NOT PHYSICAL, BUT SPIRITUAL
“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.”
Ephesians 6:12

Our enemy, the devil, is crafty. He uses schemes and strategies, hides in the unseen, and assaults us when we are not looking. His mission is for our destruction. And as Matthew Henry says, “…he has a thousand ways of beguiling unstable souls.” He comes to steal our very life from us, kill our souls, and destroy us in every way possible (Jn 10:10). Yet even with his force of demons, the Christian can stand on this truth, that “…greater is He that is in [us] than he who is in the world” (I Jn 4:4). With this promise then, let us be strong in the Lord, wearing His armor, and stand our ground against the enemy.
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”
Ephesians 6:10-11
The fight is all around us and without the proper stance we are easy kill. Our enemy cares nothing for us, but rather is bent on finishing us off. He will throw at us temptations, illness, injury, and a slew of other schemes from his knapsack of evil. And because this is no secret, we are given instruction by Paul to be strong and stand firm. Strength and courage in God are a requirement when standing against the enemy, as we are powerless on our own. It is God who enables us to accomplish any measure of progress on the vanguard. The standard can only move forward as the battle is fought and won.
But let us not enter into this war unclothed, exposing ourselves to the enemy. We are given armor and the simple command to ‘put it on.’ Nothing we possess in the physical can withstand the onslaught on darkness in the spiritual. Therefore, we would do well to follow Paul and put each spiritual piece on daily. Remember, our enemy prowls around like a lion and watches for whom to devour as his next victim (I Pet 5:8). As we can never know for certain when and how he will pounce on us, let us constantly be ready like David who seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it (I Sam 17:35). David wore no physical armor, but in his spiritual armor he was protected.
“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”
Ephesians 6:13
Evil has come and there is no chance that it will lighten up any time soon. As a result, our best defense to withstand is to not give in to his allurements and assaults. When the devil stands up to us, we then need to boldly stand up to him under the power of God. The Message reads Ephesians 6:13 as follows. “Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet.” How can we still be on our feet standing if we fail to wear every piece God has provided? And each piece has a specific purpose, enabling our victory against the enemy to be a reality.
Now put on the armor and join me ON THE VANUARD!

REBUILDING
“Then I said to them, ‘You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.’ I also told them about the gracious hand of my God upon me and what the king had said to me.
They replied, ‘Let us start rebuilding.’ So they began this good work.”
Nehemiah 2:17-18

From start to finish, the wall was completed in fifty-two days. When their enemies heard about the reconstruction, they were full of fear. Suddenly Jerusalem was no longer a city to laugh at. Self-confidence for Jerusalem rose, while for their enemies it was lost. God had helped them to build a stronger city by helping them fortify their wall. As with the Great Wall of China, rebuilding meant expansion. Jerusalem was now more spacious and allowed more people to abide in the city.
At the time of the Feast of Trumpets, the Israelites had settled in their towns. As they meet together near the Water Gate, Ezra began reading the Book of the Law. Following the Feast, the people joined together for a time of fasting. It was in this time that Israel cried out as a whole for the forgiveness of their sin, and the wickedness of their fathers. It was also in this time that they reflected on who God was and praised Him for being a God of mercy.

“But in your great mercy you did not put an end to
them or abandon them, for you are a gracious and
merciful God”
Neh 9:31

Years have passed since my freedom from my addiction. God continued to not let go until finally, like Nehemiah, the realization that the walls were destroyed in my life became evident. I then surveyed my walls, looked intently at my gates, and found the best method for repair. It was God. My wife came back to me within three months of our split, but the trust was gone. I had lied and snuck around too much. Eventually our marriage did end in divorce seven years later. I take blame for my actions. But it has been part of the surveying that needed to be done. In my moments of being alone I have found something better than pornography. I have found a cure for my rejection. I have found a reason to rebuild and the tools to do so.
In his book, Seductions Exposed, Gary Greenwald speaks of the importance of examining ourselves.

“Today, as never before in history, all of us need to
examine our Christian walk. If we realize that a spirit
of worldliness and compromise has indeed crept into
our Christian walk, let us repent of it, turn away from
it, and seek the Lord with all our heart. Or, if we have
allowed ourselves to come under the influence of
someone or a group that is not of God, let us break
that association and renounce any ungodly spirits that
may have been transferred to us…If we continue to
compromise and mix God’s Spirit with the world’s
spirit, God’s blessings and covering will finally cease
and judgment will fall.”

When I examined myself and repented of my sin, God helped rebuild me based on His word. According to Him, I am a child of God, an over comer, the head and not the tail, and truly loved by Him. I did not believe this at first, just like the people of Jerusalem probably did not believe they could rebuild the wall at first glance. But as I kept getting in God’s word and seeing myself through His eyes, God kept working deep in me to build a firm foundation. Just as the latter structures of the Great Wall were rebuilt stronger each time, so my wall is also stronger and more fortified than the early rendition.

