“And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.”  Matthew 11:12

If you are like me, you have probably spent a fair amount of time whining and complaining about the things that are wrong with the world around us.  I am not guiltless of gossiping and complaining about the errors of the country that I love. Though these complaints might be a way to vent our frustrations, they don’t offer us any meaningful ways of fighting back against the ever-growing dangers that loom in the shadows of our homes, schools, churches, and society at large.  We as a nation seem to be decaying from the inside out, and most people who don’t like what they see, seem to be besides themselves when it comes to knowing how to fight back in an effective and worthwhile way.  So, I put together this list to give people practical ways of fighting back in the culture wars that are upon us.  So read them and let us march out to make a fight of it.  This is How We Fight.

• Get right with Jesus: No other way to put this, lots of subcategories here but, apart from this piece, all things fail.
• Get right with your family: Families are falling apart all around us. Divided and broken homes, addictions, no time spent with parents, neglected children, and skyrocketing divorce and infidelity rates seem to be the norm. Make it right!  And if you are young and recently married, seek God there, and have kids, lots of them.
• Get right with your neighbors: This is not just for those in your neighborhood, but for your everyday interactions with everyday people. This is for the guy you work with, the lady at the store, and so many more.  Everyone has been hurt by other people, but we are also all guilty of hurting others.  Reach out to them, ask forgiveness.  There are lots of reasons to do this, mostly, its commanded in the scriptures…but think about this little practical thought…if crap hits the fan and chaos ensues…people will set out to seek vengeance and retaliate against people who did them wrong. Repent and make peace, true peace.
• Get debt free: If things start to fall apart and people start calling in the debts owed them, chaos and hardship can hit us where it hurts. Free yourself from bondage – get debt free!
• Get in Shape: Not just any shape, fighting shape.  Even if the only threat you face is the law of entropy, it will help you live longer. Be the parent that can give your kids a run for their money into their 20’s and 30’s. It’s never cool when your kid can no longer wrestle with his father when he’s 12 because “daddy might get hurt.”   
• Never stop learning: After high school or college, most people get caught up in the grind of life. Outside of things that might apply to a hobby or work, we stop reading…we stop learning. Build up your personal library. Be excited about life, curious even! Read, watch videos on YouTube, research history. Learn a skill. Life is filled with awesome stuff.
• Get involved politically: With the world falling apart we need faithful people to sincerely engage culture and politics. Specifically, local politics.  Attend City Council and County Commissioner meetings.  Make phone calls, write letters.  Defend the cause of your children and your neighbors. And yes, find an ally to run for these positions.
• Stock up and load up: I’m totally not a fan of complete hoarding, and I’m not suggesting another run on toilet paper here…but having enough food, water, and other resources to get your family through a month or two is not bad or unwise. In fact, not being prepared for a month or two is bad and unwise. Not to mention that having enough to share with others is a blessing…you cannot give what you do not have! Do this with your families and neighbors. Emergency savings, first aid kits, home gardens and animals, etc. And make sure your guns are cleaned and sighted in as well.
• Cut back on the News and other technology in the home: We need to know what is going on in the world and cannot allow ourselves to get completely isolated – Covid has done enough damage in this area as it is. However, most people are spending too much time on social media and watching the news! If you are not careful you are going to die of a heart attack if you keep it up!  Watch enough to be informed, but do not be engulfed by it. There isn’t enough time in the day as it is.  Instead of spending that time on your phone, the tv, or the internet, spend it with family.
• Go to Church: Go to church. Develop community there. Worship God and learn to do things His way!

None of these things are easy, but they are all good.  There is so much to do, and so little time to do it in.  But be disciplined, these are the things that are essential in this life and in the fight to come. Do them.  Fight the good fight.  And this means making cuts and sacrifices in life, reprioritizing everything. We are going to have to change the way we live so that we can do the Lord’s bidding and have time for family and those around us.  It is time to burn the ships and face the storm that has been brewing.

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” 2 Timothy 4:7