#16 - The Art of War

Sun Tzu was a Chinese general who lived several hundred centuries before Christ. His life is somewhat legendary and not much is truly known or verified about him. But he supposedly wrote a book, The Art of War, that sets down military strategy that is still followed by military leaders today.

I had heard about this book for years and finally tracked down a copy to read this year. It was a really short but good read. Here are a few quotes:

• Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.
• A leader leads by example, not by force.
• When one treats people with benevolence, justice, and righteoousness, and reposes confidence in them, the army will be united in mind and all will be happy to serve their leaders.
• If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.

The last one is my favorite. It is so true, especially in the realm of spiritual war. Know your enemy - the sinful flesh, especially. Know how deceitful your heart is, how depraved your mind can be and how cunning your fleshly desires are. Know your proclivity to certain sins. Know your strongest temptations and your heart idols, even the most insignificant one because no idol is insignificant.

Know yourself. Know your true identity in Christ. Know your adoption, your regeneration, your redemption, your justification, your sanctification and your glorification in Christ. Know the precious and magnificent promises that are yours now in Christ.

If you do, you will be transformed and victorious in the battles of life. Unfortunately, too many Christians know neither themselves nor the enemy within and thus succumb to many a temptation. Sun Tzu's military strategy very clearly points to a greater spiritual reality.