Jihad. Holy war. Up until about nine years ago, you probably didn’t know that word. But now you do. Now you know it well. It is not just a word. It is a reality. It is a word used by those who say they are fighting for god. It used by those who take up weapons of war and murder in order to make their god the king of this world.

That is their jihad. Throughout Lent and especially during Holy Week, we hear about the real jihad. The real holy war. It is not a war that we fight for God, but that God fights for us. A war fought not with conventional weapons, but with spiritual weapons against a spiritual foe. St. Paul said, “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Eph 6:12)

On His way to the cross Jesus said, “Now the ruler of this world is cast out.” (John 12:31) Jesus’ death is the exorcism of the world. He casts out the devil by the power of His own death. The reign of the Liar is ended. The roaring lion is declawed. The ancient serpent is defanged. The seven-headed dragon is hurled down. The reason the Son of God appeared in the flesh was to destroy the works of the devil. (1 John 3:8)

Because this holy war is against unconventional opponents, it was fought with an unconventional weapon. With a weapon that looked more like defeat than victory – a cross. Victory doesn’t come by putting our foe on that cross, but by our King being nailed to it – only after He is first betrayed, denied, tried, convicted, beaten, and humiliated.

This jihad is not fought out of hatred, but out of love. During Lent we read the Passion History of our Lord leading to the Passion of His crucifixion. There we see God’s complete passion for us – His obsessive, driven love that causes Him to come and fight for us. To come and live as us. To come and die for us. For this is a holy war only He could fight – a holy war only He could win. A holy war fought by the Holy One, so that we who are unholy might be made holy.

You know that ... and so the question is: why do we keep trying to fight this war? Why do we think we can win this war of holiness, with our own strength, our own wisdom, our own efforts, our own weapons? Thinking that we can conquer our sin, if only we try hard enough. Thinking that we can build the Church, if only we use the right methods. Thinking that we can get out of our financial dilemmas, our marital mess, our addictive wreckage on our own – if only we work harder and pray harder. Thinking we can change the immorality of our nation by electing the right politicians or endorsing the right laws. Just like the crowds that welcomed Jesus that day into Jerusalem, with visions of worldly grandeur and political success.

God does want you to join Him in this fight for faith. We are not to be wholly passive spectators. But if you want to fight in this holy war, you must use His weapon, not yours; His method, not yours; His way, not yours. And what is that? St. Paul told us: “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross!” (Phil 2:6,7)

This holy war is still one that is fought for us. It’s not that Jesus did His part back then, and now it’s up to us to do our part now. No. If we are to fight, it is still Jesus fighting for us. He is with us in the valley against the giant. He is with us in the fiery furnace. He is with us in the lions’ den. He is the pillar of fire between us and our enemies. If we are to win, it is still Jesus’ victory for us. And so we fight not by rising up, but by making ourselves nothing, by serving, by surrendering, by humbling ourselves, and yes, even by dying for others. By giving up our life, our time, our energy, our efforts, our money, our prayers, our will, for others. Very unconventional weapons aren’t they? That’s like going into battle against a giant carrying only a sling and five smooth stones or against the mighty Midianites carrying only torches and clay jars or toppling the tremendous walls of Jericho by marching and shouting. All of these are unconventional weapons, aren’t they? But that’s what it means to have the mind of Christ. 

Fighting in the Holy War, Pastor Zarling