I once watched an American war movie. It was based on real events. In the movie, American soldiers were fighting against terrorists in a foreign country. The battle was a really tense one.

The fierce bullet exchange kept the American soldiers focused in the battlefield, even though they were gaining grounds.

As they advanced, one of their men was hit by a bullet. It was as though his bulletproof vest had worn out due to several shootings from the enemy’s rifle.

The wounded soldier seemed to be a setback to the advancing soldiers. The bullet had hit him where it mattered most; his left breast; but he was still alive.

But as he lay, bleeding profusely, struggling to stay in this world, a frontline commando ran to him. He grabbed the bleeding soldier and upheld him in his arms.

“Leave me and focus on the battle. I am useless to you in this state” the bleeding soldier managed to say.

But the commando paid no attention to his requests. He took the wounded soldier away from the battlefield to a secret cave.

This cave was built in a hidden place by the American soldiers, and was full of medicals employed to treat soldiers.

The wounded soldier was immediately attended to. He was treated, and lived to become a war veteran in America.

1 Timothy 6:12: “Fight the good fight of faith”

2 Timothy 4:7: “I have fought a good fight”

Ephesians 6:12: “For we wrestle… against principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

2 Corinthians 10:4: “The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty to the pulling down of strongholds…”

The first verse mentioned above reveals to us, that Christianity is not just a religion, it is a fight. But it is not just any fight; it is the fight of faith. In the third verse aforementioned, our opponents are revealed to us.

They are powers of darkness and spiritual wickedness, who try to make our lives sour and send various trials and temptations our way just to shake our faith.

In the last aforementioned verse, we are told that we are not left in this war, without powerful weapons.

Our weapons are mighty. When applied properly, they conquer territories, destroy those who rebel against the government of God, and cast down every device that exalts itself above the knowledge of God.

But this fight is not just an individual one, it is equally a collective one. It is a fight against every member of the body of Christ as well as a fight against the body of Christ as a unified mystical society.

In this fight, do not be so concerned about winning that you fail to help those who have been wounded by the shots of the enemy.

It befuddles my imagination, that these days, whenever a believer stumbles in faith, he becomes the mockery and object of criticism in the church.

He is labelled a backslidden Christian, a hypocrite and is almost ostracized from the church. This is not supposed to be so. The Church is a Body.

When the hand feels pain, the entire body bears it. When the legs get wounded, the entire body is affected. Then why would a saint, see his fellow brother/sister, struggling or wounded in faith, and would ignore such a fellow.

Some would go to the extent of mocking the fellow.

When Peter was taken captive by Herod, and held in jail, the Church prayed fervently for him. It was because of their prayer that Peter got freedom.

Bible never recorded Peter praying for himself, instead, it lets us know that Peter was fast asleep and held in chains when an Angel came to rescue him.

What if the church had not prayed? Peter would definitely have been beheaded by Herod.

There are believers who are being held captive by different kinds of chains. Some are in literal prisons because of their faith. Some are being held by chains of lust, immorality, addiction etc.

They are so held by it, that they see no way out. They wallow helplessly in these vices. They are still believers, but they have been captured by the enemy.

It is the duty of the free saints, to pray ceaselessly for such believer.

You must pray for that believer as if your health depended on his spiritual wellbeing.

Some Christians have been wounded emotionally, by the losses they incurred this year.

Some have been bruised in faith, due to the severe hardship they experienced this year.

Do not ignore them! Pray fervently for them! Let them be your top priority in prayer.

Do not ignore the wounded saints. Even if you cannot treat them, take them to the master doctor; Christ. Offer them unto Him in prayers.

And do not withdraw your help from those you can help. Help them with food. Help them with beautiful Christmas wears.

Treat them with the balm of positive words. Heal their wounds with a genuine smile at them, and a show of love.

This is the life that Christ has called us to live; a life where we bear one another’s burdens. It is a life where we are our brother’s keeper.

Live it to its fullness.

You can begin now by picking up your phone, and reaching out to that believer who you know has gone through hell this year.

You can live it now by wiring money to the account of that church that has suffered financial lapses this year.

You can live it now by ordering for beautiful clothes for that child whose family is too poor to buy her Christmas wears.

God bless you as you live this life of love!