Christian Warriors

 

Saint Patrick himself was a saint, a warrior who was called and used by God to bring the good news of the gospel to all those who believed. The spirit of God was able to perform a lot of miracle signs and wonders through Saint Patrick’s willing vessel. After his death, Ireland carried onto it’s pagan roots and just so happen to idolize the move of God that was done by Patrick and mixing righteousness with unrighteousness, celebrating many gods, mythical creatures such as leprechauns, and worshipping themselves filling each other up with their own evil desires indulging in food and alcohol.

 

While St. Patricks Day is no longer being celebrated for it’s original purpose, there’s a story of a Christian warrior that needs to be told hopefully to inspire the warrior in you.

 

Saint Patrick was believed to be a Roman citizen. He was not originally from Ireland but from England, born into a wealthy family. At the time he wasn’t a Christian, he was just a little boy clueless of what he wanted to be in life probably dreaming dreams of traveling the world or maybe becoming the next president. Typical dreams you and I have as children.

 

At the age of 16, his life and freedom was robbed from him. He was kidnapped by pagan Irish pirates and sold to a Druid priest. For more insight, this priest wasn’t a priest of God. His religion was basically where he worshipped many gods including himself, he served his flesh, and also sacrificed little children to his gods. This priest decided to make Saint Patrick become his pig shepherd slave.

 

From there Patrick was enslaved in Ireland for 6 years. He himself thought that this was God’s way of punishing him for the lifestyle he lived as a child growing up. Patrick thought that he deserved the bad things that happened to him because he didn’t put his faith in God before he was captured.

 

Eventually in his 20’s, it was to be believed that God spoke to Patrick in a dream showing him an escape plan to a ship that would take him back home. Patrick woke up and instantly went on a search for the ship and by the grace of God he found it and made it back to his home in England. He escaped captivity.

 

It was when he returned to his hometown he converted to Christianity and received Roman Catholic education. God blessed him with a kingdom mission to be ordained as a bishop to convert the pagans.

 

Faithfully Patrick returned to the same place that enslaved him and oppressed him. He fulfilled his kingdom mission converting more than 100,000 people and growing 300+ churches all throughout Ireland. When Patrick had the power to get revenge, he chose the power of love. He preached the gospel of Christ to the same people who treated him as dung ground into a carpet.

 

How many of you grew up as children, full of dreams, joy and aspirations? You longed to be doctors, teachers, preachers, musicians, dancers, athlete’s, writers, etc…? As a child our faith was pure, nothing we could dream of, or goal was impossible to achieve. We felt like superheroes overcoming and taking out the bad guys or villains, there was nothing that could stop us. We were invincible.

 

Until someone came and killed your joy, robbed you of your peace, captured your souls, took away your voice, stole something precious from you, enslaved, imprisoned, and oppressed you, and locked you in chains. Some of you may have made decisions based on your background or the people that hurt you as a child that was supposed to show you love and put you in a place you never thought you’d be. A good girl/boy, gone bad.

 

You were placed in a position where you’d never see another day or the light at the end of the tunnel. Just like Patrick you felt like God was punishing you for the bad things you’ve done or worse the bad things someone else did to you. You feel hopeless, there’s no bright future for you. Some of you didn’t get the job you applied for, or the college acceptance letter, some of you were robbed of your precious jewels at a young age, depression has come down and swooped you off your feet, you were penalized for a crime you committed. You don’t know who you are anymore. You lost sight of the invincible little girl or boy you were and have settled for the fate of your destiny. Some of you may wear a smile like everything is okay but deep down inside you’re screaming for help locked down by chains.

 

There are people who have done you wrong and you’re hurt, confused, angry, bitter, traumatized, addicted to something that was introduced to you by someone who was supposed to protect you. And there are those of you who have hurt other people and have deep regret, experiencing shame, guilt and remorse because hurt people hurt people. You sit in the dark bound by chains for years hoping you’d get back to who you once were. The you who was innocent, pure, full of joy, happy to be alive.

 

But what if I told you, there’s hope. That God isn’t done with you yet, He’s just getting started. He’s not looking at the things that disqualifies you as His child, He’s looking forward to qualifying you for what He has for your future. He’s not looking forward to punishing you because Christ has already taken the punishment. Although there are times where we will face the consequences of our actions and poor decision-making. Many things happen to us that takes us off the journey God desires for us, but he uses moments like those for us to trust in Him. You’re the sculpture and He’s the Sculptor, and you’re the clay while He’s the Potter. As you give your life to Him, He molds and shapes you into who He created you to be. There’s a new you in Christ He wants you to accept and an old you He wants you to let go of.

 

Joseph in the Bible had a similar story to St. Patrick. Joseph was one of Jacob’s 12 sons. His father loved him more than any of the others and gave him a colored cloak. His brothers were jealous of him and sold him into slavery. He was taken to Egypt and eventually became steward to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officials. Potiphar’s wife tried unsuccessfully to seduce him and after false accusations were leveled at Joseph he was imprisoned for sexual assault. Due to his ability to interpret Pharaoh’s dream he was made governor of Egypt. He wisely rationed the country’s produce in preparation for a time of famine.

 

During that time even though he was falsely accused and taken into slavery from the beginning, God used that as an opportunity to humble Joseph to depend on and trust in Him because He was preparing Joseph for his future.

 

During the famine Joseph’s brothers, the same ones who sold him into slavery and lied to their father about his whereabouts, came to Egypt to plead with Joseph for supplies. They did not recognize him dressed in the Egyptian clothing but after he was satisfied, Joseph revealed his identity and forgave his brothers and they all were full of joy. Joseph invited his father and brothers to come and settle in Egypt. The story is recounted in the Old Testament (Genesis 37, 39–45).

 

Again, right here, someone’s life was taken from them at an early age. God used Joseph as a willing vessel to save the land from a famine. And the same ones who enslaved him had to rely on him to supply their needs. Instead of Joseph seeking revenge, he was able to forgive them and show them God’s mercy and love.

 

When we come to a realization that our past or even present situations that’s weighing us down does not define us, we get to see that there’s a future waiting for us to change the plot of our story and that’s where we meet God…at the crossroads. Even in the midst of sorrow, pain, and the bottomless pit God is waiting for you to grab a hold of his hand and realize He’s not the oppressor or antagonist of your story…

 

He’s the SAVIOR. He’s the HERO. He is GOD ALMIGHTY.

 

He doesn’t want to hear your story while you’re sinking in the ocean, He just wants your yes, He just wants you to come into agreement with Him so He can save you.  God is the author and in every story there’s a bad guy who never wants to see you win and always wants to kill, steal and destroy your joy.

 

The enemy who lies in disguise. Satan.

 

God sees the enemy’s plot before we do but He also has the key to your destiny where the devil may feel like he won and you may endure for a season, but God always comes through, right on time to show the enemy who God is.

 

Because what the enemy meant for evil, God uses for good. And the pain that was birthed in you can be turned into purpose to win souls for the kingdom. That is where you share the opportunity of your past or story because that’s the testimony that will shake up hell. They hate the sight of seeing another soul being saved. Your fall happened so that you could learn how to pick someone up and take them to the same one who pulled you out of the gloomy darkness.

 

Just like God called Patrick and Joseph, He has called you too. Come from among the dark and believe in the light of men, Jesus Christ and you will be saved. What He saved you from is what He’s going to use through you to save other people. There is hope. There is freedom. And There is joy. Never let go of Gods unchanging hand.

 

Those who hurt you forgive them and show the love of God because they may or may not see it again, but the truth is you’re saved and all God wanted was you because in Christ you matter, you are important, and you are more than enough.