July 4th…‘Merica’s Birthday.
A day of fireworks, weenie roasts, and all things red, white, and blue.
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Formally known as Independence Day, it’s interesting that July 4th does not actually mark the day that we as a nation won our independence, but rather the day we declared it. 🤔🤔🤔🤔
At first glance, it may seem that these phrases are almost interchangeable, but the reality is that it took approximately eight years and 20,000 American lives to bridge the gap between the two! 😳😳😳
From the time Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776 to the day the British finally surrendered on October 19, 1781, thousands of courageous Americans paid the ultimate price to gain a victory that we are still reaping the dividends of today.
Freedom isn’t free. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Our forefathers understood that — and thankfully still chose the high cost of liberty over a “peaceful” existence under the hand of tyranny.
“Give Me Liberty, or Give Me Death!”
“Give me liberty or give me death,” are the rousing words spoken to the Virginia Convention by Patrick Henry in 1775, which inspired delegates such as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson to deploy the first Continental troops in the Revolutionary War.
Henry’s words hit on the crux of the matter — and even now, centuries later, the dichotomy between liberty and death is still as relevant today.
Liberty through Jesus…or death through sin — it’s one or the other, no in between.
Patrick Henry was right, liberty and death really are the only two choices you have in war…and the same goes for spiritual warfare, as well.
And as in any battle, the stakes are high — we have to make a clear cut choice and cannot afford to be lukewarm (Revelation 3:15-16) or double-minded (James 4:4-8).
Figuratively speaking, you can’t fight for the cause of freedom while wearing a red coat.
The Battle Belongs to the Lord
You may be thinking, wait a minute…I thought Jesus Christ already won the war against sin and death and purchased our freedom with His blood (I Corinthians 15:55-57)?
True.
But the battle isn’t over yet.
It may sound counterintuitive, but scriptures like II Timothy 2:3-4 still call on Christians to be soldiers of Christ and to fight the good fight of faith.
Why? Because unlike the British, Satan hasn’t signed a peace treaty yet. Our war with him will not be over until the world itself comes to an end (I Peter 5:8).
Many Christians don’t seem to understand this and mistakenly rest on their laurels long before the battle is finished…but we are called to be faithful to the end (Matthew 24:13, Hebrews 3:14, Revelation 2:10).
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but…against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”
Satan knows He can’t defeat Christ, but he would like nothing more than for us to become distracted in battle, retreat…or even worse, to convince us to defect like a spiritual Benedict Arnold, becoming a traitor to the cause of Christ.
And so we must remain “sober minded and vigilant,” putting on the full armor of God daily — the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the helmet of salvation, the sword of the spirit — so that we may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:11-18).
“The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph!”
But the conflict is long and is bound to wear us down. Just as the Revolutionary War wasn’t won overnight, often many years of sacrifice, perseverance, and endurance are required to stay faithful to our Lord.
During the American Revolution, the harsh realities of war caused many who were once full of zeal and patriotism to, in the words of General George Washington, return to the comfort and safety of their own “chimney corners” (Smithsonian.com).
John Kiger of History.com writes that during the winter of late 1776, after a series of particularly severe setbacks, “Washington and his troops camped out along the banks on the west side of the Delaware River, where soldiers tried to rekindle their zeal by reading Thomas Paine’s pamphlet The American Crisis, which exhorted them not to follow the example of “the summer soldier and the sunshine patriot” who melted away when times got tough. ‘The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph,’ Paine wrote.”
It was a much needed exhortation and reportedly inspired Washington and his troops to literally soldier on, courageously crossing the icy waters of the Delaware and advancing the American cause through a series of subsequent victories.
Much like these soldiers, at the beginning of our spiritual battle, we were undoubtedly full of faith, zeal, and determination for the cause of Christ. However, through years of disappointments, losses, struggles, and hardships, it becomes easy to forget that remaining faithful amidst the conflict will lead us to a glorious triumph!
It is in these trying moments that we too need to look to words for inspiration as well — the inspired Word of God, that is:
“Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” – James 1:12
“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” – Galatians 6:9
“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” (I Corinthians 2:9).
As we celebrate this 4th of July holiday, I am thankful to be a citizen of a nation where we have the freedom and the right to speak plainly and openly about Jesus Christ without fear of government interference or retaliation.
And yet, as proud as I am to be an American citizen, I also understand that my true citizenship is in Heaven and that our freedom in Christ is far greater than any earthly freedom could ever be.
Where is your citizenship?
If you want to enjoy freedom through Christ, it all starts with a declaration — a Declaration of Independence from sin through confession of faith in Jesus Christ and baptism into his death (Matthew 28:18-20).
The war is already won. Now, fight the good fight with us and let your freedom ring.
And as always, May God Bless America.
Until next time,
Pilgrim with a Pen