THE AGE OF THE WARRIOR

 

I am pretty sure that I was very converted to the Plan of Salvation in my pre-mortal life. In fact, I suspect I thought the warrior spirit within me was going to come here and set the world on fire. Instead, life brought me down to the depths of humility. It was something I needed to break through the brick veneer of my idealistic nature.

Pre-earth life and mortality is very much like pregnancy and the baby….when you’re pregnant you believe you will be the ideal mother skipping through the tulips of an ideal life with your perfect children but then the baby comes and shocks you into reality.

Lehi claimed that if Adam and Eve had stayed in the Garden of Eden and had had no children  ‘they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery’ (2 Nephi 2:23). Notice he said that having children gives you knowledge of misery. Sometimes, I think I missed the memo about the misery part and focused only on the joy that mortality would eventually bring. That’s the idealist that I am.

Sister Marie Hafen explained this well: “As I lay there in my hospital bed holding that beautiful little boy in my arms, his reddish hair already hinting at his temperament, I thought, “Nothing could be more wonderful than this”…..

“The day after the baby was born, I was cuddling him happily in my hospital room when my doctor came in. He was my uncle and quite a salty character. He looked at us and said cheerily, “How does it feel to have the easiest part over with?”  “Easiest part?” I asked. “Why sure”, he replied, “It’s the next twenty years that are going to be tough.” (Bruce C. Hafen, “The Broken Heart” p 69)

We are going through the twenty years of bringing up the baby. Sometimes the challenges and trials are overwhelming. We are not just charged with responsibility of survival and our salvation but the survival of the entire entity of the House of Israel. We are the builders of the Millenial future of this earth.

Now more than ever the Saviour needs warriors to combat the subtle and not so subtle evil that is striving to envelop the entire human family. I see many people in the Church here in Australia leaving, Wards and Stakes being lost. We are being lulled into believing that all is well in Zion (2 Nephi 28:21). Satan’s greatest propaganda of this dispensation….

It is time to put the baby down for a nap and dust off that armour……

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Put On the Armour of God by Celestial Heritage)

THE ARMOUR

 

In Section 27 of the Doctrine and Covenants, we are told to ‘lift up our hearts and rejoice’ because there is a way to withstand the evils of our day, if we put on the armour of God (D&C 27:15-18). This is good news indeed when you consider the evils of our day which have the power to extinguish any happiness and down-right destroy us.

Our enemy knows us well. He knows us both from our pre-mortal life and from observing us in our mortal state.  He knows what buttons to push when and he knows how to get into our cracks and inflict wounds that might never heal therefore it is of utmost importance to put on the 'whole armour' of God upon us to prevent these wounds.  A section or two is not enough.  Almost all the armour will not do.  It needs to be a complete armour for complete protection.

When Ahab, the king of Israel led his army against the forces of Syria, he took every precaution to avoid being injured, even disguising himself so that the Syrians would not recognise him and focus on his destruction.  The only thing he did not do was wear enough armour and ‘someone drew his bow at random and hit the king of Israel BETWEEN the sections of his armour’ (2K22:34, NIV). By the evening, he had bled to death.

The degree of protection we have from the adversary is proportional to the diligence and heed we give to the Lord's commandments.  How obedient we are here is an indication of how much we are willing to stand for the conviction that was ours in our pre-existence.  The extent of our armour is a good indication of how valiant in our testimony of Jesus we are being here and now. 

Our testimony of Christ is the key. When writing to the Ephesians, Paul took the concept of the armour to a new level when he admonished the Romans to put on ‘the armour of light’ meaning ‘the Lord Jesus Christ’ (Romans 13:14). The armour of God truly does protect us from spiritual darkness because each section of the armour deals with a gospel principle that counteracts sin. This is the greatest protection we can have. The ‘armour of light’ however suggests something more. It means bringing the light of Christ to the world to counteract the darkness.

