The Spoils of War and of Peace

UV 2156/10000 The Spoils of War and Peace

Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
Isaiah 9 v 3

The word joy to the manger leader or manager means “Jesus owns you.” He or she is a servant or steward of the Lord. Formerly, he was abducted by the enemy and was possessed by him but now he has been ransomed or bought back by Jesus. The ownership of God of man has been restored forever. This produces the euphoric feeling of victory. The joy is similar to that a farmer experiences when he sees that the fruit of all his labour, his sowing, fencing, ploughing, watering, tending, praying, hoping is about to be harvested. The harvest will meet his own need for bread or food, that of his family and others. Since we are living souls and God is the harvester, we can rejoice along with the harvester in our salvation. We are not the chaff or hay that is meant for burning but the souls that are ready for harvest. The Lord of the harvest, being the Multiplier He is, multiplies our talents, our abilities, our resources, our impact, our contributions, our victories, our blessings. We should not grudge it when He multiplies our challenges and difficulties to make of us a better farmer, a greater soldier.

The joy the manger leader or manager enjoys is the result of a struggle, a battle, a war in the spiritual realms. Each soul is wrested from the abductor and his forces of captivity. The cords and bonds with which he has tied up humankind are torn asunder by the Prince of Peace. Hence, we enjoy the spoils of war and peace. The spoils of war are the blessings in place of curses that we inherit in Christ. The spoils of peace are the eternal rewards we receive in heaven. The Old Testament records the raid that Abraham did with his band of loyal fighters on the Midianites camp to recover his captured servants, women folk and cattle. Similarly, we do surgical strikes on the enemy camp and celebrate our victory in Christ by sharing the spoils of war. We take back what rightly belongs to us, what has been stolen from us, our spiritual inheritance of peace, joy and everlasting life.

The manger leader or manager is a farmer in peace time and a soldier in a time of war. He is patient and hardworking as a farmer. He is as brave, disciplined and loyal as a soldier. As a farmer, he is diligent and does appropriate things at the apt time and in due season. As a soldier, he is always in training for warfare. As a farmer, he watches out for the pests and birds of prey and keeps these at bay. As a soldier, he stands guard and alert at all times. As a farmer, his tools are the yoke of Jesus to plough, his seed are the gospel of transformation, the believers and followers of Jesus are the flock. As a soldier, his weapon is the Word that he brandishes in fervent prayer. His shield is his faith in the whole Word of God. His shoes are the Commander-in-Chief ’s call to go where he sends him. The truths he has learnt and applies in his life are the belt that ties up and holds his armour in place. His helmet of assurance of salvation is indestructible and impenetrable even as his ear pieces allow him to hear even the whisper of the spirit. The farmer divides the spoils of peace. The soldier in us divides the spoils of war. A man of all seasons is able to turn the threshing rod into a sword and the sword into a threshing rod.

Prateep V Philip