Title:- Blood and Fire War or Worthlessness
Acts 2:19 I will show wonders in heaven above And signs in the earth beneath: Blood and fire and vapour of smoke.
William Booth would “stumble home night after night, haggard with fatigue. Often his clothes were torn and bloody, bandages swathed his head where a stone had struck.” In 1878, for his new movement, Booth coined the phrase the ‘Salvation Army.’
Recruits into the army were given ranks and eventually a uniform was developed. A banner was also devised, made with the colours red, blue and gold all bursting out of a supernova sun with the motto 'Blood and Fire' emblazoned upon it! (“The blood is the Blood of Christ and the fire is the fire of the Holy Spirit”). Marching bands were then formed by Booth and in military style the Salvationists would march into a town “to do battle with the Devil and his hosts and make a special attack on his territory.”
The emphasis was on saving lost souls by bringing sinners to repentance. This was symbolism that ordinary people in Victorian England could understand and in their droves, they flocked to the banners of William Booth's Salvation Army! Such an approach, such an outright open invasion of the Kingdom of darkness, inevitably caused a dark spiritual reaction. In fact, one portion of opposition came in
the form of a 'Skeleton Army’, which marched under a skull and crossbones banner and attempted to drive the Salvation Army off the streets. Such was the strength of conviction of the Salvationists that they not only refused to be driven out and away, but they prayed for and preached to their ‘enemy’ and the consequence of such courageous faith was that many who marched under the 'Skeleton Army's banners of death, were most wonderfully saved! Indeed the courageous hearts that marched under the banners of “Blood and Fire” were so successful that by the time of Booth's death, the Salvation Army had spread worldwide to 58 countries. Imagine that!Friends, this is a New Age, and so although we need new wonders, we also need some old guts; yes we need fresh vision, but we also need some of that old fire as well! Let's find where God is working and where Jesus is advancing His kingdom, for there we shall find His bold banners of redemption and conquest, bathed in His own rich red blood, flying in the wind of the Holy Spirit and no doubt, held high by some courageous heroes, the redeemed of the Lord as they trample over the broken teeth of felled dragons!
Well, it's either that or yet another boring week in Sunday School drinking tea with middle class old ladies, discussing the colour of the new carpet, parking spaces and the like, etc etc ad nauseam et infinitum! So let me ask you O man of God, let me ask you O Warrior princess, which do you prefer to be engaged in this coming week? War of Worthlessness?
Listen: - “….By His Spirit He adorned the heavens; His hand pierced the fleeing serpent. Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways, And how small a whisper we hear of Him! But the thunder of His power who can understand?” Job 26:13-14
Pray: - King Jesus, expand Your kingdom to overwhelm the gates of hell and Lord, please, prepare and allow me to be on the front lines along with You and all the Captain’s men. Amen and Amen!
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