Unity of Command

In reading, Kay Arthur's "How to Stand Firm Against the Five Deadly D's: Disappointment, Discouragement, Dejection, Despair and Demoralization", I came across this page.  I felt led to share it with you because we are at war and we do face warfare!  The enemy is roaring like a lion and searching to devour us!  My desire is that we are all unified in heart and mind for Him.  As we all are very busy in our own ministries, let us remember we are not in battle against each other, but joined together in heart and mind for Him and His calling!  He is a God that is for LIFE!  Let us move forward for Him, for LIFE and for the unborn in unity!  May God place His mighty hands upon you and bless you in a mighty and powerful way today!!   

Another principle in war is unity of command.  Unity of command coordinates action of forces toward a common goal.  Although coordination may be attained by cooperation, it is best achieved by vesting a single commander with necessary authority.  Simply said, it keeps everyone going in the same direction at the same time with the same goal.

One of the great struggles of World War II was the tension between the British Field Marshal Montgomery and American General Patton.  Although they had the same goal, defeat of the Germans, there were times when their efforts were competitive, not cooperative.  Each had their own idea of how to fight, where to fight, and who should do the fighting - and as far as each was concerned, it should be him!  Each wanted the glory of victory.  It took the unity of command in General Eisenhower to keep the effort moving together for the common goal of defeating Nazi Germany.

One reason why the Church is not succeeding against the enemy any more than it is in the U.S. is because it lacks unity of command.  We're so divided into our own little splinter groups that we end up fighting each other rather than the enemy.

And the reason why so many are failing in warfare as individuals is because they have ignored the right of the Lord Jesus Christ to have supreme authority and rule in their life.  Our objective is often not His objective, which is to conquer ungodliness and for us to be holy even as He is holy.  Our desire is often to be our own commander, unless, of course, we find ourselves in an impossible situation.

I remember a medley of songs having to do with victory in warfare over the enemy from many years ago.  I would sing it over and over.  Some of the lyrics from one song were: "For the captain of the host is Jesus, we're following His footsteps, no foe can stand against us in the fray.  We are marching in Messiah's band, the keys of victory in His mighty hand, let us march on to take our promised land."

Just before Joshua and the children of Israel were ready to take Jericho, Joshua "...lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand, and Joshua went to him and said to him,

'Are you for us or for our adversaries?'  He said, 'No; rather I indeed come now as the captain of the host of the Lord.'  And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and bowed down, and said to him, 'What has my lord to say to his servant?'  The captain of the Lord's host said to Joshua, 'Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.'  And Joshua did so"  (Joshua 5:13-15)

If you want victory, remember, beloved believers, there is one Captain of the host, no other.  Know Him through His Word.  Follow Him, and you will win the war.  It is already written in the Word.