It seems like around the holidays Jesus is just reduced to a rosy cheek little baby in a nativity scene.  However, Jesus isn’t just a baby in a manger, but He is also our warrior.

He is our warrior because we constantly live in a world of opposition against God. When you turn on the television it doesn’t speak of His glory.  No, the news comes on and tells us the world is falling apart and then a commercial comes on and tells us we need their product or we are never going to be able to make it in life.  When we put on our clothes they don’t affirm that we are beautiful, and created in the image of God.  No, they reveal our little bits and nibbles that we need to cover.  When we eat a meal the food doesn’t declare the provision of His hands.  We feel anxious about how many carbs, sugars, and how badly we want to eat that Snickers.  When we go to work do we gather in the conference rooms and praise Him for the ability to create, manage, sell, teach, teach, organize?  No, we carry the weight and responsibility to financially provide for ourselves.  When our children come home from school they don’t walk in the door singing of His glory.  No, they sing of their glory.  They beckon for their snack, sit in their Dora chair, and sit to watch their favorite cartoon.  Every day we walk into a world that is openly opposing God.

This is why some people go crazy, start cults and live on a farm.  They think they can get away from the opposition, but the only problem is that wherever they go the opposition is coming with them.  They can’t escape it because it is rooted in our hearts, soul, and mind.  It is a battle against God that we cannon win.  Therefore, we need a warrior.

His Appearance:  He took on flesh and blood.  This means God humbled Himself to come and take part in this spiritual opposition.  Can you imagine if you suddenly lived life as a dog?  Can you imagine setting aside all your human capacity?  God took on flesh and blood!  He sat aside His glory to walk into humanity.

 His Enemy:  Our battle isn’t against flesh and blood.  He is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  He is in opposition against God.  He is in opposition against us.  He is constantly on the attack, and you cannot defeat Him.

His Weapon.  It is the cross.  He takes on flesh and blood to step in as our mediator, but all of us are found guilty so He takes the punishment for our offense at the cross in His death.

How does He become your warrior?  It is similar:

• We humble ourselves.  We step down off our self-appointed throne and admit that we cannot do it alone.
• We see there is an enemy.  We see that we cannot defeat Him.
• We turn to the cross.  It is there we admit our defeat, we confess and repent of sin, and we rest in His victory.  He not only defeats the enemy, but then He turns to clothe us in His robe of righteousness so that we become holy and blameless.