An Open Letter to The War College Martyrs Session

Graduate Martyrs,

You're naturally heard a lot about martyrdom because of your session name. And martyrdom is a great thing- so great, in fact, that God has chosen to make it a gift of His Spirit. To give your life for The Cause of The Kingdom is not only powerful, it actually affects lasting change in the spiritual realm around us.

But always remember it is not your death that is important- it's not about you. It's all about The Kingdom. We are here to fight mightily and deal the death blow to The Enemy- not the other way around. It happens now and then, that we lose a skirmish, but those losses are not in God's plan. They usually happen because we have fallen short in some area or not listened carefully to our Great Captain (and I don't mean Stephen!).

I know a real life martyr. His name is Rue Lancero. He was redeemed as a young adult from a misdirected life. He didn't last long on this earth as a Christian, but his flame burned like a flare causing many to look upward. He fought valiantly and with unusual purity and wisdom until one day he thought he could take on the local Territorial Spirit over Red Bank. He proceeded to do warfare by himself one night at the riverfront with Leviathan. The result? He developed cancer and died before another year was out.

We discussed his error at his bedside in the hospital. He saw that he should have listened more carefully for God's timing and not gone to war alone. Many people prayed intensely for Rue. I wish I could tell you why he died or why we did not pray him through his ordeal. But one thing I do know, he became a martyr and God is using his spilt blood for blessing at the very battlefield he died on. I am hearing victory reports from Red Bank and expect to hear more and more until God redeems the land! I believe Rue is a part of that and is still playing a part in that great company of the saints. The end result is that the cause moves forward.

Listen carefully to God's voice. Don't move into tasks larger than yourself unless God specifically says to (if you know he has spoken and you get solid confirmation- go for it!). You have been taught there is unity in community for a good reason. God designed us to work better together than as individuals. Use that to your advantage and depend on those fighting with you. Then you will watch The Enemy fall from heaven and it will bring much glory to Jesus!

And the cause will move forward without your martyrdom. I for one, would rather see you continue fighting by my side than ending up a preventable casualty.

I leave you with a quote from Napoleon:

It is the cause, not the death, that makes the martyr.

Amen! So be it.