Are You Going To Ring The Bell?

Friday, 18 February 2022

“See, it is I who created the blacksmith who fans the coals into flame and forges a weapon fit for its work” – Isaiah 54:16a NIV

The American army has many different branches that all serve the country and the president. One of these branches is called the Navy SEAL (Sea, Air, and Land). Training to become one of these specialist soldiers is intense, gruesome, and very dangerous. There have been at least 17 deaths documented as a direct result of the rigorous training which can take up to almost 2 years. The portion of the training includes a 500-yard swim in 12 minutes and 30 seconds , 50 push-ups in 2 minutes, 50 sit-ups in 2 minutes, 10 consecutive pull-ups in 2 minutes, and a 1.5-mile run in 10 minutes and 30 seconds. In the common room where they rest in between training, there is a bell that is visible to everyone. The logic is if you decide to quit the training you have to ring this bell in front of everyone. This is meant to remind you that by quitting you are failing your brothers in arms, you’ve taken the coward’s way out. All this training is to make you a weapon of mass destruction that can be called into action at any moment.

In Christianity, we also have to endure rigorous training to be prepared for the coming battles. Every single trial and test is pushing us closer and closer to graduation and promotion. It’s those that endure the hardships that eventually become usable vessels that are fit for their work. Just like in the army there are people we are put under that are there to help us transition from novices to mature, and trustworthy vessels. Unfortunately, not everyone has the stomach for such grueling training. Others fall off and ring the bell, thereby abandoning their fellow brethren. Unfortunately, whether you have completed the training or not, you are still gonna have to face the enemy. Those that have been obedient to their drill instructors (spiritual leaders) and supervisors (five-fold) have a better chance of remaining standing when the enemy attacks.

“The weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood]. Our weapons are divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses” (2 Corinthians 10:4 Amplified Bible). Though we are in the world, our ammunition isn’t of this world, it’s unconventional. We use God’s arsenal to combat our real enemy (the devil), and not our perceived enemy (fellow human beings). Though the vessel is human we know that our fight isn’t against flesh and blood. We are uncompromising in our pursuit of the dark kingdom and its minions and because he is unrelenting, our discipline during our training is of utmost importance. We must be like the virgins that had extra oil, in preparation for any possible outcome. 

We need to be ready for any type of offensive from the enemy. This way we won’t be found wanting when our moment to shine comes. It’s like the learner who studies from 1st term for an exam that he will only write in the 4th term, he doesn’t know what questions will be asked, so he prepares for everything. We too have to be disciplined at all times, as we don’t know what our eventual test will require. Ringing the bell is the furthest thing from our minds, we will not leave /abandon our brethren in case our skill set is required to strike down our common foe.

Every single trial and test is pushing us closer and closer to graduation and promotion