What is a Warrior of Christ?

You’ve seen the title of our Bible study called, Warrior in Training.

• Did your heart stir when you saw it, hoping this study will help you fulfill that desire for strength and higher calling?

• Or did you feel awkward, almost like an imposter at the idea of being a “Warrior of Christ?”

• Maybe you were even a little frustrated at the name, Warrior, because you are close to people who serve in the military and are afraid this will devalue what they do.

Well, it might help you to know I have felt all of these things.

• I’ve been close to people in the military and highly value their sacrifice and commitment to serving their countries.
• I’ve felt like an imposter calling myself a Warrior of Christ, feeling slightly foolish for thinking I deserve this great name.
• Yet, the deep desire and longing within me has driven me to understand this name more, which has led me to sharing this study with you.

You might have heard the saying, “This Christian life isn’t a playground but a battlefield.” – Billy Graham Whether you believe in Jesus or not, everyone on this planet is in a war.

There are many battles you must physically face in life. This could mean literally as a soldier on the frontlines for your country, or more abstractly like health, financial, or relationship challenges. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 informs you that the battles you’re facing are not only superficially physical. All of them in a deeper sense are spiritual.

“For although we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh, since the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but are powerful through God for the demolition of strongholds. We demolish argumentsand every proud thing that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ.”

2 Timothy 2:3-4 shows you that if you are a follower of Jesus, then you hold the title of soldier/warrior as well.

“Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in the concerns of civilian life; he seeks to please the commanding officer.”

If you are a soldier, that means you’re working together with an Army. You can’t try to be a one-man show. An army of one will never last or be effective. You need to learn to trust your commanding officers and work with your fellow soldiers to train and fight well.

In order to develop into a strong leader, you need to “please the commanding officer” and follow His instructions carefully. The book of Joshua, chapter 5, verses 13-15, gives you a clear picture of who your commanding officer is.

“When Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua approached him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”

“Neither,” he replied. “I have now come as commander of the Lord’s army.”

Then Joshua bowed with his face to the ground in homage and asked him, “What does my lord want to say to his servant?”

The commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did that.”

Though this passage doesn’t explicitly say this Commander is Jesus, we can see the evidence when He told Joshua to remove his sandals because he was standing on holy ground. The same was told to Moses when he received instructions from the Lord at the burning bush to lead Israel out of Egypt. Jesus is the physical representation of the triune God.

As you get into the Warrior in Training study, you’ll learn more about what being a Warrior of Christ looks like, the team you’re fighting with, the enemy you’re up against, and the best ways to train both defensively and offensively to win! The more you learn about the war you’re in and equip yourself with the truth; the greater you’ll be able to fight and claim victory!

(This is an excerpt from the Warrior in Training Bible Study coming out September 1, 2023)