I thought that since today was Halloween, and often referred to as the day of the dead or Satan, we would continue this theme because of the scariness of the whole concept. War is scary and every day people are traumatized by it in our present world. Yet, God continues to tell us not to fear. So we are going to continue exploring the concept of war and hostility because it will help us keep things in context.

Through Scripture, we know that Divinity communicated war’s importance by demanding that every Hebrew male (except for the priests and Levites) serve as a warrior—early in life so that he might develop the proper mental foundation. The following verse is repeated thirteen times in one Old Testament chapter alone: “All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, one by one, according to the records of their clans and families.” (Numbers 1) Under Divinity’s direction, Moses prepared every young man for war. They had to be ready for the reality of death during conflict. Of those eligible for battle, only one reason would excuse a man from battle: “If a man has recently married, he must not be sent to war or have any other duty laid on him. For one year he is to be free to stay at home and bring happiness to the wife he has married.”( Deuteronomy 24:5) So Divinity decided, with only one exception, that every man must face the reality of death on the battlefield during his youth.

Professional recruiters will tell you that the most sought-after candidates for many professional and/or executive roles are military officers with between two and eight years of service. Why is this? Well, through war, mental priorities are set to carry a man through the remainder of his days. Through war, a mentality can be developed to govern a man’s decisions. Through war, knowledge can be acquired to help him succeed in his professional environment. And through war, a man may acquire wisdom to help govern his family and way of life.

The first and most obvious mentality a soldier must adopt is the necessity of discipline. Without discipline, orders might not be followed, lives would be lost, and the greatest battle strategies would be meaningless. The soldier must learn that respect is not always something to be earned, but a right of position. These concepts are directly in line with what we face in the universal process of life. The New Testament alone states eleven times the importance of discipline,(1 Corinthians 11:32, 2 Timothy 1:7, Titus 1:8, and Hebrews 12:1, 12:5-11) with Hebrews 12:28 stating it the most succinctly: “If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.”

Another part of military training I learned in the Marine Corps is the buddy system. The term reminds military teams to watch out for and protect their buddies and to never leave them behind during combat. The concept essentially means that “you care for and protect the ones who can help you the most when your life is on the line.” Like all warriors, you and I need a buddy system which will cover us during times of conflict and combat. This applies to all of life, whether it is in the physical or spiritual realm. That is where your friends come in. Yes, The God Family. Since They know your design (Father), when and where the battles are going to rage (Son), and the tactics and weapons the enemy will employ (Spirit), you can always emerge victorious. You need the planning, insight, and direction of each! Using that concept, let’s consider a few prominent Biblical warriors and how they developed their battle-ready lifestyle. You’ll see how their relationships with God provided them with the courage and performance to exalt them to Spiritual Heroism in the days ahead.

Love Dad