"CHARACTERISTICS OF A WARRIOR"
Have a pure heart! Have mercy! Be a peacemaker! Expect persecution! Hunger and thirst for righteousness! Wow - this is warrior talk in case your wondering. Christ is detailing the characteristics of someone filled with the Holy Spirit and engaged in warfare. Let's look at them briefly to get a feel. This is good stuff!
Characteristics of a WARRIOR:
1. SENSES real needs - Matt. 5:3
The real Warrior senses their deepest needs and has them met by the one person who can - God! This is that perfectly balanced Warrior who recognizes "without Christ I can do nothing" BUT "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength". Theirs is the kingdom of God!
2. SHARES emotionally - Matt. 5:4
Warriors share emotions that channel change in themselves and ignite change in others! Don't be mistaken - this is not shallow emotionalism. This is the real deal - the genuine response to God intervention on mans helpless state. Real Warriors are open with their emotions and this is something that confounds the wise and strong of this world. This is good warfare!
3. SHOWS inner strength - Matt. 5:5
To conquer poisonous passions and tame wild thoughts is the Warriors "inner strength". Not only this, as wonderful as it is - it goes further and gets better. Their inner strength guides them in clear thinking and visionary movements to help create a future of good. He inherits the earth! Their mighty influence on others is anointed by the mighty influence the Holy Spirit continually has on them.
4. SEEKS God's righteousness - Matt. 5:6
They are bold as a lion (Proverbs 28:1)! Those who stand in the righteousness of Christ always are. They don't trust their own goodness or morality. They are good and moral, but that is not the source of their confidence - but the result of being filled Gods righteousness - who is the ultimate, undefeated, unending WARRIOR! They LIVE righteously because they ARE righteous! Don't be mistaken however, its not their own righteousness, but its the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ that they wear! They live with the conscience reality of being accepted and pleasing to God through their child-like faith in Christ! This is strong Warrior language! Those Warriors on the front line always wear well the breastplate of Christ-righteousness! They defeat the enemy every time - when he points to their imperfections and deep flaws - they point him to the blood of Jesus Christ and His finished work alone! The tactics of the enemy test their faith and strengthen it at the same time! What their enemy mean for evil against them God uses it for their good!
5. SOOTHES others wounds - Matt. 5:7
Warriors are not afraid of being tainted by the wrongs and weaknesses of others around them. They restore those overtaken in sin with Christ. They forgive those who have wronged them. They have special abilities to bring healing in seemingly impossible situations. There goal is reconciliation and restoration. They understand the process of healing. The understand that "hurting people hurt people" and freely pardon when attacked. They also understand that "merciful people heal people". Mercy is not giving people what they deserve when it would wound them or condemn them. Warriors give others in their time of need what God gave them in their time of need! Warriors give guilty people what they need most by not giving them what they deserve most - mercy! Mercy soothes wounds - and myriads of people are carrying wounds everyday all around us and need what they don't deserve - MERCY! Fight the good fight - Warriors show mercy!
Live well.