The adversary is having enormous success but He can never win against ‘the light of the world’. His power is no match for Him who has conquered the power of sin and death.

Now more than ever, we need to wear the armour of God and the armour of light and bring it to the world.  The more righteous we are, the more light we are endowed with until we come to that day when we become as glorious as the one who is the source of all light.

In the words of Terri Savelle Foy: Satan has no power on his best day to take you out on your worst day……

Is this not cause enough to rejoice???

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Put On the Armour of God by Celestial Heritage)

ARMOUR OF GOD

 

 

Elder Carlos E. Asay had the following dream concerning the Lord's armour:

"As a small boy in grammar school, I had a teacher who made King Arthur and the knights of the Round Table come alive.  She caused me to become so obsessed with stories of knights that I played and dreamed that I was one.  One evening I dreamed that I was a white knight on a white horse riding over the greens of England.  Suddenly, without warning, a knight dressed in black armour and mounted on a black horse appeared at the edge of the forest.  We measured each other carefully, lowered our lances, and charged at full gallop.  The lances struck target and both of us were knocked off our steeds.

"I scrambled to my feet knowing that swords would be drawn and that hand-to-hand combat was imminent.  Fear gripped my heart as I saw my opponent rushing toward me flashing a long, gleaming sword.  Instinctively, I reached to my side and drew forth from the scabbard my weapon.  That is when the dream turned into a nightmare!  For in my hand was a small, dinky dagger - not a long, gleaming sword.  I woke up in a cold sweat screaming for help.

"Many times since that nightmarish experience, I have wondered about the serviceability of the Saints, particularly the young Latter-day Saints.  When God calls you to serve, are you positioned in the scabbard and ready to be drawn?  When the Lord draws you forth as his instrument in combating evil forces, what does he have in his hand - a long, gleaming sword or a dinky dagger?...The saving virtue of a sword is related to its strength, sharpness, cleanliness, and the hand which guides it.  Is it not the same with people?  I would pray that you would seek strength of character, sharpness of mind, and cleanliness of soul so as to become gleaming swords of righteousness.  By doing this, there will be no embarrassment, no disappointment, and no nightmare when He draws you out in battling the powers of darkness"

 -        (Elder Carlos E. Asay, "Instruments of Righteousness", New Era, June 1983)

 

Thy love burns within us ever so bright

We bear Thy holy name,

And in Thee unite

Through the Gospel's everlasting flame.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Put On the Armour of God by Celestial Heritage)

THE INEXHAUSTIBLE BOOK OF MORMON

Some years ago when my daughter returned home from her mission, she gave a copy of the Book of Mormon to a co-worker and told him to read the last 20 chapters of the book of Alma. When I she told me this, I said: “Oh no, not the war chapters!!! How dry and boring!!!”  My reasoning was that the war chapters were lacking doctrine. A few days later, my daughter’s co-worker got back to her with: “Oh I loved the war chapters!!!” Hmmmm

A short time after that experience I started to study the war chapters more intently and I discovered a treasure trove. Now I read these chapters with bated breath wondering what they will teach me next. I am constantly amazed by the inexhaustible lessons I learn from the Book of Mormon.

Of course, when I study the war chapters, Captain Moroni leaves me breathless, every time. I can't say enough good things about him. A motivator, a source of inspiration, a believer in the cause of truth (Alma 43:48,49) Moroni took command of the entire Nephite army at the tender age of 25 (Alma 43:16-17).  His warfare acumen and military strategies are astounding. His achievements as protector of his people and defender of liberty, legendary. His devotion to God and the covenants he had made to keep the commandments of God, more than admirable. Equal to all these qualities, was his passionate nature which was the genesis of the success he achieved. Who can forget the title of liberty which he raised to defend the liberty of his people as the insurrection fuelled by the rise of the king-men sought to overthrow the government of the judges (Alma 46:4-6,12)?

