​My dear warrior,
 
A warrior’s life is one that is given in service to others. It is not self-serving. A warrior lives to protect and defend others—not the self. That would simply be called self-defense. I have learned from the one who has gone before me that warriors take in a way that gives back to others, not a way that robs them or leaves them feeling empty or broken. A warrior protects, not only physically, but also emotionally and spiritually. A warrior is a protector of the entire person: body, heart and mind (or body, spirit and soul. Same thing, different languaging). How can a warrior take in a way that gives much?

My dearest warriors,

Have you ever considered your greatest weapon? your strategy? Have you contemplated what it must look like to be on a spiritual battlefield? Perhaps you have. Perhaps not, but you are inexplicably finding yourself drawn to these thoughts, and finding yourself wanting those answers.

Warriors are always prepared. They are always armed with their weapons, and are never caught without. The fruits of the Spirit are a warriors greatest weapons. Love, joy, peace, patience/long-suffering, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control. To add to those are rest,  humility, meekness and lowliness of heart. These are qualities that Christ himself exhibited; He Himself is the greatest example of the kind of a warrior we should be. Today we begin with rest, but we will dig further into the others in the coming weeks. 

As warriors, we must prepare ourselves: we must first learn peace, rest and stillness. It is in the midst of a storm, in the midst of trial, turbulence and turmoil that God wants to teach us peace. He won't ever teach us peace before, or outside of battle. He will introduce to it - but it is on the battlefield that our peace is established. You see, you can never learn peace unless you practice it in the midst of turmoil. Just like you cannot learn patience unless you practice being patient when your patience is being 'tested.' The secret you must understand is that it is possible to enter into rest, and to hide in a place of stillness where the enemy cannot touch you. A place where you are so deep in God's rest and stillness, that there is nothing the enemy can do to disrupt your peace.