Flanked by the Enemy
by Joe Leavell
Photo by Anna Shvets from Pexels
It is yet another brutal winter night along the frontlines, and once again, you find yourself out on patrol. Thankfully, your position is not along the main battle line, but along one of the quieter sides of the battlefield where there has been far less activity. It has been a relatively calm week along your stretch, and you are hoping this will be another quiet watch. Shivering in the cold, your mind drifts towards the warmth of your tent, and you yearn for some much-needed sleep and rest. Stillness and quiet fill the forest as you scan the woods in front of you. There is nothing to see but white and the random trees and shrubs jutting out of the snow.
But wait! Was that movement? Never mind. Must have been the wind blowing the brush.
Calm again.
Snap!
The unmistakable sound of a branch breaking echoes in the woods not far away. It is not a foreign sound to the forest, but it is enough for you to take notice.
You are sure that something just moved out in the darkness!
You are fully awake now as your adrenaline is pumps through your system. You watch the line more closely.
Should you call it in? You decide it is best to wait in order to be sure. Now you see the outline of what looks like several bodies, and you know the enemy must be approaching.
How strong is the force coming towards you, you wonder? Are they simply gathering recon? Honestly, there doesn’t seem to be too much movement and you’ve handled small skirmishes on your own in the past. Maybe if they are just feeling out your lines you can handle it without bothering anyone else.
Here they come!
Your heart sinks to the floor as you realize what you are up against. This is no skirmish. This is a fully-fledged surprise flanking maneuver by the enemy that is centered right on your position.
Bullets begin to whiz past your ear as you have been spotted by the enemy, but now you dig in, ready to stand and fight. The last thing you want to be known for is a coward who can’t handle a flanking maneuver on his watch. You determine that don’t need any other soldiers to help and even if you do, it’s more awkward to ask than to just face the enemy alone. You’re determined to fight this battle on your own no matter how big an army you are facing! No one will call you a wimp who can’t handle his own problems!
So, with grit and self-determination you begin to lay down fire at the enemy, full of resolve and determination.
Then comes the sounds of the enemy tanks as they begin to move closer. As mortar shells begin to pound the ground all around, you realize a little too late just how foolish you have been to not do your job of watching for the enemy by calling for reinforcements. Not only have you thrown away your own life, but by not doing your job to warn your fellow soldiers, the entire flank faces an enemy they didn’t have warning was even coming.
You Don’t Have to Fight Alone
I cannot imagine this ridiculous scenario ever happening to our American military. We have the most highly trained fighting force in the world who knows the importance of working together as one unit. Yet, somehow, this understanding of fighting as a band of brothers has not sufficiently taken hold in our churches. Though Scripture uses the analogy of battle, fighting, and war on numerous occasions, we often do not think of our spiritual struggles in these terms.
Brothers, let me be clear: WE ARE IN A WAR!
There is a battle going on inside of you for your worship and your heart. It is a war between the Spirit and the flesh (Romans 8). Scripture tells us in 1 Peter 5:8, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”
Satan is the commander of a real enemy that seeks the destruction of you, your family, and your church (Ephesians 6:10-19). He knows that if he gets the dad, he can get the whole family. So, it comes as no surprise that fathers and husbands are being specifically targeted.
Why then do men fall to these flanking maneuvers of the enemy? In part it is because they are determined to fight on their own. Many men feel the self confidence that they are strong enough to handle the spiritual attacks. Others hide their battle in shame believing they will be looked down on as a spiritual wimp for not being able to handle the enemy on their own. Regardless of the size of the flanking attack by the enemy, they face their spiritual struggles alone, unwilling to bother their busy brothers, until they are on the edge of ruin.
Frankly, I have seen way too many men who have waited far too long to seek help from a pastor, a friend, or a counselor. They have stood alone in isolation until their families are devastated and their world is collapsing in around them.
“Brothers, no one mocks a soldier who calls for reinforcements when the enemy is flanking them! ”
Brothers, no one mocks a soldier who calls for reinforcements when the enemy is flanking them! He gets a commendation for doing his job in calling his fellow soldiers out to fight. We are not snipers and commandos who must fight our spiritual battles in isolation. We are meant to be one singular fighting unit who fight for the survival of the man in the foxhole next to him. Frankly, by stubbornly fighting alone, we are not only putting ourselves in danger, but also our families as well as the spiritual wellbeing of the entire church.
Scripture calls us to this kind of joint warfare. Men, if you’re struggling, Call for reinforcements! Talk to a godly friend about your struggles. Talk to your pastors. Call our office and set up an appointment. The point is, you don’t have to go through these fights alone! You were never intended to in the first place!
For Further Reading:
Side by Side: Walking with Others in Wisdom and Love - by Ed Welch
Love or Die: Christ's Wake-up Call to the Church - by Alexander Strauch
31 Ways to Be a "One-Another" Christian: Loving Others with the Love of Jesus - by Stuart Scott