This is what I admire about Moroni the most, he was a man of God. Besides being the brightest miliary mind of his day, Moroni was a man of humility who sought the prophet’s counsel for his actions (Alma 43:23,24); he was well versed in scripture and a fervent upholder of covenants (Alma 60:34,36); and a man who feared only God (Alma 60:28). It is Moroni’s spiritual strength that gave him enormous advantage over his enemies.

Hugh Nibley described the onset of the war chapters introducing Moroni thus: “The Lamanite campaign was directed by Amalekite and Zoramite officers, whose knowledge [being Nephite dissenters] of Nephite military secrets and methods would have given them an enormous advantage over any commander but Moroni.” (Hugh Nibley, Since Cumorah, 2^nd ed. [1988], 296). As I read chapter 43 I understood that statement. The greatest sign of Moroni’s genius would have to be the armour he prepared his people with to fight the scantily clad Lamanites (v 18-22). This resulted in absolute slaughter of the Lamanites (v 37,38). What spiritual lesson can we take away from this military strategy of Captain Moroni?

When writing to the Ephesians, Paul admonished them to put on the whole armour of God accentuating gospel principles which offer spiritual protection. He took this concept to a new level when he admonished the Romans to put on ‘the armour of light’ meaning ‘the Lord Jesus Christ’ (Romans 13:14). The armour of God truly does protect us from spiritual darkness because each section of the armour deals with a gospel principle that counteracts sin. This is the greatest protection we can have. The ‘armour of light’, however, suggests something more. It means bringing the light of Christ to the world to counteract the darkness.

Now more than ever, we, the disciples of Christ and bearers of truth, need to wear the ‘armour of light’ and bring it to the world.  The more righteous we are, the more light we are endowed with until we come to that day when we become as glorious as the one who is the source of all light. Nephi saw the power of God in our day descending on the saints of the Church of the Lamb who were few and scattered upon the face of the earth, but 'armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory' (1 Nephi 14:14). Why were we given this power? Because ‘gathered together were multitudes upon the face of all the earth, among all the nations of the Gentiles, to fight against the Lamb of God….and his covenant people’ (v 13, 14).

We are at war too but in the words of Terri Savelle Foy: Satan has no power on his best day to take you out on your worst day……

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Captain Moroni - Come Forth by Walter Rane)

 

ARMOUR OF LIGHT

 

 

“In this, the last great conflict between light and darkness, I am grateful for the opportunity to ‘endure hardness, as a [disciple] of Jesus Christ’ (2 Timothy 2:3). With Paul, I declare, ‘The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light’ (Romans 13:12). I bear special witness that Jesus Christ ‘is the light and the life of the world; yea, the light that is endless, that can never be darkened’ (Mosiah 16:9)” (Elder Robert D. Hales, Out Of Darkness Into His Marvellous Light, May 2002, p 71).  

 

When writing to the Ephesians, Paul admonished them to put on the whole armour of God accentuating gospel principles which offer spiritual protection. He took this concept to a new level when he admonished the Romans to put on ‘the armour of light’ meaning ‘the Lord Jesus Christ’ (Romans 13:14). The armour of God truly does protect us from spiritual darkness because each section of the armour deals with a gospel principle that counteracts sin. This is the greatest protection we can have. The ‘armour of light’ however suggests something more. It means bringing the light of Christ to the world to counteract the darkness.

 

We are in the winding up scenes of this world. The adversary knows this. He has been perfecting his craft for thousands of years and now more than ever, he has the most efficient tools to spread the darkness. These are his methods and his path to success:

 

HIS THREE DOCTRINES:

1. There is no punishment for sin;

2. There is nothing after death;

3. He does not exist.

HIS THREE LIES:

1. Just once won’t hurt;

2. No one will know;

3. Everybody is doing it.

HIS VALUE SYSTEM:

1. Selfishness;

2. Self-indulgence;

3. Immediate gratification.

HIS SALES TECHNIQUES:

