The Call To Go
Text: Isaiah 6:8, “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.”
This call to go is not limited to Isaiah or the Old Testament prophets—it echoes through history and reaches us today. God is still asking this question. Isaiah is not here to answer. But we are. How will you answer God’s question? Will you go? If you are fulfilling the first and great commandment, you already know the answer. You have already answered the call to go. If you are hesitating, God does not have your heart, and you are not following His lead.
Veterans’ Day
To understand the spiritual battle better, let’s reflect on the origins of Veterans Day. God’s question is appropriate for today because Veterans’ Day is designated as a time to honor all those who engaged in the fight for peace and liberty. Those who follow in the footsteps of Isaiah are soldiers of the cross going forth in battle for the souls of men, women, and children.
Veterans’ day was originally called Armistice Day to commemorate the end of World War I, which ceased on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918. In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the day to honor the heroism of those who fought and to express gratitude for the resulting peace.
In fact, WW1 was called the war to end all wars.” It was thought that the magnitude of lives lost and the horror of the devastation in the war was so great, nations would never rise up against each other again. At least, this is what H.G. Wells had written.
But of course, this was not the case. And for good reason. There can be no peace in a world ruled by Satan. Satan’s kingdom is characterized by pride and self-will. Sin and rebellion are rampant, and for this reason, we live in a world of perpetual wars, suffering, pain, and death.
Ceasefire Is Not A Peace Treaty
Here is another interesting point about Veterans’ Day. Originally it was referred to as Armistice Day. Armistice is a formal agreement between warring parties to stop fighting, typically as a prelude to peace negotiations. It is not a peace treaty. It is a ceasefire while negotiations continue toward a peace agreement.
This means ceasefire agreements are an illusion of peace. The opponents are still at war until a peace treaty is agreed on. Those who know their Bible, know there will be no peace agreement between God and Satan. And therefore, we know that any appearance of ceasefire is temporary.
The hard truth is that Israel and believers will never be at peace—in this world ruled by Satan—until Armageddon. At Armageddon, Christ will establish His kingdom. Only at this time, will Satan’s kingdom come to an end. Only at this point will there be peace on earth. Until then, any peace experienced is a temporary ceasefire and an illusion of peace. When we pray for the peace of Jerusalem, we are praying for the return of Christ.
The Weapon For Soldiers Of The Cross
With these three points in mind: 1) armistice is a ceasefire, not a peace treaty, 2) there will never be peace for Israel and believers in the kingdom of Satan, and 3) peace will come to earth only when Christ destroys the kingdom of Satan; we can better understand our role as soldiers in the Lord’s army.
Men, women, and children are all soldiers in the Lord’s army. Our weapon is the Word of God. In the listing of spiritual armor, Ephesians 6:17 says, “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
It is with the Word of God that Christ will destroy Satan and his kingdom. Revelation 19:15 says, “And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.” How does Christ slay the nations? With the sharp sword that comes out of His mouth—His Word. When God speaks, it is done, or in this case, finished.
The Word of God is not the weapon of choice as though there are options. It is the one and only weapon that will slay Christ’s enemies once and for all. And He has given us that weapon.
He has given us His Word. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
When we speak God’s Word, we are swinging the sword of the Lord. Isaiah 49:2, “And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword….” When we speak the Word of God, we are speaking words of life and death, healing and destruction.
We wield the same sword used by Christ—His Words. And our message is His message, as recorded in Revelation 2:16, “Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.”
If you are not answering God’s question as did Isaiah, you need to repent. You need to confess that God’s will is better than your will and obey Him.
He is asking right now, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Isaiah said, “I, Here am I; send me.” What say you?
Listen to the sermon at https://www.youtube.com/@drpatrickbriney