Boot Camp: Equipping Men with Integrity for Spiritual
Warfare by Jason Hardin
Engaging in spiritual warfare is a topic and activity that
all too often neglected in Christian circles.
Author Jason Hardin writes specifically about this topic directed toward
men, as a way to call to engage the battle and take to heart the good news of Jesus
Christ. The book is divided up into
three major sections centering on the beginning of the journey, integrity, and
The Lord’s Armory. The sections dive into
what it means to see Christ for what he has done on our behalf, the goal of
putting to death our sinfulness, and putting on the full armor of God.
In the first chapter, Jason paints a picture of what
potential is and how God is calling us to leave behind our complacency. He writes, “Our King has spent time in the
arena. He knows what it’s like to have
his face marred by the dust of the wilderness…..And now he looks to you. He invites you to leave behind the ranks of
those cold, timid souls who avoid the conflict at all costs” (25). Some have said that the opposite of love is
indifference, but this concept of more akin to doing nothing at all. Jason is right to point out that the Lord
calls us to a greater life than eschewing conflict for safety and comfort. The very battle that the Lord Jesus triumphed
over was a clarion call that conflict was the only way for victory to ultimately
ensue. Jason goes on to point out that Abraham,
Moses, Gideon and many other OT saints pressed forward in the battle, looking
to God in faith in their struggles. I
enjoyed the call to take the conflict seriously over Satan, sin, and the world,
yet I hoped Jason would have included more encouragement about how the Holy
Spirit strengthens our faith in battle.
The chapter on sexual immorality is replete with strong
biblical wisdom about how to walk with God in a holy manner and run from the
lures of sexual immorality. At the end
of the chapter, Jason writes, “sometimes the bravest thing you can do is run”
(108). As Joseph ran from Potiphar’s
wife, likewise, Christian men should run from the faintest temptation. We often think that girding up our minds with
the truth will be just fine even if we go in dangerous situations. Nope, this is just a recipe for disaster. One point to add, battling with sexual temptation
and immorality is not an isolated battle.
Having a band of brothers to point you in the right direction, ask tough
questions, and hold you accountable works because you are connected to the body
of Christ. Men in the body of Christ
want to see your faith flourish and your family strengthened, and as such, they
will be careful to call you to account when necessary.
From sins of the tongue, hypocrisy, to idolatry, this book
is filled with teaching on how these sins cause us to lose our integrity and
hope. Rather, Jason points us to put to
death the deeds of the flesh and to live for Christ. I thought the book was a bit unbalanced in
that it didn’t focus much on how our union with Christ compels us to renew our
minds and live for God. Furthermore, I
think a bit more attention to how putting actions in place that renew our minds
and faith in the positive can go a long way in developing our trust in God. But, overall, the book was a good reminder about
how men are called to much greater than to sit back on their couch but to live
for Christ by dying to sin.
Thanks to DeWard Publishing and Cross Focused Reviews for
the copy of this book in exchange for review.
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