Combat Fatigue

Well, thank you once again, and happy SAPIS again.

Today, I would like to discuss combat fatigue. Combat fatigue. We often use the analogy of being a soldier in our Christian lives and refer to it as a spiritual battle. From our hymnal, we sing a song that's onward, Christian soldiers. And when we look at the writings of Paul, we see that he often used the analogy of our lives being like a soldier. Did you know? Do you understand? Do you appreciate the fact that believers, that you and I, can run the risk of combat fatigue? Now, today they have a different term for it. They call it PTSD, otherwise known as post-traumatic stress disorder, is what they call it today. Throughout history, it's also been called shell shock. They've had a number of terms for it. Throughout history, here's what the free dictionary dot com says, how it defines battle fatigue. Quote, any of a variety of psychological disorders, usually temporary, but sometimes permanent, resulting from exhaustion, distress of combat, or the cumulative emotions and psychological strain of warfare, or other traumatic situations. It is characterized by anxiety, depression, irritability, memory and sleep disorders, and various related symptoms.

End of quote. We're brethren, I believe that we indeed are in a spiritual battle, and often at times throughout our lives, we do get beat down, don't we? We emotionally become worn out.

Here's a sad report that was on the internet yesterday that I picked up that I thought truly was sad. This was from the Associated Press. And again, this was news yesterday. Quote, suicides are surging among American troops, averaging nearly one a day this year, the fastest pace in the nation's decade of war. The 154 suicides for active duty troops in the first 155 days of the year, far out distance, the U.S. forces killed in action in Afghanistan, about 50% more.

According to the Pentagon statistics obtained by the Associated Press, it continues, quote, the numbers reflect a military burdened with wartime demands from Iraq and Afghanistan, and have taken a greater toll than foreseen a decade ago. The military is also struggling with increased sexual assaults, alcohol abuse, domestic violence, and other misbehavior. End of quote. I find this to be very sad because if you look at these soldiers who are committing suicide at a rate of one a day, they're in the prime of their lives physically. It'll never get any better than it is for them in physically speaking. Yet, something inside them made them give up hope.

Something inside them a hole that they had inside their hearts exhausted their desire to live.

Well, spiritually speaking, brethren, can the same thing happen to us? Can the same thing be true of you and I? Let's go to 1 Peter chapter 5 beginning in verse 6 and see a warning that Peter gave the church. 1 Peter chapter 5 and verse 6.

Peter certainly understood that we can become weary, that we can become spiritually weak, that we can experience spiritual combat fatigue, and put ourselves in a position where we can become someone's prey, that's P-R-E-Y. We can allow that to happen to ourselves.

We can allow circumstances and our approach to life to do that to us. 1 Peter chapter 5 and verse 6. He says, therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time. That is such an important point because human beings want to be exalted now. Human beings, you know, we live in an instant society today. We want instant breakfast, instant credit, and we want everything instantly and not have to wait for it in our Western culture anymore. And he says, don't be in such a hurry. Don't be impatient. Humble yourself because God's promise is to exalt you in due time. Verse 7, casting all your care upon him, for he cares for you. Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. He says Satan is intimidating. He is roaring. He's nasty. He's mean. That roar means that I'm coming after you. Verse 9, resist him steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. So don't think that you're being picked on or there's something unique going on in our lives. Are you suffering with financial difficulties right now? I can assure you that you have brothers and sisters in Christ in Africa and in Asia and in Australia who are also struggling with financial problems. Are you going through a health issue right now that has you down, a chronic disease, or something that you're struggling with? I want to encourage you by realizing that you have brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, who in South America and in Africa and in the Philippines are also struggling with serious health issues. The same sufferings are being experienced by our brothers and sisters in Christ in the world. Verse 10, but may the God of all grace who called us to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you, to him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. So Peter wants us to remember that Satan is a spiritual predator.

He's an adversary. He's not our friend. He's not neutral. He's not just standing by the sidelines. He is our adversary. He is hungry for destruction, seeking to devour the spiritually weak and those that are proud. Peter would not have written this if there was not a possibility, a distinct possibility, a probability that the church would be at risk because of the attacks of Satan the devil. Turn with me now to Deuteronomy chapter 25 and verse 17.

