If we ever become complacent, we’ve lost the battle.”
–Stephen Bly (Shadow of Legends)
“You have seen everything the Lord your God has done for you during my lifetime. The Lord your God has fought for you against your enemies.
–Joshua 23:3 (NLT)
————————————
Last Sunday, our church pianist played a song that I haven’t heard in probably a hundred years or so. Well, maybe that’s a slight exaggeration, but it’s been many, many years since I have heard it. I remember singing it as a kid in church, but as the years have gone by, the church has began to frown on the idea that it is militant and that we are in the midst of a raging war. Each verse, but the last, raises a question? See how you answer them.
“Am I a soldier of the cross,
A foll’wer of the Lamb,
And shall I fear to own His cause,
Or blush to speak His name?”
Jesus says that anyone who is ashamed of Him, that the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when He returns (Mark 8:28; Luke 9:26). For some reason, people have become reticent about serving the King of Kings. There is a battle to be won. Oh, for sure the Lord is already victorious, but there are still many battles to face and victories to be won. If you don’t think so, just take a look at the status of our nation. Or, maybe even closer, are you in the midst of a battle? Yes, the victory was secured at the Cross, but in the meantime, we have our own fights and we want to be like Paul, and say, “I have fought a good fight.” (2 Timothy 4:7)
“Must I be carried to the skies
On flow’ry beds of ease,
While others fought to win the prize,
And sailed thro’ bloody seas?”
Who are we in this “woke society” to think that we can just tip-toe our way to heaven resting on the blood and sacrifices of others who have gone on before? Peter Marshall said, “When we eventually reach the goal to which we are all striving, God will look us over, not for diplomas, but for scars.” Have you fulfilled your mission on earth? Have you faced the enemy, braved the battle, and come out victorious? Remember, those who have gone on before. The great early church leader, Tertullian, made the remark, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.”
“Are there no foes for me to face?
Must I not stem the flood?
Is this vile world a friend to grace
To help me on to God?”
No, we are not like Don Quixote fighting mythical foes, thinking windmills are the enemy. There is a real devil, contrary to the beliefs of the liberal church. There is a hell to shun and a heaven to gain. There are “principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12, NKJV) that we fight against. This world is not our friend, yet so many are on friendly terms with the world. Perhaps that is a reason why hymns such as this are no longer sung.
“Sure I must fight if I would reign,
Increase my courage, Lord:
I’ll bear the toil, endure the pain,
Supported by Thy word.”
I was looking up some history for this song and I discovered that it was much older than I had thought. It was written by the great hymnist, Isaac Watts and was written in the first decade of 1700. From what I found there was no particular reason for the writing of this hymn, except for the fact that Watts “composed a hymn every week to use in connection with his Sunday morning sermon (hymnstudies). Hear me, my friend–pick up your sword (the Word of God) and be ready and able to face an enemy who wants to destroy you. Only then can you make it, only then will the crown be placed on your head–“When the Battle’s Over.”
“And when the battle’s over we shall wear a crown!
Yes, we shall wear a crown!
Yes, we shall wear a crown!
And when the battle’s over we shall wear a crown
In the new Jerusalem.
Wear a crown, wear a crown,
Wear a bright and shining crown;
And when the battle’s over we shall wear a crown
In the new Jerusalem.”
————————————
Last Sunday, our church pianist played a song that I haven’t heard in probably a hundred years or so. Well, maybe that’s a slight exaggeration, but it’s been many, many years since I have heard it. I remember singing it as a kid in church, but as the years have gone by, the church has began to frown on the idea that it is militant and that we are in the midst of a raging war. Each verse, but the last, raises a question? See how you answer them.
“Am I a soldier of the cross,
A foll’wer of the Lamb,
And shall I fear to own His cause,
Or blush to speak His name?”
Jesus says that anyone who is ashamed of Him, that the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when He returns (Mark 8:28; Luke 9:26). For some reason, people have become reticent about serving the King of Kings. There is a battle to be won. Oh, for sure the Lord is already victorious, but there are still many battles to face and victories to be won. If you don’t think so, just take a look at the status of our nation. Or, maybe even closer, are you in the midst of a battle? Yes, the victory was secured at the Cross, but in the meantime, we have our own fights and we want to be like Paul, and say, “I have fought a good fight.” (2 Timothy 4:7)
“Must I be carried to the skies
On flow’ry beds of ease,
While others fought to win the prize,
And sailed thro’ bloody seas?”
Who are we in this “woke society” to think that we can just tip-toe our way to heaven resting on the blood and sacrifices of others who have gone on before? Peter Marshall said, “When we eventually reach the goal to which we are all striving, God will look us over, not for diplomas, but for scars.” Have you fulfilled your mission on earth? Have you faced the enemy, braved the battle, and come out victorious? Remember, those who have gone on before. The great early church leader, Tertullian, made the remark, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.”
“Are there no foes for me to face?
Must I not stem the flood?
Is this vile world a friend to grace
To help me on to God?”
No, we are not like Don Quixote fighting mythical foes, thinking windmills are the enemy. There is a real devil, contrary to the beliefs of the liberal church. There is a hell to shun and a heaven to gain. There are “principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12, NKJV) that we fight against. This world is not our friend, yet so many are on friendly terms with the world. Perhaps that is a reason why hymns such as this are no longer sung.
“Sure I must fight if I would reign,
Increase my courage, Lord:
I’ll bear the toil, endure the pain,
Supported by Thy word.”
I was looking up some history for this song and I discovered that it was much older than I had thought. It was written by the great hymnist, Isaac Watts and was written in the first decade of 1700. From what I found there was no particular reason for the writing of this hymn, except for the fact that Watts “composed a hymn every week to use in connection with his Sunday morning sermon (hymnstudies). Hear me, my friend–pick up your sword (the Word of God) and be ready and able to face an enemy who wants to destroy you. Only then can you make it, only then will the crown be placed on your head–“When the Battle’s Over.”
“And when the battle’s over we shall wear a crown!
Yes, we shall wear a crown!
Yes, we shall wear a crown!
And when the battle’s over we shall wear a crown
In the new Jerusalem.
Wear a crown, wear a crown,
Wear a bright and shining crown;
And when the battle’s over we shall wear a crown
In the new Jerusalem.”