Equipped For Battle Series

Equipped for Battle

Text: John 16:5-15

Tomorrow is Veteran’s Day – and I always take some time to pause on that and think about what so many have given in service of their country.

Let me just take a moment to give you a little glimpse into the experience of a veteran.

You are a young man or woman. You’ve signed up to serve your country. You’ve gone to basic training and then your MOS school… that’s the training for the job you’ll be doing – whether that’s a mechanic, or cook, or medic, or serving in the infantry – in combat. And maybe even some other specialized training, like Jump School, You’ve gotten all this training, your nation has invested a lot of money in that training – it’s really not sufficient, but it’s functional. And then one day you get the call – you’re being deployed.

You are sent to a foreign land.

It’s different than home. The people are different, the culture is different, languages, religion, EVERYTHING IS DIFFERENT. And you’re thrust into this different environment and told to do the job you were trained to do. There’s no adjustment period. There’s no “easing into it.” And hopefully you’ve been well equipped and well trained, because that’s what you’re going to default to – the level of training you’ve received, and what you’ve been equipped with. Your skills, your weapons, your body armor, and the guy next to you.

And what happens is – you’re sent to this foreign country and you are there fighting for democracy… or fighting against some tyrant… or fighting for the interests of our nation… or whatever it might be, and you believe that your cause is the righteous one, and good one, and moral one. That it’s going to make the world a better place.

But then something happens.

The people you are trying to help, tell you they don’t want you there. They tell you that they don’t want your ideals, or your culture, and they don’t value the things you value. They might want some help against the enemy that’s afflicting them currently, but they don’t care to change their culture, or ideals, beliefs and world views. They don’t understand that their beliefs and culture is what brought about and caused the problems they are facing in the first place.

Now I want to ask you all one question before we get to our text, and here it is:

Was I just describing what it’s like to be a Veteran, or what it’s like being a Christian?

Because it’s kinda’ the same thing right?

The world is not our home. We are called soldiers of Christ. We are told to fight the good fight. We are sent out to people who really don’t want our beliefs, don’t hold the same moral and spiritual values that we do, who don’t want anything to do with our religion or even the culture and society that such a belief system creates. And so, very similar to a veteran, deployed to a dangerous location, we find ourselves relying on our training, our equipment, and the guy or gal next to us… Our training – our discipleship, our knowledge and understanding of God’s Word, of doctrine… You can’t share it or teach it if you don’t know it… Our brothers and sisters in Christ – the Church, who is alongside us in this mission… and what we have been equipped with… or rather… I should say, WHO we’ve been equipped with – meaning the Holy Spirit.

We’re in John 16:5-15 this morning, if you’ll go ahead and open your Bibles to that passage, we’ll read through it and unpack it together. (READ TEXT).

This passage is talking about the coming of, and the working of the Holy Spirit.

And if you remember, Jesus has just told the disciples what to expect from the world. Persecution, hatred. He told them they would be put out of the synagogues, and killed by zealots who thought they were serving God. Just like, when a soldier is going overseas into combat, they should know that there is an enemy who wants to kill them.

And Jesus warns the disciples here – that is the case… but they aren’t going unequipped.

In verse 7 He says, “It’s to your advantage that I’m going away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send Him to you.”

Now there’s a lot within just that one verse.

So first of all – it’s to our advantage! Each and every believer has the Holy Spirit residing within them. He is present with us right now… and as we go about our day… and as we eat our meals, and watch TV, and go to the football or basketball game. He is with us when we wake up in the morning and when we lay down. He is God the Spirit… He is ever present. OMNIPRESENT. And ever present help in times of trouble. And like I said, He is within every single believer…. He’s here with us in Slapout Oklahoma… He’s with believers in OKC and Dallas. Believers in Phoenix Arizona and Richmond Virginia. He’s with believers in London England, and Edinburgh Scotland… Manilla and Cape Town… If you are a believer – you have the Holy Spirit residing within you.