life.. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the Life.. believe this brothers and sisters.

I am guilty of many times being another person at work than I am at Church and with my Christian brothers and sisters.. why.. cause its hard, we want to fit in and be liked.. But let me tell you this, lament, discern and change your ways brothers and sisters.

The time for change is now. If we will defend the values, the family and life, then you must live your life as a witness for Christ. wear the belt, trust me on this.

Next, the shield of faith.. I love the shield of faith, it is covers the whole body and it allows us to make the impossible possible. Believe in Him, believe in the work and God will make it happen. He will never give you a task you cannot handle. This is true always. You just have to have faith in him and work through him and let him work through you.

Next, the Helmet of Salvation, trust me on this too, believe in God's powers, protect your head, don't let your mind get the best of you. Stay positive, stay focused and stay believing and be strong in your faith.

The Breastplate of Righteousness protects your heart, it is what allows us to fight the good fight, don't ever let it pull you astray and fight for another reason then for Jesus Christ.

The foot gear is the Zeal of willingness.. when God says GO, you GO! simple right. say yes to the Lord. When he asks you to step to the plate, just do it. no need to question, he has you on the right path.

and of course the Sword of the Holy Spirit is the Word of God. Love is giving of your time. So show your love to God, but taking time to learn, read and know him and his Word.
You must have knowledge of the battle you are fighting. If its Pro life, know Culture of Life, if its GK, know the work of Jesus and the poor. Be there brothers and sisters, and do it in His name.

So know this, A Christian soldier is ordinary but God will allow you to do extraordinary thing, the solider will always focus on the work of Love.. this is the basis of all our work because God is LOVE. and we always fight for the right causes.. the cause will move people, but the Love is what will allow us to finish the fight in a winning position.

What is the stance we must take?
We must be Pro God, Pro Family, Pro Poor and Pro Life.
Yes, even you who wishes to be a servant leader and an agent of change, these things will be required of you in order for you to move forward. This will not make you rich on Earth, but will yield you the treasures in Heaven.

Then there is the caliber, that or a leader, a martyr, courage, faithfulness, purity, truth, a warrior, a Shepard and a steward.. these things will build you up as a soldier in the spiritual battle.

You'll be surprised how they move you as well in everything in your life. They will bring you riches, they will bring you excitement and they will bring you everlasting peace.

So if you thought this was out of place, think again. These values are the foundation of Servant Leadership, and in order to endure the change in any setting, whether it be corporate, retail or service, we must learn to love and protect ourselves and those we are called to steward.

Pray on this one.. its a lot.. but then again, its just scratching the service of our calling as soldiers and leaders in our industries and our world.