To Free the Oppressed

“Some wish to live within the sound of a chapel bell; I wish to run a rescue mission within a yard of Hell.”  ~C.T. Studd

Even though I have never served in the military, I have always been fascinated by the efforts and self sacrifice of the men and women who work in the United States Armed Forces.  As a child, I grew up as an “Army Brat” travelling from post to post with my family while my father served as a career soldier in the Army.  With my grandfather serving in the Army during World War II and with numerous friends and family members that have worn a uniform to serve and protect the best interests, rights, and citizens of our country, I have always felt a close kinship to these mighty men and women of valor.  So much in fact, that I frequently read and study whatever I can about their service, training, and operations. 

Recently, I have been busy researching the history of the  special operations force within the United States Army many of you may know as “The Green Berets”.  Known as “Warrior Diplomats” to some, the United States Army Special Forces are a special operations force tasked with six primary missions: unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, special reconnaissance, direct action, hostage rescue, and counter-terrorism.   For the sake of this devotional, I would like to focus on these six primary aspects of their operations and how they relate to the Army of the Kingdom of Heaven.

“There is only one tactical principle which is not subject to change. It is to use the means at hand to inflict the maximum amount of wound, death, and destruction on the enemy in the minimum amount of time.” ~General George S. Patton, Jr.

Unconventional Warfare

The original mission of the Special Forces was ”unconventional warfare”, while other capabilities, such as direct action, were gradually added.  “Unconventional Warfare” as defined by the United States Military is a broad spectrum of military and paramilitary operations, normally of long duration, predominantly conducted through, with, or by indigenous or surrogate forces who are organized, trained, equipped, supported, and directed in varying degrees by an external source.   In short, it is the Green Berets job to penetrate and create insurgencies from within enemy territory in an effort to  support indigenous peoples in the warfare against their oppressors.  This may be through the use of military training, medical support or even humanitarian aid. ­  The motto of the United States Army Special Forces aptly describes their overall mission.  ”DE OPPRESSO LIBER” which roughly translates from Latin to read ”To Free the Oppressed”.

Foreign Internal defense

Foreign Internal defense, Also known as counter insurgency,  is an approach to combating actual or threatened insurgency in a foreign state or what is more commonly called the Host Nation. FID involves military deployment of counterinsurgency specialists who offer appropriate external support through training while the host nations military personnel fights the insurgents .

Special Reconnaissance

Special Reconnaissance is conducted by small units of highly trained military personnel, usually from Special Operations Forces who avoid combat with, and detection by, the enemy.   These personnel are trained for intelligence collection as well as directing air strikes and placing remotely monitored sensors deep within enemy territory.

Direct Action

Direct Action is one of the basic special operations missions.  it consists of short-duration strikes and other small-scale offensive actions conducted as a special operations in hostile, denied, or politically sensitive environments and which employ specialized military capabilities to seize, destroy, capture, exploit, recover, or damage designated targets.  In essence, direct action  uses a small ground team, possibly with air and naval support, that relies on surprise and skill, rather than mass, and has a hit-and-run approach.

Hostage Rescue

Essentially this is the extrication of persons held against their will within an antagonistic environment.  This is usually through the use of direct action.

Counter Terrorism

Counter terrorism is the practice, tactics, techniques, and strategies special operations forces use to prevent terrorist threats and acts, both real and imputed.

“I have but one candle of life to burn, and I would rather burn it out in a land filled with darkness than in a land flooded with light” ~John Keith Falconer

So what does all of this have to do with the Kingdom of Heaven?  Every kingdom has its Army and believe it or not, there is a Special Operations Force among Christian Believers.  And even though they war not against flesh and blood, they are  busily working day and night to free indigenous peoples from the oppression of sin and godlessness by arming them with the Word of God.  They are a radical group of preachers and teachers that live embedded in foreign countries for months and even years at a time.  They have learned the cultures and practices of their host country all while sharing the Love and Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Like their Special Operations counter parts in the US Army, many are bilingual and college educated, some to a post-graduate level.  This is because their job demands that they be able to perform well in and adapt to changing environments. They are also trained in the culture, language, customs, geography and traditions of the area that will ultimately serve as their Area of Operation.  Who are these Christian Diplomats that travel the world spreading the Gospel to the most remote reaches of the earth?  They are Christian  Missionaries and their objectives are very similar to that of the Green Berets. A missionary is a person that is sent by a church into an area to carry on evangelism or other activities, such as educational efforts or hospital work to aid and support the indigenous people of a host nation.  These selfless men and women of valor live by a universal code; “Make Disciples of Every Nation”.

“Never pity missionaries; envy them. They are where the real action is — where life and death, sin and grace, Heaven and Hell converge.” ~Robert C. Shannon

Unconventional Warfare

The origins of missionaries dates back to what many theologians call “The Great Commission” which is the instruction of the resurrected Jesus Christ to his disciples, that they spread his teachings to all the nations of the world.  References to this in the Bible can be found in the Book of Matthew. 