1. Pacifying;

2. Flattering;

3. Lulling.

HIS GOAL:

1. To steal our spiritual identity;

2. To kill our faith in God;

3. To destroy our commitment to Christ.

 

The adversary is having enormous success but He can never win against ‘the light of the world’. His power is no match for Him who has conquered the power of sin and death. Now more than ever, we, the disciples of Christ and bearers of truth, need to wear the ‘armour of light’ and bring it to the world.  The more righteous we are, the more light we are endowed with until we come to that day when we become as glorious as the one who is the source of all light. Nephi saw the power of God in our day descending on the saints of the Church of the Lamb (1 Nephi 14:14).  And even though he said our numbers were few and that we were scattered upon the face of the earth, we were 'armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory' (v14)

 

In the words of Terri Savelle Foy: Satan has no power on his best day to take you out on your worst day……

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Heavenly Christ by David Beraru)

A TWO-EDGED SWORD

 

Those who read the scriptures will be very familiar with the expression of ‘the two-edged sword’. It is used as a metaphor for God’s word. To be precise, the Lord admonishes His people to give heed to His word, ‘which is quick and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword’ as an opening to several chapters of the Doctrine & Covenants (6:2; 33:1; 14:2; 11:2).

 

For most of us in this day and age a sword is not within our frame of reference. Basically we can only relate to it by way of the movies we have seen. So what is a two-edged sword? Anciently, swords that were commonly used had only one edge. Obviously, someone with an acumen in warfare invented a two-edge sword which increased the effectiveness of the weapon. A two-edged sword could cut in any direction, no matter how the blow was struck. When you imagine the physical destruction such a sword can cause you can immediately understand what the Lord means when He says His word can ‘divide asunder both joints and marrow’. Bone marrow is crucial to physical life and I dare say, joints equally so. Thus we can assume that God’s word being like a two-edged sword, can bring about physical death. 

 

But there is more. Paul told the Hebrews that God’s word is ‘sharper than a two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit’ because it is a ‘discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart’ (Hebrews 4:12). All this means that God’s word has the power to destroy both physical and spiritual life of man. This will be most evident when He returns as John the Revelator saw that our of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword (Revelation 1:16) symbolising the destruction of the wicked. 

 

What I want to focus mostly on is this. Besides being a symbol of destruction, the scriptures say the Lord’s word is also quick and powerful. In the King James Version of the Bible, the word ‘quick’ does not mean swift but rather ‘living’ or ‘alive’, as in ‘quickened by the Spirit’, which means to be given spiritual life. Thus, the word of God is quick and powerful because it is a source of life, energy, and power. It is also a part of the armour of God which dispels darkness (Ephesians 6:17; D&C 27:18). Thus the word of God not only destroys but also gives life. It all depends on the heed we give to it. 

 

When the Saviour was tempted to eat bread during his 40 day fast, He dismissed the temptation by proclaiming that ‘man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God’ (Matthew 4:4)  Nephi and Alma spoke extensively about the word of God and what it can do for us (2 Nephi 32; Alma 32:28-43) and references to the eternal rewards are endless but I will tell you what it has done for me personally here and now.

 

From the time I was a teenager I used to suffer from periodical depression. At age 36 I became a serious student of the scriptures. Even as a single mother who was working full time, I would spend at least 1 hour a day studying the word of God. The time never seemed enough. Some months after I started, I noticed I was feeling incredibly good and I was no longer getting depressed. I was gaining spiritual life.  Every time I studied the scriptures I gained a portion of His Spirit, which healed my soul. I have not experienced depression for 25 years now. I am convinced that just as ‘the sword of His Spirit’ can destroy life, it can also destroy the maladies of both spirit and body and grant new life. When you consider that the Saviour created this world and gave us mortal life by the power of His word (John 1:1-4), this theory becomes a reality. It became mine.

- Cathryne Allen

(This post does not discredit medical attention deemed necessary by any individual for any physical or mental health issues)