The Burdens of War

War.

Ever since the fall, mankind has been at war. At war with God, our fellow man, and with ourselves. In fact, we live in a world where the very creation is at war with itself due to the result of sin and the curse. Nature demonstrates a paradoxical state of occasional cooperation and collaboration while simultaneously exhibiting lethal force directed against other aspects within and around it.

Correspondingly, we are also in a constant spiritual war, as Scripture makes clear.

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12)

Avoiding Conflict Isn’t an Option

Most modern western countries have a voluntary draft so citizens can choose whether or not to be directly involved in military conflict. But we have no choice as to whether we enlist and engage in the spiritual battle waging all around us, as we have an enemy that will bring the battle to us whether we prepare and practice for conflict or not. The Bible reminds us:

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8)

The Apostle Paul even went so far as to command the believers in Ephesus to put on spiritual ‘armor’ because of the inevitable relentless attacks the enemy was sure to bring against them. His analogy came from the physical armor that would have been all too familiar to his audience—the standard battle garb worn by the ubiquitous Roman soldiers throughout Caesar’s empire.

Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. (Ephesians 6:14–17)

Believers who do not heed God’s warning and simply seek to avoid and/or flee from combat should understand that without a defense and a means of attack (the truth and authority of God’s Word), they will be nothing more than ‘sitting ducks’ that will get mowed down by the enemy when an assault inevitably comes. So, the question then is how best to be engaged in spiritual combat, not whether you will be involved or not.

Gearing Up for Battle

The famous military journalist and historian Brigadier General Samuel Lyman Atwood Marshall (nicknamed ‘SLAM’) did extensive and insightful analysis on armed conflict in the 20th century and throughout history. He’d served with the American Expeditionary Forces in WW I and became a journalist and operations analyst specializing in military affairs after that.

Much of his work focused on the combat effectiveness of the average individual soldier (the backbone of any army) and noted that throughout the centuries, soldiers have long carried heavy burdens into combat, both physical and psychological. His two core concepts involving battlefield success were as follows:

The basic theme is elementary and should be beyond argument: no logistical system is sound unless its first principle is enlightened conservation of the power of the individual fighter.

The secondary theme . . . is that sustained fear in the . . . individual is as degenerative as prolonged fatigue and exhausts body energy no less . . . this second proposition is commonly accepted in medical and military circles.

In summary, maximizing and preserving the battle effectiveness of the average soldier and preventing fear and fatigue is essential.

The Iron Triangle

Because soldiers must physically carry every piece of personal equipment into battle, they are limited by what is known as the ‘iron triangle.’ This consists of the tradeoffs between mobility, protection, and lethality (the ability to eliminate enemy forces).

Mobility can be improved by reducing weight, but improvements in protection or lethality typically add weight. Thus, soldiers remain trapped within the constraints of this Iron Triangle in a never-ending search for a perfect allocation of each element.

Addressing the physical burden soldiers face, Marshall concluded:

For the last 3,000 years, dismounted soldiers carried 55 to 60 pounds on average.1

Although today’s soldiers sometimes carry even greater loads, his analysis shows that the average soldier can carry somewhere between 60–80 pounds while still functioning effectively.

Extraordinarily (addressing the psychological burden soldiers face), Marshall’s most famous and controversial work, Men Against Fire: The Problem of Battle Command, concluded that less than 25% of men in live combat actually fired their weapons at an enemy. And while this conclusion’s accuracy has been challenged, it’s been verified by multiple independent studies done by active armies back to the 18th century.2

There have been various explanations for why this “low fire rate” occurs (ranging from stress, lack of proper training, or simply the reluctance of the average person to kill their fellow man even under the threat of their own death).

Regardless, experts have determined some very definitive conclusions as to what an effective army must do for and understand about their front-line combatants to be effective.

Fatigue and Fear

Simply put, any effective army must equip its average soldier with a minimum of three things—basic tactical and strategic combat knowledge, effective protection, and a reliable weapon. And their biggest nullifiers to battle effectiveness are fatigue and fear. Not surprisingly, these factors involving physical conflict are also true of the average Christian soldier out there in the “real world” doing spiritual battle as well.

Ask the most vigilant evangelistic warrior you know (such as Ray Comfort of Living Waters ministry in the US or the Equipping Evangelist Cory Mckenna from the Cross Current ministry here in Canada), and you will hear them readily admit that the number one thing they must contend with every time they engage in spiritual battle and contending for lost souls is fear.

Spiritual Fatigue

The Christian worldview is a ready target in culture today, with the enemy bringing a constant salvo of arguments and objections to the validity of the accuracy of Scripture and the existence of the God of the Bible. We see it constantly in education and media, and the sheer volume of such an offense can be wearisome. However, what can be even more burdening is not having answers to the questions the world is bringing—in essence, not having a defense of your faith (as 1 Peter 3:15 commands us to have).