A thing that I love about Scripture, the thing that I love personally most about Bible study, are the rich analogies, the rich parallels, the rich metaphors between things that happened in the past and how they apply to you and I right now. To me, it is just so exciting when I read these Scriptures and I see the parallel that God intended for us today through an event that occurred thousands and thousands of years ago. The duality of the messages of God's Word to me are just so inspiring and here yet is another example. Deuteronomy chapter 25 and verse 17.

A little bit of context. Israel had left Egypt. Much like you and I recalled and we left this world.

They left Pharaoh's control. Just like spiritually speaking, you and I rejected Satan and started heading towards our promised land that we call and understand as the kingdom of God.

Deuteronomy chapter 25 and verse 17. Remember what Amalek did to you on the way that you were coming out of Egypt. How he met you on the way and attacked your rear ranks. All the stragglers at your rear when you were tired and weary and did not fear God. Meaning when your faith was low, when you had lost your faith and confidence in God. Verse 19. Therefore it shall be written when the Lord your God has given you rest from your enemies all around and the land which your Lord your God has given you to possess as an inheritance that you will blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven you shall not forget. Brethren, spiritually speaking, I have seen this going on in God's church ever since I have been around. You see, today Amalek is none other than Satan the devil and his demons. Personally, they began to attack you the very day that you repented and you decided to walk God's way of life. They know just the right temptations to throw in your way because they know us sometimes better than we're willing to admit that we know ourselves.

They know the right temptations. They know the weakest areas to attack us on, and they have one goal. That is to get us to stop walking towards the promised land, to get us to quit, to get us to go AWOL, to get us to turn around and run away. That is their goal, and their attacks are especially hard on you and I when we are tired and under stress, when we're going through some challenges in life and maybe our faith is a little weak. It isn't as strong as it should be.

That is when their attacks are the strongest upon us and most difficult. I've also seen a similar attack on the church overall as the body of Christ. Over the years, I've seen those who slowed down, those who looked back behind them, and those who straggled behind being picked off by Satan, and I've seen that over the last 40 years. They were often distracted from their forward march by a serious problem they refused to overcome. Sometimes it was a pet doctrine that they embraced to avoid the serious problem they refused to overcome. But I have seen over the years that those who just kind of held back, those who worked with the program, those who were on the fringes of the church of God have been picked off by Satan one by one because we are all in a tremendous, weakened strait when we are not part of the body of Jesus Christ. Let's go now to Matthew 9 and verse 35. God has always been very concerned about people, not just those whom he has called as his first fruits, but all people. And God has a particular compassion, a particular sense of pity, of concern when he sees people that are weary, when he sees people that are struggling, when he sees people that are scattered. Why? Because they're vulnerable. They're vulnerable to Satan. They're vulnerable to being used and manipulated. Matthew 9 and verse 35.

It says, Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.

Verse 36. But when he saw the multitudes, just people, everywhere, people, people, people, people, he was moved with compassion on them because they were weary and scattered like sheep having no shepherds. Then he said to his disciples, The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.

Therefore, pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. So Jesus looked out upon all of these people, and he was deeply touched with compassion. He saw the weariness. He saw the suffering of other people. He knew that there was no moral or religious leadership, and all of Judea. These people were all just doing their own thing. They were confused, and what so-called leadership there was, the Pharisees and the Sadducees were a pretty sad lot of self-righteous human beings that no one wanted to follow anyway. He was touched by their condition, and he asked his disciples to pray for increased laborers, more laborers, so that the harvest could be sped up and increased. So the harvest time would be shorter, so the suffering wouldn't have to go on so long. He was concerned about them, and Jesus Christ is concerned about you and I. If we are going through battle fatigue, if we're struggling with battle fatigue in our own lives, I want you to understand that Jesus Christ has compassion, and that Jesus Christ wants us to restore that zeal and first love that we had for him from the very beginning. Let's go now to Galatians chapter 6. Galatians chapter 6. If also Paul could also see the risk of combat fatigue within the congregations that he pastored. He was very common in understanding that this was an issue.

Galatians chapter 6 and verse 1, he says, Brethren, if a man is overtaken in a trespass, you who are spiritual restore one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. So he says if someone in the congregation is struggling with a sin, and you have an opportunity because you are spiritually mature to talk about it with them, he says do it in a spirit of gentleness because tomorrow it won't be the same temptation. It will be one that you're weak on. Tomorrow you may be facing a serious temptation, so you may be at risk tomorrow. So understanding that you go to this person, you approach them in the spirit of gentleness. Verse 12, bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. What's the law of Christ? Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself. So he says bear one another's burdens because we show love for each other when we bear our own burdens. Verse 3, for if anyone thinks himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself, but let each one examine his own work. My job is to examine my work.

