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Spiritual Warfare » Battlefield » Christ's Marching Orders
Scripture References
- ...He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:19 NKJV)
- “...I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.” (Acts 26:17-18 NKJV)
- “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples... These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.” (John 15:8-13 NKJV)
- “But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves... I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one... Sanctify them by Your truth... that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.” (John 17:13-26 NKJV)
- “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to 'set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law'; and 'a man's enemies will be those of his own household.'” (Matthew 10:34-36 NKJV)
- “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. (Matthew 28:18-20NKJV)
Commentary: Commander's Intent
One of the reasons the US military is so hard to defeat, as well as being a cause of it sometimes, is that junior leaders are allowed to take initiative to alter the battle plan, as long as the change supports the "commander's intent". That intent is given as part of the operations order governing the battle and represents the big picture in terms of success. "What right looks like".
Our King has given us our marching orders, the operations order being the Great Commission, and has repeatedly demonstrated and declared his intent. Our free-will gives us wide latitude, but being a soldier in battle demands discretion and sound judgement as well as initiative.
Sergeant's Notes
- Know the commander's intent: What should the battlefield look like when the war is over? What is his plan to accomplish it? Your role is...?
- Employ your team according to its capabilities and within the commander's intent: Know your personal strengths and weaknesses, your weapon's capabilities and their employment, your team's capabilities and their readiness for battle. (Are they conditioned, trained, rested, fed, and properly equipped? Are they focused on the mission?)
- Use and synchronize all available firepower - your team's, adjacent unit's, and higher commander's: Communicate, coordinate, execute.
- Don't get tunnel vision, be aware of the entire battlefield: Stay alert!
- Fight on the ground you choose, not the enemy's choice: Keep moving.
- MAINTAIN COMMUNICATION WITH HIGHER: PRAY!
