KEY SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 53:5

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

RELEVANCE

As you read the historical books of the Bible and observe the battles, you will notice that the writers don't mention the wounded. 

Many wounded people are written into the Bible, but not those wounded in Israel's battles with other nations. When we compare those battles to today's spiritual warfare, believers still go into battle, but the manner is very different (unless our country is at war or we're frontline missionaries).  

The weapons of our warfare are not carnal like swords, bows and arrows, and battering rams, and our enemies are not human beings as such. Ephesians 6:12 says For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.  

Although we fight differently with prayer, praise, fasting, the Word of God, and staying in the Spirit, behaviours such as obedience, putting on our armour and facing the enemy in victory remain the same. 

In old God-fearing Israel, children grew up with the behaviours of the Law of God taught them by their parents, the community and the priesthood. God's Law was sown into every part of society in godly Israel. Every Israeli child was considered a citizen from birth.  

Today's world is different. Unless we're born into a Christian family, we only know Godly behaviours when we come to Christ, accept Him into our hearts and begin reading our Bibles. Even then, we suffer the wounds of an ungodly society, which are mostly invisible. 

Godliness through the Holy Spirit produces no wounds when lived out in earnest. This is why many come to Christ because they have been wounded in their hearts. Even believers get wounded by ungodly behaviour of their own doing or from others. 

The stark contrast between the two types of warriors is that God can heal every heart wound we suffer, whether self-inflicted or not. When the Holy Spirit dwells within a person, He can repair every harm or injury of the heart to new. We can take every bit of hurt, damage, trauma, or perceived destruction to the Lord, and He will deal with it in the most complete way—if we let Him. 

Prayer

My Lord and Saviour, who is like unto thee, who can renew the brokenness of your spiritual warriors and put them back into battle time and time again. Nobody is like you, my Lord. 

Photo by British Library