Supporting those who sign up for commando "special forces" Christianity.

 All of us who are children of God face a daily, brutal, spiritual battle. Ignoring or diminishing this as something manageable on our own is a fatal mistake. The enemy's tactics for all foot soldiers of Christ are to take us out of the fire, far away from being hot coals passionate for Christ and equipped with gospel weapons with His community. He desires us to be disaffected with the church, local and global,  to resent other believers (thus disobey the key command of the Commander in chief) John 13:34-35. The enemy desires to get us out of the warm fire of platoon fellowship to the point, a passion for brothers in arms, whereby we have long become self-serving, introspective, away from any spiritual heat and have grown cold, quelled our affections for Christ, His people, and the lost. He picks off the lonely and vulnerable, those who easily become lukewarm, unfocused, distracted and isolated. Not being in fellowship with a local church, not being accountable to other believers, thinking we can do all things through ourselves, our abilities which live within us, will only end in catastrophe; it is not God's ordained way. The predictable paths of temptation and fall are the same time immemorial: power, pride, sex, money. 

There is a second level of attack, which comes upon those who sign up to lead God's people into battle. Let's call these commissioned officers. Consider the roll call of destruction among Western Pastors who met a catastrophic end in ministry due to the four things above over recent years. There is no shortage of self-written epithets and epitaphs to the fallen... "Here lies Pastor ... the great", "the brave", or "the conqueror". They believed their own spin, minimised the danger of the battle, became too comfortable at their stationing, and fell on their own terms of independence. Unaccountable, unalert lone rangers, with a pride-fed view of their own indestructibility and over-optimistic evaluation, come to a place where they become an open target for the enemy, out in no man's land, lit up like a beacon by their own lack of dependence on Christ, with none of their company watching their backs. Doing away with protection and protocol accountable safeguards has consequences. They need other officers to walk with them. 

Then there are those officers commissioned to go behind enemy lines with subversive spiritual multikits. Sometimes they have a team, sometimes that team is their family, sometimes they are just commandos. To me, these guys are SAS, special forces. Sometimes they are called upon to make wise decisions and leadership choices that no one else can make for them. They are specially selected and trained. Character (as in all Christian leadership) is everything. They sign up not out of inner confidence but a realistic assessment that someone needs to do this role to please the commanding officer. Things must advance; they step forward knowing their increased liability and vulnerability, and work hard to be ready for it. They cut no corners, preparation must be impeccable, and small details have big consequences. Those in frontier ministry follow this path in obedience, not because they think it is easy, but because they know it matters. It matters even more to the enemy, and therefore to us sitting in the conscription and training offices, it should matter all the more how we prepare them and watch their backs. Comms need to be switched on and clear 24/7. Prayer and intercession are constant. In the field, prayer and fasting are the norm, not the exception. Yet I wonder if many comfortable foot soldiers in the security of the warm barracks refectory understand this?

• Pray daily for those behind enemy lines in their daily spiritual battle and make sure they know you do. 
• Open your hearts and pockets to those who need to be reminded that you are with them in the battle.  Supply them with all the resources they need to do the job well. Don't take unnecessary risks. 
• Consider what you can do to give relational rest and encouragement to those who come from the reality of a brutal battle theatre you do not see. They see clearly (with dark night vision) what the enemy does subversively. Consider the wounds, the weight, the trauma, the demands, and encourage your church to serve those wounded who spearhead advances. May they not feel alone when they are doing a lonely, obedient task. Out of sight should not mean out of mind. 
• Avoid sending any friendly fire; only seek to make sure your care packages land well. 
• Learn from those in the field and take the battle seriously. However small a view you have of your own footsoldier role, get serious about the spiritual battle, re: your neighbours, your grandchildren, your marriage, your heart (which can be deceitful above all things). Get on your knees in humility and dependence - this always precludes victory. Put on the full armour of God without complacency. Be ready for the unexpected and make the most of every opportunity. 

• Encourage your church to raise the next generation of mission commandos by being serious about the spiritual battle yourself. Model what it is to be a faithful foot-soldier. Inspire them, whatever your age and stage, with realistic confidence in the one who makes all things possible. (Joshua 14:6-15). Remember that at all times you are being watched by the trainees and the next generation. They are watching you walk into battle and how it should be done. 

 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,

Our commanding officer already pronounced victory when He won. (Rev 1:18, Colossians 2:15, Joshua 10:8).  In Him we overcome and walk into victory (Ephesians 6:11).