It can become like a mounting heap of doubt, perhaps shunted to the back of your mind, but ever-present nonetheless. It may become a constant nagging in believers’ minds as to whether they can really trust in the promises of God and the authority of his Word as plainly written.

Like a soldier adding several small items to his rucksack over time, the cumulative effect is like a weight that eventually slows them down, making engaging the enemy seem futile and frightening, demoralizing and wearing them out. Ultimately, this makes them content to simply “hunker down” and let others fight their battles for them.

Understanding Apologetics

The term apologetics is often misunderstood. Some Christians think it has to do with believers apologizing for the negative events caused by professing believers or the Bible itself. But the term is derived from the Greek word apologia, the word used by Peter in 1 Peter 3:15, where he exhorts believers to have a reasoned defense (apologia) for our faith and hope in Christ. In essence, the word has connotations that combine both defensive and offensive components, similar to a legal trial where a lawyer presents a defense for his client while simultaneously attacking his opponent’s view and tearing down their defense.

So, studying and utilizing Christian apologetics is not meant to be a passive activity. Its primary function is to fortify the believer’s faith and to remove stumbling blocks that may hinder someone from coming to the faith. As 2 Corinthians 10:5 states:

We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5)

Overcoming Fear

Military, police, and self-defense instructors know that there are two main factors accumulated incrementally over time that help individuals overcome fear in critical situations: knowledge and practical experience. An individual must have both elements. Knowledge without practical application is rarely effective, and practical experience without training can have some terrible results.

For example, how many people, wanting to feel confident of their childrens’ ability to swim, would want them to take classes without ever getting in a pool? And on the other hand, how many would want classes for their children consisting of simply flinging them into the deep end with no preparation?

Similarly, just like the Apostle Paul’s analogy of a boxer simply ‘beating the air’ in 1 Corinthians 9:26, true victory must be gained in actual competition. The knowledge the pugilist has previously acquired (otherwise, how would they have known how to throw punches?) must be applied in a competitive manner in order to gain points and achieve a ‘win.’

So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. (1 Corinthians 9:26)

Learning a good defense against the enemy’s attacks and being armed with the authority of God’s Word is essential to walk and witness effectively. It is a surefire way to overcome spiritual fatigue and fear. So, where to start?

Step 1: Get Equipped

Studying biblical apologetics in conjunction with personal Bible reading is a perfect way for a believer to unburden themselves from the fears surrounding trust in God’s Word that may have built up over time (often unknowingly, until a believer performs an honest examination of his or her “spiritual baggage”).

As Christians not only discard doubts they may have had but trade them in for refreshing, faith-building answers, they often feel renewed freedom and boldness in their walk and witness. But how can you fit yet another thing in, especially with the busy schedules most people keep?

[W]alk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. (Ephesians 5:16)

But how? I don’t have time to study apologetics!

Obviously, Answers in Genesis has an abundance of resources that Christians can make use of, but many have likely purchased books and perhaps never even got around to reading them for various time-related reasons. But as we’ve seen, equipping ourselves must be a priority in our lives.

While it’s true that none of us have extra time, we do have wasted time (waiting in traffic, for appointments, commuting, picking up children, getting groceries, doing chores, etc.). These can be transformed into a valuable faith-building and equipping investment through our brand-new AiG–CA Online Equipping Academy called Answers to Go!

Answers to Go! How does it work?

Simply go to Answerstogo.ca and sign up for one of our free motivational modules tackling a variety of topics, and we’ll enroll you in a compact audio/video series with content of varying lengths that will easily “fit into the cracks” of your busy schedule in a bite-sized format. Pop a shortcut onto whatever devices you use (instructions provided), and you’ll have the ability to learn at the touch of a button.

What about dinosaurs? How can Christians explain the different “races” of people if we came from only two people? Was Noah’s flood real? What about the Ark? These are all questions you can learn while waiting for a beverage, traveling, or working around the house. There’s no excuse not to get started today!

Step 2: Start Sharing

It’s amazing how much more confident we can be when we feel equipped and emboldened to speak the truth in love to those around us, which is where putting that knowledge into practice will come into play. Further help in starting to share can be found in our Gospel Reset evangelism curriculum, providing practical, winsome, and effective ways to initiate gospel conversations with family and friends.

Warriors for Christ

So, if you’ve been feeling spiritually “flabby” and want to start a training regimen to get you in shape but lack the motivation, remember that being a non-combatant isn’t an option. We serve a mighty king that has enlisted us to serve in his army. We need to start now, overcome fear and fatigue, and be examples to the next generation that are sure to be tested by our relentless foe. As the Apostle Paul encouraged:

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. (Ephesians 6:13)