The Training of a Spiritual Warrior

The Training of a Spiritual Warrior

Greetings and good morning brothers and sisters. This is Dr. James Perry continuing with our series

where we seek to explore the deeper meanings of our relationship with Jesus Christ. Over the years,

the heavenly Father has revealed many revelations of spiritual truth to me, and I want to share them

with you. This morning we seek to understand the technique of training a spiritual warrior.

And now, sit back and listen to today's message.

The Training of a Spiritual Warrior

"Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day,

and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girded about with truth, and having

the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

above all taking the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the

wicked. 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, and matching there unto with all

perseverence and supplication for all saints and for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that

I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an

ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak." Ephesians, Chapter 6,

Verses 13 - 20.

Brothers and sisters, in today's broadcast, we shall examine the training process of a spiritual warrior.

Now we are very familiar with the concept of the training of a material warrior. These are the

members that make up the various armed components of society, and their function is to be ready

to protect the country from enemies who might want to attack and destroy the country. And it is this

analogy that we shall use in our attempt to make clear the training of a spiritual warrior.

Now these material warriors prior to their training are ordinary citizens, but after they complete their

military training, they become skilled members of the defense forces. They go through a distinct

training program, becoming bonafide members of the defense forces, wearing a distinctive uniform

that signifies their distinction as warriors.

This training program has many elements that the newly recruits must master. One of the most

important early lessons that the recruit must learn is how to function as a part of group, and later how

to become a disciplined team member. This process begins the first day the recruits report for

training. They are first asked to stand into a formation. This is where the newly recruit learns to stand

in basically what is a rectangular arrangement. He learns how to form this structure. Most of the

information outside of the classroom is given while the recruit is in this kind of formation.

Instructions concerning his daily routine are given during this formation, and each day begins with

this formation, and the end of each day he is dismissed from this formation. He learns how to walk

or march in this kind of formation. Everywhere he goes during the organized day he moves in this

formation. A lot of the previous habits of the new recruit are detrimental to being a member of a

defense force, and these are removed during the process of training.

The indoctrination begins immediately. It is presented informally and formally; his trainers are those

who have mastered the art of warfare. They serve as living examples for the recruits. The recruits

copy the example of the attitudes and values displayed by the trainers. Then there is the classroom

presentation, detailing the history of the military, its past achievements, it decorated heroes, as well

as the formal presentation of the code of conduct along with the penalties for violations.

The recruit begins the physical aspects of the program right away. In addition to moving in a

formation where ever he goes (which is the unconscious acquirement of group adhesions), he also

walks where ever he goes. This practice immediately begins to condition his back and his legs. Then

he begins the formal part of his physical training. The exercises that he does every day are designed

to increase his physical stamina, to tone and make strong his muscles, for his duties as a material

warrior require great physical and emotional stamina. Along with physical training, he begins

weapons training and other aspects of military training such as the use of a compass, map reading,

and small group military tactics.

Emotional stamina is acquired by submitting to the process. This trains the emotions to cooperate

with the task at hand. And as he continues this process of subjecting his desires for the

requirements of the training, he begins to develop discipline, imposed at first, but soon becomes

self-initiated. He must learn to endure even when he is exhausted and sleepy. He must learn to

put his mission above all personal considerations, even the threat of losing his life must not take

precedence over his mission. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. Under this

sustained training, he begins to acquires the values of the military warrior. After all the

instructions are successfully mastered, he graduates and is assigned to a unit.

The training of the spiritual warrior has very similar parallels. The spiritual warrior is recruited

from the potential spiritual nature of the natural man, but prior to recruitment, the natural man is

antagonistic to the spiritual training, but he has the ability to make a free will choice to become

a spiritual warrior. His mission is analogous to a material warrior. The material warrior is

primarily concerned with protecting and defending, and when necessary defeating foes who

threaten society. The spiritual warrior is primarily concerned with protecting and defending, and

when necessary defeating the foes who threaten the spiritual society. As in the case of the material

warrior, there are advertisements designed to recruit in the spiritual forces.

In the material analogy, advertisement consists of radio and television announcements, as well

as personal interviews, and other material means such as posters and billboards. There are also

incentives that are given to join the material force, such as money for college tuition, and other

material considerations that are designed to attract the recruit. In the recruitment of the spiritual

warriors the advertisements are spiritual and consists in the spiritual urges for divine perfection,

the urge for salvation, and the urge of divine love. When the recruits responds to these urges, they

are reborn of the spirit, becoming a spiritual recruit, a spiritual warrior. There are also spiritual

incentives for the natural man becoming a spiritual warrior. The chief among these is the

satisfaction of his desire to survive the mortal life. The spiritual warrior is given eternal life for

joining the spiritual force and completing the training. There is also the incentive of acquiring a

lasting and satisfying purpose. And there is the promise that, if he will sincerely complete the

training and serve honorably, he will one day meet the commander-in-chief of the spiritual forces,

an extraordinary honor and privilege, for not many spiritual warriors relatively speaking in the

universe have personally met the source of their spirit call.

The training also has three phases: indoctrination, training, and testing. The indoctrination makes

clear the nature of the spiritual warrior. The nature of the soul is explained to him, that vehicle

that is destined to be the actual warrior, as well as his partners, the eternal spirit who will be his

guide and his mentor, and numerous other spiritual helpers, including the Spirit of Truth, the Holy

Spirit, and his essential guardian angels. All of these spirits are involved in his training and have

distinct roles to play in changing the natural nature of a human being into a dynamic force of

spiritual power. The nature of the warfare, the supreme purpose, and the reasons are given to the

spiritual warrior. The spiritual training begins at once, and the analogous spiritual training of the

soul begins by teaching the soul discipline, spiritual toughness, faith, trust, and assurance that are

invincible in liaison with the Master Trainer.

Here he learns long-suffering, acquired by living in an environment that requires it in order to be

successful. Again and again, even countless times, the soul is subjected to irritating situations

until finally a day arises when the irritant brings forth only patience. When this happens the soul

has acquired that discipline that is essential to its successful battles with evil and sin. He is

constantly learning how to use the spiritual weapons of truth, beauty, and goodness. These values

of spiritual warfare are the weapons that vanquish error, ugliness, and evil. And he finally learns

to use the greatest weapon of them all, divine love. This weapon is an irresistible force, and all

succumb to it. Finally the training is completed, and the spiritual warriors graduate and are

assigned to their units of spiritual warfare, the bestowal of unstinting unconditional love, eternal

patience, endless mercy, and ceaseless forgiveness.

This concludes today's message on understanding the meaning of the training of a spiritual

warrior. We hope you find something in this message to ponder and pray about as you go about

your day.

Until next time, this is Dr. James Perry.

Inspirational Messages

By Dr. James Perry

Your Kingdom Come, Your Will Be Done!

The Training of a Spiritual Warrior