Your job is to examine your work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone and not in another.

So if you're trying to grow and overcome and you overcome a sin, you develop more bountifully one of the fruits of God's Holy Spirit. You have a right to be joyful. You have a right to be happy, to rejoice in yourself for what you've been able to do. That's a good thing. Verse 5, for each one should bear his own load. Let him who has taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches there should be equity. Verse 7, do not be deceived. God is not mocked for whatever a man sows that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will reap the Spirit of everlasting life. And now verse 9, and let us not grow weary while doing good. For in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Do you notice how the last part of his statement parallels so well with what we just read from Peter about five minutes ago. Paul says, in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Peter had said in 1 Peter 5, in due time we will be exalted. Do you remember that? He said, after we have suffered a while we will be settling. And Paul is saying that when one is suffering from combat fatigue and they lose heart, meaning we lose hope, we stop marching forward towards the goal of the kingdom of God. And that is not a good thing, because if we deal with the battle fatigue long enough, we're either going to quit the army or we're going to make ourselves vulnerable to the enemy by straggling behind our brothers and sisters in Christ.

And the first serious sign of battle fatigue is to stop attending Sabbath services regularly. Now, there are certainly legitimate reasons not to attend Sabbath services. Maybe else, certainly a legitimate reason. You may have to care for a loved one, an elderly loved one or someone, and you may have to suspend attending services sometimes. Maybe you get in in the morning, your car won't start. Well, that's certainly a legitimate reason not to attend services. Brethren, and I understand that there are certainly legitimate reasons, but human nature and the human mind being the way that it is, we can also create a lot of artificial reasons not to come to church. And why is that? Battle fatigue. We just don't think it's important. Or maybe we're uncomfortable around people. Or maybe we lack the motivation to come and worship God on His Sabbath day. But that is an early, serious sign that battle fatigue is setting in when we stop attending Sabbath services on a regular basis. The word that Paul uses for weary here is from a Greek word e-k-k-a-k-e-o. E-k-k-a-k-e-o. And it's pronounced e-k-k-o, and it means to be weak or to fail in heart. Paul said he did not want us to fail in heart. He did not want us to stop doing good. Keep doing what you need to do.

Let's now go to 2 Thessalonians chapter 3 and verse 5. 2 Thessalonians chapter 3 and verse 5, another example of Paul being concerned that some of the brethren were becoming weary in doing good. Now, this is kind of a unique situation. This is in context.

The brethren at that time, the entire church, thought that Christ could come any day now. That was their belief. Paul thought that Jesus Christ would come in his lifetime. He could come any day now. And that in itself is okay. The problem was that there were certain individuals within the churches who decided to quit working. And they expected those who were working, of course, to provide for them and take care of them. And they were spending all day playing.

So you had some brethren diligently working. And then you had other brethren diligently playing all day. And Paul saw that this was going on. And he also saw that those who were giving, giving, giving, giving, giving, those who were working, were tiring of this nonsense going on.

So he says here, we'll pick it up in chapter 3 and verse 5, Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and to the patience of Christ.

But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us.

So there were individuals, if I can put it in a modern sense, who were like spiritual hobos, just walking around, expecting a free meal, chewing the fat all day, flapping their gums, and rejecting the tradition that had been received in the church with this new truth, enlightenment that they have received. Verse 7, For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you. Paul says, I was not a spiritual hobo, verse 8, nor did we eat any one's bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day that we might not be a burden to you.

So Paul, who was a tentmaker, said that I, to set an example to you, congregation at Thessalonica, I worked 24-7, making tents, so that I could pastor and take care of your congregation. He said, I didn't take anything free from you. I didn't take money, food, nothing. I worked my way to set an example. He says in verse 9, not because we do not have authority, saying I could have asked you to support me and take care of me, Paul said, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us, verse 10, for even when we were with you, we commanded you this. If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat, for we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but our busy bodies. You know, translate that from the Greek people that are interfering in other people's lives. That's what that word means from the Greek.

