We all recognize them. Perhaps you are, or used to be one --
Outwardly, seemingly mature Christians who are whiny,
Who, in the face of the slightest test, are completely undone.
Normal tests only reveal their faith is small, maybe tiny.
No longer a babe in Christ, but not yet fully mature,
Still hooked on God’s quick-fix answers received as an infant.
Unable God’s slightest test to successfully endure,
Concerning the ‘tough meat’ of God’s Word, they remain distant.
These folk may have put on God’s ‘helmet of salvation’,
But for them, other parts of His armor are too heavy. 1
So they have resisted His ‘fight of faith’ conscription.
Of faith and the Sword of the Spirit, they don’t think highly.
Search across the Bible’s pages, this is not what you’ll find.
This is not the end game of The Holy Spirit’s mission.
This is not the picture, ‘Christian’, that God has in His mind.
If to His voice you listen, here is what you’ll envision.
As on eagle’s wings, God promised to bear us up,
So on His wings let us mount up, His Word in tow!
As you hang on in flight, you will surely grow-up!
Just keep hanging on, until you become a pro!
Soon, across life’s skies, you’ll fly your own ‘flight of faith’.
Then when problems come to steal your peace and joy,
You will be the sure victor in God’s ‘fight of faith’.
As you fight, here’s a tactic you can employ.
Since it’s problems that tend to make us pray,
And since they make us leave our glory height,
Then let us turn our problems into our prey,
And let us raise them in our glory flight.
Into your problems your talons you will sink,
Just as into weighty prey, eagles’ talons dig.
They’ll soon begin to ‘bleed’, and may even ‘stink’.
Never let go, even if they all seem quite big.
Don’t let go, I say! In faith, keep flying higher,
Gripping problems that used to make you scared.
Fly so high that you become their ‘terrifier’!
They’ll serve you when, by faith, they’ve been impaired.
By faith, id, then seize their ‘spirit core’,
Tighten your faith grip; eventually they will yield!
Then, speaking God’s Word, sound your victor’s roar!
Congratulations! You have become …a ‘Christian, steeled!’ 2
----------1 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit… (Ephesians 6:13-18)
2 To steel: (verb) To render insensible, inflexible, unyielding, determined, etc.
