peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!"

Stirring words, words uttered at the birth of our nation to the Virginia Assembly in 1775.  To men who were mostly comfortable in their lives.  They saw trouble on the horizon; they had heard the rumors had read the accounts of battle enjoined by others.  Men who had an uncomfortable choice in front of them; to rebel and be accounted as traitors to the life they had known.  They had an uncomfortable choice of keeping their prosperity, their homes, their professions, their leisure or sacrificing it for a desperate cause with an uncertain future.

We need to be thankful to God that Patrick Henry spoke with passion that day and that two men listened intently and became catalysts for change.  George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were in attendance that day and voted to send the Commonwealth of Virginia to rebel against the Crown of England.  War was enjoined the future was uncertain but the die was cast sides were chosen and the world has never been the same.

My friends, beloved of God, there are storm clouds on our horizon.  The enemy is marching, the clash of arms can be heard, a gauntlet has been tossed at our feet will we pick it up, will we put it on, will we stare death in the face and boldly proclaim give me liberty or give me death?  What say you?  Will you stand and be counted or is your prosperity, your homes and family, your jobs, your leisure too valuable to risk on an uncertain future?  Is a coddling slavery that deceives our hearts of the mortal danger we are in too sweet to give up?

The armies of the enemy are encamped around us.  They are raping and pillaging our dear countryside, our friends and neighbors, even our families; will you take up the armor of God and stand against the foe?  Our elder brother Jesus the Christ has stood up and fought the good fight. Brothers and sisters down through the ages and around the world have stood firm against the enemy.  Will we join them and “be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power”?  If so then, “put on the whole armor of God, so you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For our struggle is not against enemies of flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.  Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything stand firm.  Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness.  As for shoes, put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace.  With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Eph. 6:10-17).”

I plead with you today, my friends, to pick up the gauntlet and put on whole the armor of God.  I plead with you because the battle is coming and is already here, all that is left is to choose sides and to stand up and be counted.  So stand up men and women of God, have done with lesser things, secure the Promised Land for yourselves and your children do not let the enemy stand tall on the field of battle today.  But you say I cannot speak, I cannot lead others to Christ, and the cross is too heavy to carry.  You say, let me finish this business deal, let me bring in my crops; let me bury my mother and father.  Will you let others do what you are called to do?  Men you are proud to be providers, women you are proud to be nurturers; provide for the salvation of others, nurture the flame of God in broken hearts.  “I appeal to you…, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God – what is good and acceptable and perfect. … Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good;  outdo one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor.  Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord.  Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer.  Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.  Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.  Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than what you are.  Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the site of all.  If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.  Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’  No, ‘if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals over their heads.’  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Rom.12:1-2, 9-21).”  These are the weapons and the marks of a Christian; it is what is required of us all.

With all of this said, we do not go into battle alone.  God is with us, who can stand against our God?  We are told to “not be anxious as to how we are to speak or what we are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you (Matt. 10:19-20).”  We are to pray for opportunity to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.  For this is our commission from Jesus himself.  He tells us, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.”  Did you hear that we are to go.  We are to make disciples.  We are to teach.  We are to baptize.  We are to do all that Jesus has commanded us.  All of this, but we are not alone, for Jesus tells us that he will be with us until the close of the age.  In other words as long as we are to make disciples, this is until Jesus comes at the close of the age.  All this is possible because Jesus has been given all authority over heaven and earth.  Beloved let us no longer tarry thinking that there is time tomorrow to share the gospel, the time is now.

There is a trumpet call in the land today, calling us to liberty, calling us to throw off the shackles of indifference and sloth.  Come stand with the army of God today.