Now those who are such, we command you and exhort you through our Lord Jesus Christ, that they work in quietness. In contrast to shooting their mouths off all the time, in contrast to telling everybody how much they know, he said that they work in quietness and eat their own bread and not eat the bread of other people in the congregation who are being productive. So again, in context, some of the brethren in the congregation thought that the return of Christ was going to happen any day now. So they quit working. They had no visible means of support. Now, since they didn't work, meaning they weren't productive, and I'd like to define that because it doesn't mean that you have to be doing something 24-7. We have a lot of retirees in the church. They don't physically work, but they're productive. You say they do productive things during the day to help their family or to help other church members. They are productive, so that's the key here. Since some were unproductive and they chose to be unproductive, they had far too much time to babble and gossip and promote teachings that were contrary to the truth, and Paul needed to correct this problem. So he said something in verse 13 for the brethren. He says, but as for you, brethren, he's talking about those who were productive. He says, as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good. I'm sure that at first the working brethren supported the busy bodies because that's the instinct of a Christian to help people around them, and when someone has a need, it is a right and godly instinct to help them. And I'm sure they gave, and they gave, and they gave, and then in time it became evident that some people just had no motivation to work or do anything productive in their lives. There was a problem, and those who had helped in time felt burned by those who played all day. Paul was telling the productive brethren not to allow being burned to make them stop caring for people with a genuine need.

Getting burned for trying to do something right is often a reason people get weary and start to experience combat fatigue. That's one major reason, a way, that we can experience combat fatigue. Over years we do what is right, we do what is right, we do what is right, and nothing seems to happen. Or we do what is right, and it comes back on us, and people don't appreciate it. We do what is right, and no one says thank you. We do what is right, and people criticize us for doing the right thing. These are reasons why battle fatigue can enter into God's people. So one way spiritual combat fatigue can begin is when we try to serve. We try to do what is right, but we get frustrated by it. We seem to get nowhere. Perhaps we've been taken advantage of for our kindness, or perhaps no one says thank you for the kinds of things that we do for them. And Paul's message here is keep doing the right things. Look beyond that. In due time, your reward will come. When the time is right, after you have suffered for a while, all of these phrases we read from Peter and Paul, a reward will come. So Paul encourages us to keep doing what's right and good, and remember the reward is in due season, in due time. So that is one major way that burnout can begin to appear, is we do the right things, but we get tired of doing the right things. We don't see any benefit in them. We don't see any positive results, and we begin to experience burnout.

Let's take a look at another way that combat fatigue can begin. Let's go to Hebrews 12, beginning in verse 1. Hebrews 12, beginning in verse 1. Another way that combat fatigue can begin is when we get a good old-fashioned spiritual spanking from our loving Father, from God.

He says, We also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight in the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.

Verse 2, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy was set before him, other translations say, who saw the joy ahead of him, and endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God, for consider him, who endured such hostility from sinners against himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. So sin, brethren, is like a heavy weight in our lives, and we have problems and issues that we oftentimes do not deal with effectively or the way that we should, and when those times come, a loving father corrects us with a trial. And when this happens, Paul tells us to look at the example of Christ and the trial he went through in order to be able to sit at the literal throne of God. In contrast, he was innocent, yet he experienced humiliation and shame on hostility from others. Now, if he was willing to accept these things being innocent, how about us, when we receive correction from God and we deserve it? Boy, do we deserve it! Verse 4, he says, you have not yet resisted the bloodshed. He said, I haven't seen too much bloodshed over the trial that we're going through, striving against sin, and you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as sons. My son do not despise the chastening of the Lord. You know, I have known brethren who despised the chastening of the Lord. And God put them through a trial, and they became bitter, they became angry with God, and they quit. They quit marching forward, they turned around, and went back to Egypt. They despised the chastening of the Lord. Nor be discouraged when you were rebuked by Him, for whom the Lord loves, He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives. Every one of us in time will be chastised by a loving Father who wants us to deal with the issue in ourselves that we have been denying or ignoring. Verse 7, if you endure chastening, God deals with you as sons, for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. What He's saying is, if you have a loving and caring Father, He chastens you eventually. Now, He may not spank you, but in time, your father's going to sit you down, he's going to lecture you, he's going to make you feel guilty, he's going to point out to you why you should have said or did the things that you did. That's what fathers are supposed to do. That's what legitimate fathers do. On the other hand, if you've never known your biological father, the odds are that he didn't do that, did he?

