A month ago, we at Worldview Warriors looked at some of the statistics of our different blog posts. We looked at the top ten viewed posts of all time and the top ten of the month of July. We saw some interesting things. At that time, every active Worldview Warrior blogger was on the top 10 in either one or both of the all-time and month’s lists. But what really surprised us as a group was our #1 most viewed post: my “The Israelite War Cry” posted way back in January 2014. That was my third blog post for Worldview Warriors when I joined the ministry. So when I saw those stats, especially with it being #1 all time and #2 of the month at the time, I sensed this topic needed a revisit, not because people are missing the point, but to bring it afresh to both my old and newer readers.
The inspiration for that blog post came from Eric Ludy’s short video, The Ancient War Cry. We find this war cry initiated in Deuteronomy 31:6-8 and Joshua 1:6,7, and 9. It is the Hebrew of “Be Strong and Courageous” but the whole phrase Rak Chazak Amats is found in Joshua 1:7. Please look at my initial post or listen to Ludy’s 6-minute video to get the details about what it means.
When I set out to write this post, I mostly wanted to reiterate what I had in my original post. However, God would not let me do it. He gave me writer’s block. I wanted to go into greater detail about the meaning of “Rak,” “Chazak,” and “Amats.” I wanted to showcase the plight Joshua was going into in facing 31 empires with much stronger armies, massive city walls, and people who were giants. And I wanted to give you another “Hurrah! Let’s go!” But I can’t. I can’t write that message. I tried. I can’t. Instead, I have to write a post that is for me. I need to write this post as though I am writing and preaching to me as the primary audience. This post may not be for you, or it might be.
One of the images I have of Jesus Christ is as a Commander-in-Chief. He is the military commander of the spiritual army we are part of it. One of his titles is “Lord of Hosts,” the commander of the angelic hosts. So allow me to write you a letter as I would picture Jesus as Commander-in-Chief may write it, and I am going to write it to me, an officer in his army, as the primary recipient.
Officer Wolcott (or put your name here):
It is a great joy to have you serving in my army. I chose you to serve me because I made you with the skills and abilities needed for the jobs I wanted you to do. However, there have been some issues with your services I would like to address.
You have a great tendency of starting strong and being gung ho in the tasks you engage in, however you lack the endurance to maintain it over time. I greatly appreciate that you are not giving up and abandoning the task when it gets hard, however, you do not yet know how to push through and press forward when you run out of energy.
This lack of endurance has caused you to lose your fight and your desire to press forward. You are out of shape, Officer Wolcott, but you do not have to be out of shape. Will you trust me to train you properly? You have wisely learned from many others I have trained by reading of their biographies, but they can only take you so far. How about training with me directly? Last year you went for it, but you crashed and you have not gathered your strength up to stand again. I know what you can handle. I want to give you even more because I have jobs and tasks that I want you to do, but you need a greater strength to do them.
Training with me is going to require more dedication than you have been giving me lately. It means getting up earlier to focus your mind with me. It is not going to be easy to do it day after day, but you must resist the desire for more sleep. You know you are not getting the sleep you want anyway. Get up and let me be your rest. I know how much sleep you actually need for the day. You know this as well. Trust me.
I have heard your desire for the “growl” of a Christian man-warrior. I want to give it to you more than you want it. I have seen you with that growl when it comes to addressing false doctrines. I love your strong stance for truth. However, take that stance and pick up the War Cry I gave my people to stand against the sin of your life and the true power of wickedness in this world.
RAK CHAZAK! Be strong, Officer Wolcott! Hold your ground! You are placed in me as a citizen of my kingdom and a soldier in my army. Rise up and fight against all that would hold you down and render your service to me irrelevant. Those besetting sins you have been struggling with do not have dominion over you. Too long you have played only defense. Too long you have taken their blows. Yes, parry the attacks of the enemies, but riposte. Answer back.
Rise up! Be very courageous! Attack! Your battle is not against those who challenge my name and my kingdom. Your battle is against the principalities and demonic forces that have blinded them and held them captive. I know you know this, so stop engaging with your own wit and intellect and engage instead with my weapons and my armor. There is a time and place for defense, but I want you to be on the offense. Go! Conquer territory in my name and in my authority! Submit to my command. I will tell you where to advance, when to retreat, when to engage, where to fight, and how to fight. Let me show this world through you that I am still in control and I am still the rightful and ruling Lord and King over this universe. You do not need to defend me. Let me defend myself, but let me use you in doing so.
Get up, Officer Wolcott! Let me renew your strength. Let me be your source. Let me be your rest. Let me be your defense and let me be the weapons in your hands. I want you to be an officer in my army whom the Devil knows well. I know it is going to be hard and I know it is going to make you have to stay alert and on guard at all times. But you need me to train you so you can keep that on guard position for longer. Train with me, Officer Wolcott. There are no limits to the strength I can give you so keep training and when you get tired, rest on me. The enemy is doing to do everything he can to keep you from the battle field. Let me sound the alarm in your soul. There is a breach! RAK CHAZAK! Drive the enemy back! Build the walls around your soul! Keep a diligent watch on your soul’s territory. And every time the enemy comes, you take my authority, my weapons, and in my name, drive them out. RAK CHAZAK!
Sincerely,
Your Commander-in-Chief
Jesus Christ
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