Counting the Cost – Still Worth It?
Not getting what you want either means you don’t want it enough, or you have been dealing too long with the price you have to pay. Rudyard Kipling.
They were in their best “Sunday-go-to-meeting” clothes. They packed picnic baskets before heading south to see the boys in action. A handful of ladies carried along their opera glasses to get a better view of the spectacle.
It was hot and humid that day, 21 July 1861, but the heat was not an issue. The wealthy elite wanted to see it. U.S. senators and members of Congress joined the throng of men, women and children leaving D.C. to make the 30-mile trip to Manassas, VA.
The first full-scale battle of the Civil War was underway for four days before the spectators arrived around Centreville several miles from the fighting. Here is a little context.
President Abraham Lincoln asked for 75,000 Soldiers to enlist for 90 days to put down the Confederate rebellion. Lincoln’s call for mobilization came three days after Confederate forces fired on Ft. Sumpter, SC, on 21 April to start the American Civil War.
President Lincoln grossly miscalculated. Confederate forces defeated the Union Army around Manassas and sent them fleeing back to D.C., but the federal troops encountered a problem.
2011 Reenactment of the Battle.
Frightened civilians with picnic baskets cluttered the roads and bridges they needed to get back home, but it didn’t matter. The Confederates were too disorganized to pursue the defeated enemy.
It became evident that this conflict would not end in 90 days. The Battle of Bull Run/First Manassas was a wake-up call. Both sides miscalculated the nature of war and what it would take to win.
Conflict and warfare fill the pages of the Old Testament (O.T.) Israel was either engaged in battle, under the threat of war, or dominated by a foreign power resulting from combat.
Conversely, the New Testament (N.T.) occurs during the Pax Romana -the Roman Peace occurred between 27 BCE- 180 CE. This Peace prevailed because Rome had the power to crush any resistance.
The O.T. provides brief glimpses of the invisible war in the spirit realm. On the other hand, the N.T. lays bare the high-stakes battles of the spirit that rage on without ceasing.
Sadly, many Christians carry picnic baskets instead of wearing the necessary battle gear the situation warrants. (Eph 6:13-18) The enemy dismantles things all around them while they go about their daily routines, not suspecting anything.
Paul provides the best illustration of our opposition in Ephesians 6:12: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
How do we measure the intensity of spiritual warfare? Spiritual conflict mirrors physical armed conflict, and there are real casualties in both dimensions.
Spiritual warfare is no joke. It’s not a picnic, and the stakes are high. Count the cost.
The devil contests two principal areas with all of his might: repentance and healing.
Repentance directly relates to our eternal salvation. Healing relates to the abundant life Jesus came to provide us. (John 10:10)
The devil blinds the eyes of unbelievers so they don’t see the need to repent. (2 Cor 4:3-5).
The devil attacks the faith of believers because faith is the key that accesses God’s healing power. (Matt 9:22)
The manifestation of salvation and healing in tandem is devastating to the powers of darkness. The devil will not give ground without a fight.
As we learned last week, Dodie Osteen’s testimony of becoming cancer-free was a very gradual process over a two-year period. She counted the cost and believed that fighting for her healing was worth it.
President Lincoln could not mandate 90 days to overthrow the Southern rebellion. After the Battle of Bull Run, he counted the cost. He believed that restoring the Union was worth the price so he began mobilizing forces for the long haul.
We may face physical conditions that take time to resolve. Our mindset has to be “whatever it takes.”
In my opinion, God uses doctors and medicine in this process. Medical professionals are not enemies. They face human limitations, but there is nothing too hard for God!
If you need physical healing, put your faith to work and build it up by praying and reading your Bible daily. You are entering a battlefield that many have departed victoriously.
No one can guarantee an outcome regarding your physical condition, but the Bible provides you with a sure-fire promise: your faith will please God and you SHALL be rewarded! It is MORE than worth it! (Heb 11:6) God Bless! Press On!! Kevin
