Unconditional Surrender
“Spiritual joy arises from purity of the heart and perseverance in prayers.” Francis of Assisi
“Unconditional Surrender” Grant
Lieutenant General Hiram Ulysses Grant, better known as U.S.Grant, led Federal forces to victory in the Civil War from 1864 until 1869 and later was elected for two terms as the 18th president of the United States.
From the beginning of the Civil War President Abraham Lincoln had been having troubles with his generals. Finally the President found a general he could trust and who would push forward hard and not want to give in. U.S. Grant was that man and was praised by historians for his “military genius”. He fought strategically and was not willing to give up until victory was achieved. At the time he was the only general during the Civil War who received the surrender of three Confederate armies. During the war, President Abraham Lincoln sent a short note of encouragement to General Grant stating that he agreed with Grant’s decisions and that he needed to “… hold on with a bulldog grip, and chew and choke, as much as possible.” Which is exactly what Grant did.
As a result of his eventual victory which was one of the Union’s first in the war, newspapers remarked (and President Abraham Lincoln endorsed) that Grant’s first two initials, “U.S.” stood for “Unconditional Surrender” which would later become his nickname.
Passion and Perseverance
Whether or not General Grant was a believer in Jesus we don’t know and, yes, he was only a human who made many mistakes but one has to admire his passion and ruthless perseverance on the battlefield. He received his orders and saw the battle at hand as one that simply had to be won no matter what the cost. We read of many such warriors in the Bible who received their orders from God and ruthlessly went for the kill with everything they had. Likewise we are encouraged time and again in scripture that our own battles should be approached in the same way. That we also need to value God’s promises to us and to trust Him to bring them to fulfillment – and with passion! These promises are so much more than merely nice thoughts that He has for us. They are part of our inheritance and they are His will for our lives.
Fight the good fight of faith
The enemy will try everything in his power to steal God’s promises from us and therefore we have been given the authority to step on the snakes and the scorpions (Luke 10:19). We have received weapons which has divine power to demolish strongholds, arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)! We need to resist the enemy and to stand firm in the faith (1 Peter 5:8,9). We have this promise during our battles that no weapon formed against us will prosper and that every tongue that accuses us in judgment will be condemned. This is our heritage as servants of the Lord and our vindication is from God (Is.54:17)! We are encouraged to fight the good fight of the faith. What happens in the spirit when we fight our battles of faith? Joshua 23 tells us “One of your men puts to flight a thousand, for the Lord your God is He who fights for you, just as He promised.” In the words of Paul, “what then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?” Romans 8:31
This is what the Lord says to us today: Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.” (2 Chronicles 20:15) So let us press on.
Attrition warfare
U.S. Grant used attrition without regard. According to Wikipedia, “attrition warfare” is a “military strategy consisting of belligerent attempts to win a war by wearing down the enemy to the point of collapse through continuous losses in personnel and material. The war will usually be won by the side with greater such resources.” In the kingdom our resources will never run out, and what’s more, the war has already been won on the cross two thousand years ago. We need to realize that the enemy is still prowling around like a roaring lion and that we need to use our authority in Christ to enforce the same “attrition warfare” strategy against the enemy by fighting from a place of victory, standing on God’s Word until the enemy is worn out and has to step down.
To keep on keeping on until the breakthrough is manifested!
Matthew 7:7 tells us to “ask”, “seek”, “knock”. These words are found in the present imperative tense which means the idea is that of persistence, continuance and constancy. Meaning: keep asking, seeking, knocking. To keep asking until it is given to us, to keep seeking until we find, to keep knocking until it shall be opened unto us.
Therefore, like a bulldog grabbing on to the Word, declaring it and not letting go until the promises are fulfilled. To keep on keeping on until the enemy who came from one directions flees from us into seven directions (Deuteronomy 28) and until God’s promises are fulfilled in our lives.
No holding back!
“The harder the conflict, the greater the triumph.” This was a quote by George Washington and it is so true. Reading this I think of climbing mountains. The high mountains has the best view and yes, every mountain has a summit. Seasons change and battles pass. Whatever you are facing now will have an end. It will not last forever. “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13
Take a look a the following scriptures
– 2 Corinthians 4:8 “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not dismayed.”
– Revelations 12:11 “And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.”
– Matthew 24:13 “But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”
This is how we fight our battles: with “unconditional surrender” toward God and not accepting anything but “unconditional surrender” from the enemy. No Holding back!!
“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” James 1:12
