Wars have been present since the beginning of time—the war between good and evil.
Several years ago, I had a conversation with my friends about wars and what kind of good they bring, if they do have any. There was a mention of economic and political goods, even how wars can bring about the ‘formation’ of new countries, the liberation of the oppressed and the rapid growth of technology. To be honest, I don’t remember most of the technical things that we talked about. However, one line did really stick to me. When our conversation was about to end, one friend mentioned that the world is now getting more peaceful compared to the past. After he said that, I thought that maybe he was right. There are less wars now and I assume there are less battle-related deaths today compared to the first half of the 1900s or so it may seem. But now that I think more about it, there may be less physical wars today but it does not mean that our world is at an all-time high in terms of peace. Today, we are far from the definition of peace. Humanity is so divided.
The terrible truth is that even though we do not see dying civilians in battle or flying cannonballs causing great destruction as we see in war films, our world is very much at war. But this is a spiritual war – our salvation is at stake. Our souls are at risk. We are in an unseen war fought between God and Satan. And in this great tribulation, the legion of evil seems to be winning, causing many of us to go astray. As for us, Christians, we are in a war against many propagandas that try to knock religion and faith down. We are amidst a war where many ‘civilians’—normal people suffer from the corruption of their Christian values. Physical houses may not be crushed but families are left broken. Schools may not have been torn down because of bombs, but many students are annihilated by agnosticism and even atheism. This war may not seem to stop very soon and so there is a dire need for Holy Warriors who will rise to fight against the enemy. Holy and A Warrior. These two things have been engraved in my heart since the moment I learned it from the latest book written by Tito Frank Padilla, Holy Warriors.
“A missionary must be holy and also a warrior.“
-Bro. Frank Padilla
It is a powerful combination and now more than ever we need holy warriors that will help fight the cause of our faith. While reading this book, I felt a tug in my heart to respond to this sacred calling. I know I have responded to it years ago when I started to serve Jesus as a missionary but I felt that I needed to do more. When Tito Frank painted the reality that we face as Christians, I have come to realize that there is so much work to be done. I must help build God’s kingdom here on Earth and daily commit to making His name known.
As a Holy Warrior, I must constantly desire the advancement of God’s kingdom. It means making loving sacrifices that are part of the call. It means fighting the oppressor and not just staring quietly at how people fall towards the snares of the enemy. According to Tito Frank, it means being humble, obedient, long-suffering and yielded to the Holy Spirit. These are some of the things that help make us holy and we must always keep this in mind.
When I am unguarded, it’s easy to forget this sacred calling. There are many days that I am tempted to be just like anyone else – to live an ordinary life and only think only of myself. But I thank God that He consistently strengthens me when I feel defeated.
The battle is not easy. But I am assured that the victory in the end is God’s. With this promise, I will continue to fight and persevere for my family, my friends, and the world. I will strive to win more souls for God.
I am far from perfect but by the courage that comes from God’s grace, I will step forward and accept the challenge of being a Holy Warrior and I pray that many people will sign on and commit to advance His kingdom here on Earth.
Karen Penetrante is a Full Time Pastoral Worker of Missionary Families of Christ. She is currently the Area Youth Servant of NCR Central and the youth coordinator MFC Youth LIT.