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand
firm, then and do not let yourself be burdened again
by a yoke of slavery.”
Gal 5:1

Stand firm! Take inventory of your life and see if your walls have been destroyed. If so, God can help you rebuild and bring in your life strong, fortified walls. I, like those of Jerusalem, stand in awe of God and praise Him for never giving up on me. I thank Him for His mercy. I worship Him for the reconstruction of the walls in my life; the firm foundation I am now able to stand on. I urge you, survey your walls, repair the cracks, and join me ON THE VANGUARD!

WHO ARE YOU LISTENING TO?
“Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, ‘We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.’”
Numbers 13:30


A Spanish fleet of 11 ships and roughly 500 men sailed the seas in the spring of 1519. News had reached the governor of Cuba that land had been spotted just past the oceanic horizon, and Spain desired to expand. The governor appointed Hernan Cortes to lead this mission. Although not fully qualified, Cortes was full of zeal and courage. With his limited army, Cortes took on and destroyed the Aztec Empire of more than five million men. Never before had an army so small conquered a force so massive.
Cortes explored the coastline of the Yucatan Peninsula before choosing to land at Tabasco. There he had no trouble enlisting the natives as part of his army. It was also there that he learned of the great wealth of the Aztec Empire. Establishing his troops northward at Vera Cruz, his men trained for battle as he planned their attack.6 He was giving the men purpose, a piece of the action, and a prize if they won. Many of the men he had first traveled with were part of the second stage of Spanish settlers in Cuba, and by this time the property in Cuba was sparse. He had made no declaration of this mission being a second thought, therefore they knew the dedication related to this mission. So as the troops began to fear their outcome and desire to go home, Cortes made one simple command that would change their passion for the fight. “Burn the ships.”
Cortes left no way of retreat for his army. The only option they had for leaving the vanguard was either by death or in the boats of the Aztecs. As the men overcame their fear, strength welled up inside them and urged them to continue the fight till finally they overcame the Empire. Cortes and his men continued to defeat several other native tribes, forming alliances with previous enemies and enlisting support. However, despite all the training, preparation, battle plans, and ideas, the rampage on the Aztec Empire would be another failed attempt if he had not removed the ability for retreat.
I question what it is that we, ourselves, listen to. As believers of Christ we are told to fear not, because God is with us.
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
Isa 41:10
As believers of Christ we are urged to listen to the voice of God, to obey, and to act on it. Yet many times, just as with the men of Cortes, we hear the odds and desire to retreat. But God is looking for men and women who, like Joshua and Caleb, see the obstacle and are not scared. He is looking for those who will assure the camp that by faith, all things are possible when God is leading the fight. He is looking for those who will burn their ships and leave no room for retreat, resting in faith and not hope. So who exactly are you listening to?
Come now, tell the devil to shut up, and join me ON THE VANGUARD!

D-DAY
“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.”
I Corinthians 16:13,

June 6, 1944, D-Day. For many soldiers of the U.S. 29th and 1st infantry divisions who made the attack on Omaha Beach, this was their last stance. Many in the unit were drowned during the approach from ships offshore as they sank in waters. Of the 29 DD tanks filled with men from the 116th Regiment launched toward Omaha, only 2 made it to the beach. An onslaught of German firepower met the remaining allied forces as they made their way on land, seeking shelter behind Hedgehogs and other obstacles where they were protected from gunfire. Under the command of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, the Germans had found defense in their strong points and trenches. Omaha literally became a killing zone. Bodies lay dead floating in the water or scattered across the beach. Remains of Landing Craft litter the front.
By 7:30am a second wave of troops is released and hit the beach, joining the fight. At 8:30am the landings ceased and troops were left on their own to face danger without the possibility of retreat.
In small groups the men made the deadly race across the beach to find little relief along the seawall. Navy Destroyers attacked with pounding arms against the German fortifications at close range. Within hours, German fire had decreased and defensive positions were taken from the rear. By nightfall, the remaining soldiers of the 1st and 29th divisions, now joined with the 2nd and 5th Ranger Battalions stood their ground around Vierville, Saint-Laurent, and Colleville. Four years of preparation for only hours of combat, and yet, the invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944, is said to be the beginning of the end of World War II.
It began with a stance. The Allies were determined to stop the advances of the Germans. Germany had already invaded Poland, France, Belgium, and the Soviet Union, among others, and they had to be stopped. General Eisenhower saw the moment to make one of many stands that America would remember by deploying these troops on French soil. As the men bravely fought, they took back the land that had been stolen. These men made their stand.
Although you and I may not be in the military at this time, we too have a General who is giving us orders to make our stand. The Bible states in I Corinthians 16:13, “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.” Our battle may not literally be against the armed forces of another country, but daily we are waging war with an enemy. The objective of our enemy is known. He comes to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). The method for how he walks this plan out, however, changes. As such, we then need to stand our ground and be ready for his attack. We must train and prepare now so that when the we are called to the vanguard, the front lines, we are ready. We cannot be ones who shrink back in the times of opposition, but rather lead the army against an enemy we will defeat with God’s power. In this new year, will you be one to dig your feet in, take a stand, and declare to the enemy that he cannot take one more inch from you? Come on, join me ON THE VANGUARD!