In that case, we're not really, that man is not really our father. He might be what they say, biological father, but he's not pop, he's not dad, he's not poppy. Verse 9, furthermore, we had human fathers who corrected us and we paid them respect. Sometimes that might have been limited to fear, but we knew that they could come crashing down on us. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the father of spirits and live? For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them. And our physical fathers did an imperfect job, but they, in most cases, they did what they thought was right because the family culture that they grew up in, they did what they thought was right. I mean, I can remember as a small boy, my cousin broke a window on our front porch and my stepfather came out, my cousin pointed at me, and I got wailed on. So they were imperfect.

They didn't always do everything right. They did what seemed best to them. But Paul says, in contrast, but he, for our prophet, God knows exactly what he's doing. And when we get chastised from him, it is for our benefit. He doesn't chastise us and say, oops, I'm sorry, I meant that for someone else.

No, God doesn't act that way. He's God. It's for our prophet that we may be partakers of his holiness. And when we root out sin from our lives, we go to a whole different level of holiness.

And we become partakers of his holiness. Verse 11, now, no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful. Nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. So when we have been disciplined, trained by our loving Father, and we go through that trial and instead of leaving, instead of going AWOL, instead of turning around and going the other way, when we accept that chastisement from our loving God, the end result, when we repent and we understand that a change needed to be made in our lives is the peaceable fruit of righteousness. Verse 12, he says, therefore strengthen the hands which hang down in the feeble knees and make straight paths for your feet so that what is lame may not be dislocated but rather be healed. We are chastised because when we're carrying a sin that we're not dealing with, we are like spiritually lame. And the whole purpose of God's chastisement is so that we can be healed, we can be made whole spiritually speaking.

So as I said earlier, sadly I've known people who wouldn't endure chastening from God. They became bitter towards Him. They blamed Him for every problem and every frustration that they had in their lives. Instead of running with endurance, they went AWOL and they quit. And if we recognize and accept the correction that God gives us, it leads to repentance and we become partakers of His holiness. Any good soldier obeys the orders of his commanding general. And if he refuses or if he disobeys an order, he knows there are consequences. And brethren, our commanding general is God Almighty Himself. He's given us laws and standards and values to live by. And if we refuse those, if we are disobedient, we can only expect that eventually, although He is patient, that eventually there are going to be consequences.

So our Father is in the process of creating holiness in us and He will occasionally need to correct us. So again, I'd like to recap two major ways they can develop battle fatigue. Number one again was doing good, doing right, and feeling like we've been abused or taken for granted. We can get weary when we do that. And that's why Paul emphasized so good, do not get weary in doing good. This phrase a couple of times we read. The second reason is receiving correction from God, usually the consequence of sin returning to haunt us until we acknowledge it and we accept it and overcome it.

That's very important. Let's now go to Revelation chapter 2 beginning in verse 1. Revelation chapter 2 beginning in verse 1.

I'd like to review a statement Jesus Christ makes to one of His congregations at the end of the age shortly before His return.

In context, book of Revelation chapter 2, there are seven churches. All the churches exist at the same time. There's a mail route and the churches are on this mail route.

And here's what Christ says, to the angel of the church of Ephesus write, these things says he who holds the seven stars, those are assigned angels whose role is to look over his churches, in his right hand who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands, that's symbolic for the churches themselves. Jesus obviously walks in the midst of His churches.

Verse 2, I know your works, your labor, your patience, that you cannot bear those who are evil. You have tested those who say they are apostles and are not. And we have tested those who say they are the two witnesses and tested those who have come up with all types of outlandish, personal claims of their greatness and have found them liars. And their church is commended for that. You recognize that. Verse 3, and you have preserved and have patience and have labored for my name's sake and have not become weary. In other words, He said you hung in there and aside from all of your trials, you didn't give up, you didn't quit. This is a compliment to Ephesus. In spite of their many trials, including false ministers, they kept moving forward.

Now, verse 4, nevertheless I have this against you. You have left your first love. Remember, therefore, from where you have fallen and repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place unless you repent. So this is strong correction for his congregation. What does he mean here when he says you've lost your first love? Well, they've lost the excitement and the zeal for God like they had at the very first. They needed to recapture their first love, he says. Think about the time when you were first in love with your beloved, someone of the opposite sex. You excitedly only saw the positive qualities of your beloved.

