Are We Casualties of War?
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· 258 viewsThe title of the message is "Are we casualties of war?" We ask that question because we all know that we are engaged in a war. From the moment you are saved until the moment you die, you are drafted into battle. This isn't just a war over land or power, or some other worldly thing, this isn't even a battle for our life. This is a battle for our soul and for all eternity. This is the most important war we will ever fight.
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Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Good morning and welcome back!
This morning we are going to be looking at a passage found in Hebrews 11, if you want to start looking for it in your Bibles.
And the title of this morning’s message is "Are we casualties of war?"
And I ask that question because whether we have realized it yet or not, we are engaged in a war.
From the moment we are saved until the moment we die, you are drafted into battle.
And this isn't a war over land or power, or some other worldly thing, this isn't even a battle for our life.
This is a battle for our soul and for all eternity.
This is the most important war we will ever fight.
And the question we have to ask ourselves this morning is are we casualties of this war?
And when we think about a “casualty” we automatically go to someone killed in battle, but that is only part of the actual definition.
So, what does it mean to actually be a casualty?
If you look it up in the dictionary, Webster's defines the term casualty as this:
a: A military person lost through death, wounds, injury, sickness, internment, or capture or through being missing in action
b : a person or thing injured, lost, or destroyed.
So by the very definition, we see that a casualty can fall into many categories.
They can be those who are :
1. Killed in battle.
2. Seriously wounded in battle.
3. Injured in battle.
4. Fell ill during battle.
5. Captured in battle by the enemy.
6. Listed as missing in action.
And, the questions we must answer are,
(1) Do we fit into any of these categories now?
(2) Have we ever fit into any of these categories?
(3) What are we going to do about it?
So, that’s the direction we are going in this morning, but I wanted to start out with a passage from Hebrews 11, starting in verse 32.
It states . . .
Scripture Focus
Scripture Focus
And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawn in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and ill-treated— the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.
Recap of Faith
Recap of Faith
And that passage I just read is all about faith and the promise that is guaranteed to us, if we can keep the faith.
It outlines several heroes of the Bible who . . .
who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawn in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and ill-treated—
They faced insurmountable odds and overcame, because of one thing—faith.
And it is that same faith that carries us through.
That same faith that makes eternity possible for us.
But look at verses 39 and 40 . . .
These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.
And that is why we endure.
Realizing Where We Are Right Now
Realizing Where We Are Right Now
However, before we can ever receive the promise or enjoy the fruits of our labor, we first have to realize where we currently stand with God and where we are in the battle.
Because, in a Christian's walk there are many battles that we will face and many enemies we will fight.
Each one of these battles does one of two things, it will either make us stronger in the Lord or it will make us weaker.
James warns us . . .
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
And thinking about that against our definition of being a casualty, let’s break it down a bit . . .
1. Injured during battle
Has someone ever said something in church or someone who claims to be a Christian that has hurt your feelings?
Have things gone a different direction than you think they have and you have been made mad or hurt your feelings?
Left a bad taste in your mouth?
That’s what it means to be injured.
Look here at a few Scriptures regarding those who engage in this type of behavior . . .
Like one who seizes a dog by the ears is a passer-by who meddles in a quarrel not his own.
We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies.
Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not to.
Basically people that can’t mind their own business and are always acting as busybodies and gossips, God has no use for that type of behavior.
It is hurtful and ungodly and if we are engaged in any of it, we need to stop it!
But, what if it goes deeper than that . . .
2. Seriously Wounded
Has someone ever violated your trust or shaken your faith to the point that you have quit the church and become angry at God before?
That is exactly what this is like and it can make you a casualty of war.
And God has something to say about that as well . . .
A scoundrel and villain, who goes about with a corrupt mouth, who winks with his eye, signals with his feet and motions with his fingers, who plots evil with deceit in his heart— he always stirs up dissension. Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant; he will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy. There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.
Which is exactly why I am so hard against this sort of stuff.
It does nothing but tear people down and if God hates it then so should we.
But wait there’s more . . .
3. Fell ill during battle
Have you ever become physically or spiritually weak during the trials and the tribulations of this life?
Maybe you have become ill or taken care of a sick loved one.
Maybe you are under financial strain or some other worry.
This makes you ill and you become weary.
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
This next one though is something that at different times many of us may have been guilty of . . .
4. Missing in Action
You have been a slacker like we talked about last week.
Or, you have slowly fell away from God.
You have began to slide on your walk with God.
You don't pray, you don't read your Bible, you don't fellowhship with other Christians.
You stop coming to church and fall back into that old lifestyle.
You, in essence, are a backslider.
My people are determined to turn from me. Even if they call to the Most High, he will by no means exalt them.
The faithless will be fully repaid for their ways, and the good man rewarded for his.
“When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.”
Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?
Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.
That is a bad place to be.
But maybe you are there because you have been taken captive. You have been . . .
5. Captured by the enemy
The thing about being captured has to do with unrepentant sin.
That holds you captive and you cannot escape.
The devil has you deceived and trapped.
The only hope is that Jesus comes and rescues you.
Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?
But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
“No-one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
And unfortunately, unless something is done, eventually you are killed by the enemy, which is our last one . . .
6. Killed by the enemy
He has destroyed your faith.
Destroyed your walk with God.
Destroyed your witness.
Destroyed your soul.
Which is his purpose and his mission all along . . .
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
And we can’t say that this doesn’t apply to us either because . . .
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
And the every end result . . .
Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practise magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulphur. This is the second death.”
And the sad thing is, we don’t hear much about the end result of being a casualty of war in the church these days.
It is uncomfortable so we don’t want to talk about it.
So we avoid it.
But folks there is no avoiding it.
Death, hell, and destruction are all that await those who refuse Christ.
That’s it.
Altar/Challenge
Altar/Challenge
So, where do we find yourself in the war?
Have we ever been a casualty?
Are we a casualty now?
You know, I think that we have all been there to some degree.
We have all been hurt before, maybe even wounded.
Many of us have been missing in action at times.
We have been there but we do not have to stay there.
Jesus tells us:
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Maybe that’s where we are at, burdened down and need to be lifted up.
Maybe we are prisoners of war right now.
Been convinced that Jesus has abandoned us.
Folks, Jesus hasn't abandoned us.
Jesus can save us.
Jesus wants to save us.
If we are a Backslider, we can come back to Him.
Lost soul come to Jesus.
The devil has no authority over us.
All we have to do is make that one step of faith and Jesus will do the rest.
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.
Let’s pray . . .