July 17, 2024

Freedom’s Heroes

In 2010, I wrote a small book, The Way Back, about forerunning pioneers, challenging American believers to rise up and lead our nation back to God, her purpose, and our once-held greatness. Most of today’s post comes from this book.

Pioneers and forerunners are those who explore, prepare, or open up a new way. Sometimes they aren’t finding or opening up a new way, but the way back. Jeremiah 6:16 in The Message Bible tells us, “Go stand at the crossroads and look around.  Ask for directions to the old road, the tried-and-true road. Then take it.” 

Pioneers initiate; they go first, always ready to try something new. Not only are these way-makers open to change, they insist on it. “There must be a better way” is never far from the thinking of forerunners and pioneers. They’re inventors, explorers, scouts, pathfinders, trailblazers, innovators, change agents, and reformers; the “what if” bunch, the “why” and “why not” folks. They’d rather write history than read it. They’ll rock any boat, buck any system, and go against any flow. The status quo is never safe with a pioneer. Here are a few more identifying traits of pioneers and forerunners:

• They are often dissatisfied with things as they are, and want to be part of the change.

• Something deep in their nature comes alive when they hear about making a difference.

• To them, being “right” is more important than being in the majority.

• The inconvenience of change bothers them less than the stench of stagnation.

• Trying—even when they fail—is more appealing to them than risk-free living.

• They refuse to quit, realizing that setbacks, dead-ends, and failed attempts are just part of the forerunning process. 

• The beaten path doesn’t beckon them; uncharted wilderness does.

• Playing it safe doesn’t appeal to them; the boredom of the familiar scares them more than fear of the unknown.

• They are never satisfied with status quo.

• They have a warrior spirit that would rather fight, even die, than forfeit liberty.

• As forward thinkers, they would rather advance a cause than maintain a position.

• Always hungry for change, they can’t ever seem to leave well-enough alone.

• They want their life to count for more than making money or experiencing pleasure.

• Making a difference means more than making it big.

• They would rather die trying, than live trying not to die.

• They march to the beat of a different drummer... and they often hear a completely different song! 

Pioneers have become a rare breed in our generation. We’ve seen them in technology, communication, medicine, and transportation. But a large percentage of Americans, and certainly most spiritual leaders, have lost the pioneer spirit that birthed us. Becoming followers and settlers, we seek the comfort and security of the crowd. This taming has created the desire to travel only known paths. And sadly, we’ve lost the desire to be world changers. Deep in the soil of this land, however, is pioneer blood, crying out for a new generation of trailblazers to answer the pioneering call of the wild.

This spirit is desperately needed now because America has lost her moral and spiritual bearings, straying from the basic principles that made her great. Truth, integrity, personal and corporate responsibility, self-discipline, biblical morality, and the ideals of our founders—all have been at least partially lost. America needs a new generation of pathfinders, forerunners, and way-makers to arise and lead us back to the old road—our roots. Ironically, the way forward is sometimes behind us. Contrary to what many people believe, “old” is not synonymous with “outdated.” The future must always be built on yesterday’s strong foundation. The Psalmist said, in fact, “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Psalm 11:3). 

The church should have been leading America back to her foundations, but Christians seem also to have lost their connection to the pioneer spirit. Deep within the DNA of every believer is the spirit of Christ, the Pioneer of all pioneers, but this nature has been lost in the comfort of conformity, systems of religion, and the slow death of compromise. God, however, is issuing a fresh and powerful invitation to believers:

Leave behind the safety and boredom of tame and anemic religion. Abandon the shallow life lived by the all too common narcissistic Christian in America. Overcome the fear of death, loss, and the unknown. Follow Me back to what I birthed 2000 years ago: radical, world-changing, miracle-working, fearless, love-not-your-lives-unto-death, passionate, warrior-hearted pioneers! 

Heaven waits for a remnant of God-fearing Americans to answer this call and begin a path-finding journey. Earth is waiting, also. Broken hearts, hungry bellies, war-ravaged nations, trafficked humans, and millions of unsaved people— they’re all desperately waiting for a 21st-century breed of pioneers to arise and lead. And these individuals are coming.

Perhaps you’re one of them.

There is another trait pioneers must have: courage. I recently read an account of American warriors who fought in the battle for Betio Beach during World War II. We’ve all heard of Normandy, Omaha, and Iwo Jima, but few have heard of this beach in the South Pacific. It was imperative that we take it back, but the odds against us doing so were great. The results of the battle were horrific; the hearts of our men were heroic. In his book Looking for America, Douglas Simpson states concerning our soldiers, “Never before in the history of warfare have men been asked to face such withering fire before them with only the cold sea behind to which to retreat.”(1)

Knowing the importance of this location, the Japanese hand-picked 6,500 of their finest soldiers and placed them in fortified positions to defend the beach. When the battle began, it was terrible. The firepower cut our men in half.

Seventy-five of the 125 landing crafts were destroyed. The waters of the lagoon turned crimson; hundreds of bodies bobbed in the surf, with hundreds more littering the beach. The Marines suffered 3000-plus casualties but still kept attacking. Of those who reached the pier, many did so by walking on the submerged bodies of their fallen comrades! (Reading that brought tears to this warrior's eyes.)

By the end of the second day, Colonel Shoup, commander of the Marine landing forces, radioed to headquarters, “Casualties many; percentage dead unknown; combat efficiency—we are winning.” Though the battle was costly, our Marines took the beach.

Warriors!

Freedom’s heroes!!

America saw some heroes and warriors this past Saturday night in Pennsylvania. Trump, of course, displayed his warrior spirit, but others did, as well. Cory Comperatore, who dove on his family, giving his life to protect them, is a heroic warrior. The Secret Service members who dove on Trump, placing themselves between him and any further bullets are, as well. 

America is filled with courageous warrior-hearted people and they are arising. They’ve heard a sound, and it is calling to something deep within their DNA. This warrior nature is now awakened and will only grow. It cannot be stopped.

And for believers, it doesn’t end with patriotic fervor in flag-drapped colliseums. For us, it also surfaces in prayer closets, at altars, and in small clusters of interceding warriors, determined to see “the Lamb who was slain receive the reward of His suffering.” Patriots? Yes, but more than that, we are lovers of Jesus! We carry Old Glory in one hand, an Appeal To Heaven flag in the other. We honor the Constitution; we believe in and live by the Bible. We have put our hand to the plow, and we will not look back.

Pray with me:

Father, awaken the warrior heart in Your people. This heart loves people, hating only evil. It wars for the soul of its enemies, fights for the deceived, and lays down its life for others. Nevertheless, it is a warrior heart, unyielding in its pursuit of liberty and justice. 

Break passivity and pacifism off the church. Break off cowardice and complacency. Awaken courage, the pioneer spirit of Christ, and passion. Give us a generation determined to find the old road, though it be overgrown and hidden. It CAN be found, and it WILL be.  

Thank You for those who have risen up. Thank You for interceding warriors, difference makers, doers. Breathe Your pioneer Spirit into them afresh and anew—Your fire and determination. May they RUN to face the Goliaths of our day. 

Give us souls; give us nations. We ask in the authority of the Warrior-Christ, amen. 

Our decree:

We decree that we are the offspring of the Warrior-King, Jesus, and will release His overcoming nature. 

Click on the link below to watch the full video.

Portions of today’s post were taken from my book The Way Back.

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1. Douglas Simpson, Looking for America, p. 310.