That's all you saw. The endorphins were running through your body, the adrenaline rush was you. You felt a forex. You felt like you were on high. And when you saw your beloved, all you saw was the good, wonderful qualities that your beloved had. Isn't that true? You didn't focus on the negative.

You didn't point out every flaw to them, every error they had, every imperfection that they had. That usually doesn't begin until you say, I do. But when you're in your first love, all you see are the wonderful things, the godly, loving qualities that your beloved has.

And Jesus is saying to this congregation, he's saying to them that don't focus on the negative.

Focus on the positive things. Don't point out every flaw and error and imperfection that you see in your brothers and sisters in Christ or in the church. Re-capture that zeal and enthusiasm that you once had. Well, I think we can see, I hope we can see that combat fatigue is real.

And I think the truth is, throughout our lives, if you've been around long enough, you will experience a number of episodes of combat fatigue. You'll struggle with it.

So what can we do to overcome combat fatigue? What's the right approach? What is the right perspective that we should have when we are either slammed for doing good, we do good, and it seems the people criticize us, or we get an old-fashioned spiritual spanking from our god. Something happens in life that obviously is from God, and we don't like it, and it's painful, and we're humiliated or shamed. What should our approach be? I believe that the answer can be found in one particular scripture that I believe is very encouraging. And it's a scripture that I go to when times are tough, and I would like to encourage you to do so as well. Let's take a look at it today, Romans chapter 8 and verse 28. If we understand and believe this scripture, and never be afraid to go back to it when times are tough, when the criticism's there, when you've made a mistake and you're feeling hooked down, your heart on yourself, or when you're being corrected by God, this scripture, I think, will help us to stay in the right mindset and perspective to resist quitting, to resist going a wall, turning our back on the faith.

Romans chapter 8 and verse 28. I'll read through it, and then we'll kind of zero in on it in a little more detail. Paul wrote to the congregation in Rome, and we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose, for whom He fore knew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. So I want to spend just a few minutes looking more closely at this verse, break it down, and understand what Paul is saying. First, he says, we know. This isn't just some happy, positive feeling. This isn't just being simply optimistic. It's the unshakable knowledge that God is in complete control of the universe and that He is working in our lives. God doesn't make mistakes. People do, but God doesn't make mistakes. He allows people to make mistakes. But even when this happens, nothing escapes His notice. Nothing ever escapes His power to intervene. And if something goes beyond the point where it is unacceptable to God, He will intervene. You can absolutely, positively be sure of that. So Paul begins by saying that we know all things work together. That's the next phrase I want to focus on. God's plan includes everything that happens in our life. The good things we do and the stupid things that we do, God uses to remold us. And He takes even those negative experiences that we bring upon ourselves and He works through the process so that they all work together to get us where God wants us to be.

To refashion us and remold us to the place that He wants us to be. None of the trials or problems that we have could happen without God's permission.

Now, that doesn't mean that those things are His will. That doesn't mean that bad things that happen are necessarily God's will. But if they happen, they happened by His permission, didn't they?

There's a meaning behind that. He allows them to happen so that He can use those events and those circumstances to stretch us to a new level of growth. Turn with me to 2 Corinthians 12 and verse 10.

Now, I mentioned before that I have to quit smoking camels. The hairs keep getting stuck in my throat.

2 Corinthians 12 and verse 10. Paul said, therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities.

When's the last time you've taken a pleasure in an infirmity? Not Mr. Thomas. He says, I take pleasures and affirmities and reproaches in needs and persecutions in distress, for Christ's sake, for when I am weak, then I am strong. He says, God turns it around and He uses that weakness to make me stronger. He uses those experiences as painful as they may be to teach me something, because all things work together, as he said in Romans chapter 8. Let's go back there now and focus on the next phrase. The next phrase I want to mention in Romans chapter 8 verses 28 and 29. We know all things work together for good. Everything that occurs, God eventually uses it for our good. And yes, I realize that at the time of a severe trial, or when we fall on our face, it doesn't seem like anything good can come out of pain, can come out of something that we're going through. It's because we're human. And we see every trial, every problem, short-term. We don't have a concept of time of eternity. So all we know is we hurt and we hurt right now. So we look at everything from the short-term. Whereas God views everything that we experience from the perspective of eternity. Our circumstances are temporary, but our character will last forever.

