I consider myself to be a warrior in every way. I'm ex-Military, ex-Law Enforcement, ex-Youth Pastor(I know, that's a lot of ex's. I allow God to use me wherever he needs me the most). To me, there are three different parts of the warrior and God has managed to utilize all three parts in my life.
First, the Physical: as a Military warrior, physical condition is crucial and can literally be the difference between life and death in the heat of the battle.
Second, the Mental: Although Law Enforcement is also very physical, there is a definite mental side that is just as dangerous.
Third, the Spiritual: this seems to be the part of the warrior that God wants me to focus on. As a Youth Pastor, I dealt with troubled teens on a daily basis and it was a true blessing. I had to approach warfare a totally different way though. It wasn't physical or mental; I now had to battle with my spirit. Fighting a foe that I couldn't physically see required an element of faith.
Ephesians 6:12 states: "For our struggle is not against flesh and 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."
We live in a world where the Spiritual Warfare side of the Church isn't openly taught. It seems to be taboo. I recently had a self-proclaimed devout Christian tell me "...the Devil is a lie." If we do not acknowledge that our foe exists, how can we battle against him? He has already lost the battle, thanks to Jesus dying on the cross and being raised from the dead.
Not everyone is a warrior on the front line of the battlefield. There are many different spiritual gifts within the body of Christ. We all should at least recognize that there is a spiritual war going on 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 52 weeks per year. We must wear the full armor of God the entire time. Satan is constantly looking for a weakness in our armor.
As long as we belong to Jesus Christ, we're fighting on the right side. If you aren't sure whether you belong to Jesus Christ or not, please find a Christian that you trust and tell them. The decision to follow Jesus Christ has eternal effects.
