The Warrior-Monk

“Life without war is impossible, either in nature, or in grace.” (Oswald Chambers)

For the saint as well as the soldier, the spiritual and physical disciplines are much the same, in that both must be brought under submission and redirected toward a specific purpose. For those called to the monkish order as warriors, discipline becomes our master, and necessarily so, as we have to rise to the task of determining what’s best and good within ourselves before we can go about defending what’s best in the world. While the natural man is like a tempest in a teacup, the warrior-monk engages in being intentional in everything he does. Realizing that unity between the mind, body and soul is not an inherent capacity, but an acquired trait, the warrior disciplines the will in bringing everything under submission to a higher purpose. And through focus, whether in physical training, mental conditioning or spiritual discipline, he subordinates his very existence to the dictates of his will and the lordship of Christ, so that the light within becomes the lamp that illumines the world. Yet simply put, we must understand that transformation is not a once-and-done proposition.– “…The one thing we object to is the continuing process of conversion required in order to maintain the necessary relationship between the natural and the spiritual.” (Chambers) And, although we may serve as emissaries of peace, we prepare ourselves as if for war, because whether it’s in the natural or in the supernatural, the world is at war and…”there will be blood!”

While the cross of Christ testifies to the cost, it also presents a proposition. – Are we actually willing to follow Jesus? As the path ahead is not for the faint of heart, as it requires an uncompromising attitude. And, while as believers we often conflate the cross we bear with the sin we carry, we’re implicitly told to “lay it down.” “The natural life is not spiritual, and it can only be made spiritual through struggle in the natural.” (Chambers) As we begin to sort it out, discarding everything that runs counter to our calling, we neither have the luxury to indulge a weak constitution nor an indefinite convalescence. We must pull ourselves up by the bootstraps, “…disciplining our body and bringing it into subjection, so as to have…absolute governance over the temple of the Holy Spirit.” (Chambers) And, although the gospel is considered canon, the scriptures also speak volumes about the ascendance of our spiritual reality over that of our existential reality. Get a grip on it! And while your at it, realize that its not the natural man that’s meant to run the race, but the spiritual man.

Although it’s written: “…that without faith it is impossible to please God,” (Heb. 11:6), it is not found in edifices that simply attest to the fact, nor a convenient label for professing Christian. Faith itself arises apart from any religious context, in direct response to the call of God. — “Who shall I send, and who will go for us…? (Is. 6:8) The question itself demands a response. – God speaking, whose listening? If you don’t have the faith of God, you will never respond. It follows then that spiritual discipleship is all about equipping those who will respond to the call. While trepidation is understandable, a conviction of the heart is a requirement. And much like entering a spiritual boot-camp, discipleship is not intended to give you more information, but to instruct a believer on how to persevere, and in the end, prevail. If perseverance is the collateral for virtue, faith then becomes the currency of the kingdom. Our recurring deposit not only places us in the company of angels, but delivers compound interest. In the final analysis, “the real battle is either won or lost in the secret places of the heart and will, before God, and not in the external world.” (Chambers) Yet, whether the battle takes a day or an eternity, its duration and eventual outcome is entirely dependent upon a warrior’s resolve to secure a decisive point. – Who will reign – Christ in us or the enemy of our soul?