Paul also wrote in Romans chapter 4 verse 17. You don't need to turn there. I will read it. He says, God who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did.

Because God looks at eternity, He sees you and He doesn't see you and I as the weak people that we are right now. He doesn't see us with our limitations. He doesn't focus on our faults. He has eternity in mind. Remember, He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. And when He looks at you, He sees you as you will be. He sees your potential. He sees you from the perspective of eternity. Not like we look at ourselves, which is simply short-term.

The next phrase, to those who love God. This is a special promise for God's children who were part of His new covenant. It should give us hope. We love God. God loves us. He said, call me Papa. Call me Abba. Call me Father. I want to have an intimate relationship with you. To those who don't know God, what is the end result? These soldiers that are dying at an average of one every day, they feel hopeless, don't they? You see, they don't have that hope. They don't know God. And when you don't know God, the end result is frustration and hopelessness. The events in life have no real meaning.

There's no real purpose in life. And people come to the conclusion that I might as well end it, because there's nothing here for me. So, I think it's important for us to realize that we need to love God. We need to demonstrate that love towards Him. And for those who love God, every event has meaning. No matter how small, no matter how mundane, no matter how painful we go through something, every event has meaning in our lives.

The next phrase, to those who are called according to His purpose, to those who are called according to His purpose. God's purpose is for us to develop unwavering faith and divine holy character. His character is developed when we use the power of the Holy Spirit and we choose to live righteously. That is our purpose, to glorify God. That's why we continue to draw breath, to give glory to God, to develop His holiness and His righteousness.

Paul said in 2 Timothy 1.7, God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. The next phrase I want to focus on in Romans 8, for whom He foreknew, He also predestined. God planned on calling us to His truth before we were even born. Again, He is the Alpha and the Omega. He looks upon and can grasp and expand upon eternity. He knows the beginning of time, from the end of time, and everything in between.

And we might live with the illusion that we can alter events, but ultimately, whatever way we may attempt to alter an event, God will arrange it. So it comes out to be where He expects it to be. And again, He called us to His truth before we were even born. Your birth was not an accident. It was much more than a male sperm happening to land on a fertilized or a needing to be fertilized female egg. There was more to your life than that. Jeremiah chapter 1 and verses 4 and 5, I'll just read it. Then the word of the Lord came to me, said Jeremiah, saying, Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you.

Before you were born, I sanctified you. I ordained you a prophet to the nations. And it was God's will that He would have firstfruits who would be called into His end-time church. And you are a result of His grace. He ordained you a first fruit. You are no accident. The next phrase for Romans chapter 8, to be conformed to the image of His Son. What is our purpose? To imitate and emulate the example of Jesus Christ. He was a positive and encouraging light to the world by how He lived. We just read earlier when He had compassion on the multitude. It said He taught, He preached, He healed.

He was a light and an example everywhere that He went. And we are called to follow His example and be a light to the world by our conduct, by our attitudes. The next phrase I want to focus in on.

That He might be the firstborn of many brethren. You see, God's plan and His will is not to have a small family. God wants to have a big family. Christ suffered and He died and He was resurrected so that He could have many brothers and sisters. And you and I have been called to be the older brothers and sisters in that family. In most families, the oldest normally has a certain amount of prestige within most families. And the same is true for the family of God. Throughout all eternity, people who are called and given God's Spirit changed in the Kingdom of God.

They will have it a lot easier than we did. Satan will be bound during that period of time. They will always look to and respect and honor their brothers and sisters in Christ who were the firstborn because they had it tough. They did it the hard way. They overcame Satan when his Spirit permeated the world. They did the right things when it wasn't easy to do the right things.

So again, as Paul said, that he might be the firstborn of many brethren. Let's go to one final scripture as we conclude the sermon today. One final scripture. Getting back, coming full circle with understanding who Amalek is, who our spiritual enemy is, and why we need to remain vigilant.

And we need to guard against battle fatigue. Ephesians 6, verse 10.

