“March Forth”

Joel 2:7 They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks:

“Left Right Left!”  “Left Right Left!”  “Left Right Left!” 

Today Soldiers, We March Forth!

There’s a vicious cycle that happens in our Christian life.  We have times of great victory and peace.  We’re able to shout the glory!  However we err in that we do not recognize these attacks from Satan and resist them as we should: Discouragement, Disappointment, Disillusionment, Depression and many others. All of these things are Oppressive and are Attacks of Satan.  All of these things can be overcome by “Resisting the Devil and He WILL FLEE from you”!

Many of you who’ve been soldiers for God in your life have been through many battles.  You’ve seen your fellow Christian soldiers wounded, you’ve even cared enough to apply spiritual first aid to them when you didn’t have to.  You carried faithfully the Banner of God’s truth in this warfare and even suffered ridicule for it.  You pressed on anyway.  But yet as time itself marches on relentlessly, God’s soldiers have found themselves ambushed, cold-cocked, left wounded, stranded, above strength to go on and even left laying on the battlefield.

Some of you have even become victims of friendly fire.  Your own Christian brothers and sisters have wounded you.  Each day when the sun comes up and we find ourselves looking out from the bunker to view what will come on this new day on the same battlefield, things can become overwhelming and frustrating to the degree that many of us have been tempted to give up the fight.  But if it were easy, everyone would be doing it. It’s not easy; it’s difficult and only the toughest ones are the one’s God chooses! Get up! Carry on!

God Himself has called us into this spiritual war.  Everyone wants to be a Christian, but not everyone can be a soldier because it’s not easy.  Soldiering takes commitment.  It’s muddy and nasty!  It’s bloody.  There’s much violence and bloodshed.  On the battlefield, we see the intense extreme conditions of Satan’s destruction on our human race. It’s enough to make anyone walk away and never return.    

Although there is honor, there’s very little appreciation.  Your motivation for being a soldier is not seen.  No one pats you on the back and says “Press on Soldier.  You’re fighting well!”  Only Jesus Himself cares enough to speak those much needed and meaningful words.

Not only is there no appreciation for a soldier, most Christians won’t even acknowledge your spiritual military service.  However, that’s not why we fight anyway.  We fight because our God has called us into this fight.  We battle and wage warfare because there is a mandate upon our souls and we would rather die than to fail Christ our Saviour!  Even though it’s hard, we get up and go again.  Although our bodies are tired and our minds can become defeated along the battle, still yet we fall in line and press; WE MARCH FORTH!

We do not consider the trials of the past, we march forth.  We do not remember the failures and defeats of yesterday,  we march forth.  Although we may look upon the scars of battle, we recognize God has healed us, and so, we march forth!  We do not remain in the place of defeat, discouragement, depression, disillusionment, we March Forth!

Hup, 2, 3, 4!  Hup, 2, 3, 4!  We march!  Your left foot, your right foot!  Your left, your right!  One foot in front of the other!  One step at a time we press on!  We keep moving!  We march forth!  The marching of God’s soldiers takes the reminiscent sound like a mixture sound of a steady War Drum and the cracking of Thunder. 

With the weight of military gear slamming against rifle, ammunition and armor, we march forth!  We march because the war still rages!  Satan is destroying our communities so we march forth.  Many people in the church don’t understand us, but we march forth.  Their eyes fail to see the reality of eternity and the countless souls diving off into the unquenchable fires of Hell, but we do see and, yes, we march forth. 

Each step in our march thunders like the sound of a drummer’s snare slamming beat after beat as we march step by step toward the enemy.  We will not retreat, we march forth.  We will not stop, we march forth!

We March Blindly.  We care not what the next battle will bring forth, we march.  We march because Jesus has told us to march.  We March to Orders.  We March with Purpose.  We have no personal agenda.  We do not seek glory or gain.  We march with the resolve of God’s mission in our hearts.  We march as to be nothing but well-pleasing unto God. 

We March with the Attitude that we cannot be defeated, because Greater is He that is within me than he that is in the world.  We march violently this means we are mobilized with the intent to destroy everything in our pathway so that we tread upon serpents and scorpions and over ALL THE POWER OF THE ENEMY!  Onward we march to rescue the perishing!  We march because souls are in the balance!

Satan can compass you (totally surround you) but cannot overtake you.  Satan can stand against you, but cannot move you because God is at your right hand and you shall not be moved.  Psalm 16:8.   

Satan can fight you, but cannot defeat you, because we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.  Romans 8:37.  And because He always causeth us to triumph in Christ.  2 Corinthians 2:14.

Hell can attack you, but not harm you because Jesus said nothing shall by any means hurt you!  Luke 10:19

Hell can storm in like a flood, but cannot overtake your territory, because Isaiah 59:19 says the Spirit of the Lord shall raise up a standard against him!

The Armies of Darkness can scheme and formulate strategy against you, but cannot thwart you.  Satan can attack your mind, but cannot deceive you. 

We have the upper hand.  We have the high ground.  We have the strongest weapons!  We have an unfair advantage over the devil.  Most of all, we have the secret weapon, Jesus!

The only way Satan wins is if I quit!  The only way he can cut off my supply line of strength is if he can get me to doubt God’s provision and help in the battle.  God will help me and that right early.  Psalm 46.!  A thousand shall fall at thy side, and then thousand at thy right hand, but it shall not come nigh thee.  Psalm 91.

There is no losing in this war if you will refuse to quit!

I hear the voice of the commander, “March two three four!”

Onward Christian Soldiers Marching as to War!