16 “Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”~Matthew 28:16-20 NIV

Christian Missionaries endure operations usually of long duration, predominantly conducted with indigenous people who are organized, trained, equipped, supported, and directed in varying degrees by an external source which is usually a home church.  This support comes in the form of Bible studies, medical aid,  well digging, and the building of homes, schools, and other structures that will serve the local community.  The goal of a missionary is to establish a strong foundation for the indigenous  population to continue to build upon and sustain for multiple generations. 

Foreign Internal defense

Members of the Kingdom of Heaven live in every part of the world.  In some areas, religious practices are still often tightly controlled by government authorities who persecute Christians for their beliefs.  This repression of religious freedom restricts legal religious practice to government-sanctioned organizations and registered religious groups and places of worship, and seeks to control the growth and scope of the activity of both registered and unregistered religious groups.  Christian Missionaries frequently organize ”unregistered” house church meetings to share the Gospel of Christ to all those who wish to attend.

Special Reconnaissance

There are Christian Missionaries who are active in the political arena who monitor the changing dynamics of the global stage.  This helps clear any “red tape” that may prevent a country from receiving much needed humanitarian aid.  Often uncredited, they are the men and women in business suites who make sure everything gets to where it needs to be in a timely manner.  They also work very closely with government agencies to help aid in the cessation of such acts as drug trafficking, illegal arms sells, and human trafficking.

Direct Action

Direct Action is one of the basic special operations Christian Missionaries undertake.  They respond all over the world to areas of tragedy and unrest bringing strong backs and willing hands ready to take on the tasks of prevention and recovery.  They have been to the shores of India during tsunamis, the mountains of Haiti following the devastation of the recent earthquakes, and to African villages in time of famine.  They responded to the Gulf Coast before and after Hurricane Katrina, they gave shelter to flood victims in the Mid-West, and delivered food and clothing to displaced homeowners following the forest fires on the West Coast.  Wherever you find, disaster, tragedy, or hard work to be done, you will find a Christian Missionary rendering aid.

Hostage Rescue

Today, human trafficking is primarily for prostituting women and children. It is described as “the largest slave trade in history” and is the fastest growing form of contemporary slavery. It is also the fastest growing criminal industry, set to outgrow drug trafficking.  There are hundreds, if not thousands of Christian Missionaries who work very diligently to shut down brothels and rescue men, women, and children from the modern day slave trade. 

Counter Terrorism

A seminary is an institution of higher education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry.  Even though not all missionaries attend a formal seminary, they typically have an extensive background in teaching or preaching for the Christian Church.  This background allows them to share their faith with others who are coming to Christ or who need encouragement during a personal hardship.  This expression of love and faith acts as a weapon to counteract the forces of evil that appear to be innundating modern society.

“The Great Commission is not an option to be considered; it is a command to be obeyed” ~Hudson Taylor

To some, missions work is something that is done in a far away country in the jungles or deserts of the wilderness.  To a certain degree this is true.  However, missionary work is probably being done in your local community everyday.  Many churches have an “outreach” program where a team of individuals goes into the community to feed the hungry or clothe the needy.  These outreaches are forms of local missionary work and EVERYONE can participate.  You may not be able to travel to the Sudan to free women and children from the sex trade, but you can work at your local battered women’s shelter and minister to their unique needs.  You may have never travelled to Haiti to take part in a medical missions trip, but that doesn’t mean you cant organize a medical outreach for the underprivileged living in the urban areas of your city.  Traveling to India to teach children how to read and write may be out of your budget, but is that preventing you from starting an after school tutoring program at your local church?  You may not be politically savvy enough to lobby for the end of small arms sells in the jungles of South America, but maybe…. just maybe, you can start a “gas for guns” outreach with city officials in the concrete jungles of the local housing projects within your state.  Everything from passing out free water to people leaving a bar to women sharing their faith to the strippers, prostitutes, and streetwalkers in your local community is all a part of missionary work. 

“To know the will of God, we need an open Bible and an open map.” ~William Carey

 Missionaries are the Special Operations Force of the Christian Church.  Embedded in countries all over the world, they support the citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven locally and in the farthest reaches of the Earth.  Using the Bible as their foundation, Christian Missionaries provide aid from the oppression of sin, godlessness,  and poverty through the use of  church planting, disaster assistance, education, and outreach ministries.  We as Believers could completely redirect our world if we simply honored the creeds and precepts  held in the motto’s of both Christian Missionaries and the Green Berets; “Make Disciples of Every Nation” and “Free the Oppressed”.  Christian Missionary John Piper was once quoted as saying “Go, send, or disobey.”  I think he had the right idea.  I have chosen the Internet as my mission field.  Whats yours?  Be Blessed, My Friends.  Be an Overcomer!

~Bro. Jason Z. Hunt

“Enemy-occupied territory—–that is what this world is. Christianity is the story of how the rightful king has landed, you might say landed in disguise, and is calling us all to take part in a great campaign in sabotage.” ~CS Lewis

Memory Verse: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”~Matthew 28:19, 20 NIV

Memory Word:“Missionary”: a person that is sent by a church into an area to carry on evangelism or other activities, such as educational efforts or hospital work to aid and support the indigenous people of a host nation and/or community.

Inspiring Music:  “Bid Me to Come” by Dewayne Woods, “Send Me”, by Lecrae,  and “I Will” by Men of Standard

“Go, send, or disobey.” ~John Piper