Paul wrote, Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God. Don't forget any of the important pieces. Don't just put on a helmet and think you're going to be okay. Don't just grab the sword and say, all right, this is offensive. I'm ready for anybody and anything. He says, no, put on the whole, the complete package, the armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up, he uses the phrase again, the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand, to stand firm. Not to turn around and go back, not to go AWOL, not to quit, but when you were attacked, to stand firm. The Labor Study Bible says this about this scripture, quote, in the Christian's warfare against the wiles of the devil, he has to arm himself with spiritual armor in the same way that the Roman soldier, perhaps one was changed to Paul at the moment of this writing, was customarily equipped for his physical warfare. The term wiles is the Greek methodosios, from which comes the word method. Thus, the Christian is to arm himself against the methods of the devil, end of quote, from Believer's Study Bible. So, the whole armor of God is both offensive, it's a sword, and it's defensive. And, you know, the only place where there's no protection, the only place where there's no protection, is our backside. So, if we turn around and start running away, if we turn around and go AWOL, we are exposed to the wiles of the devil.

Let's take a look at verse 14. He says, stand therefore, in other words, hold your ground, don't back up, don't quit, don't turn around, stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth. The first piece of armor that's mentioned was a center girdle, and it protected the core of the body. There are a lot of very valuable organs. You have the stomach, and the liver, and the kidneys. So, the very first piece of armor that's mentioned is around the waist. He says, having it girded with truth. And, of course, truth comes by studying God's word and having a relationship with God.

And he says in verse 14, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, the breastplate of righteousness protected the heart from being wounded. And many people become easily offended when they're suffering from combat fatigue, and their hearts are wounded. When we're offended, our hearts are wounded. I may have also forgot to mention that one of the things about having your waist girded with truth is oftentimes that girdle also attached was used to attach other pieces of armor so they wouldn't flop around as you were walking. Okay? Verse 15, having your feet, having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace. The feet are intended for movement and action. Standing still makes you an easy target. And when you're attacked, you may stand still to resist the attack, but you have to keep moving forward. That's exactly the way the Roman troops were trained. The Roman troops were never trained to turn around and go back. Now, when they were under severe assault, they were trained to step backward until they could regroup. But they were never trained to turn around and run in the other direction. Standing still makes us an easy target, and the Christian life is one of growth and movement towards the kingdom of God. Let's take a look at verse 16. Above all, taking the shield of faith, of which you will be able to quench the fiery darts of the wicked one. Now, Paul used a word here, therios. And a therios, there were two types of Roman shields. The therios was a large shield. It was almost like the size of a door.

And what did the Roman soldier do? If the arios were flinging at him, he could literally hide his entire body, shrink down, and beat his entire body from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet, was protected by this large shield. And Paul said, above all, take on this shield of faith, so that you will be able to quench the fiery darts, those arios, as a wicked one. Faith is the assurance and knowledge that God's promises and his protection is sure. The fiery darts are doubt and negativity. So, again, these are common qualities of combat fatigue. When we become discouraged, when we become negative, when we complain, it's an indication that we are struggling with combat fatigue. Verse 17, and take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Of course, the helmet of salvation, we want to protect our minds, our heads, because when we read the word of God, that's where it's implanted. That's where the word of God is reasoned. That's where it's used with wisdom in our heads. He says, put on the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit. That's the only offensive weapon we have. And the word of God is a two-edged sword. It's correct, and it convicts those who hear it, those who listen to it. And that's one reason why we want to get regular Bible study in. Because it is the word of God that gives us that helmet of salvation, that gives us the sword of the Spirit, and gives us the ability to answer questions, to deal with things that come up on a regular basis. Regular Bible study is what gives us the edge on life. Verse 18, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the Saints.

Brethren, prayer is our advanced communication system. Any troop needs to be able to communicate with their commander. Any soldier in the field, any small group who are out in the field, need to communicate with their commander. We need prayer daily to receive our orders in our direction from the commander. We need to be tied into the GPS. That's the God positioning system.

And we need to go there every day and find out where we're supposed to be and what we're supposed to be doing that day. Those are our marching orders, and we do that by daily prayer.

So, brethren, let us recognize the spiritual condition of combat fatigue and know that there is strength and there is healing in Jesus Christ. And if you're struggling with combat fatigue, we need to understand that Jesus has great compassion for us, and he wants us to recapture that first love. Don't stop marching towards the kingdom of God. Don't abandon your precious calling. Look to the future and your reward, because it is there. And don't become discouraged by anything that you have experienced that has been painful, or maybe you're presently experiencing, because God loves you and he is working out a plan for your life. And you are part of that plan. So, have a wonderful Sabbath.