CW 871 - Rise! To Arms! With Prayer Employ You
Being a believer is not easy. The Bible tells us that we will face many trials before we enter the Kingdom of God. We are hard-pressed by enemies on all sides. The devil, the world, and our own sinful flesh are constantly warring against us. This unending struggle is a burden that we must bear every day of our lives and often it seems like the forces of evil are winning.
As we look at our world today, we may be tempted to wonder if God is really in control. The church seems to be shrinking and the number of unbelievers seems to be growing. Every time we watch the news or scroll through social media it seems like the number of wars and natural disasters is increasing. We may be tempted to despair and wonder why God is letting things get so bad. In these times of trial, it is important to remember several things. First, God has told us that the world will increase in wickedness until the End and the love of most will grow cold. Therefore, we should not be surprised when we see this happening.
But far more importantly we remember that even though it may look like the devil is winning, he has already lost. Christ completely and utterly defeated him by his death and resurrection. On the cross, Christ crushed the head of the Ancient Serpent and on Easter morning Christ shattered the gates of death and hell. Our victory is won! Rise! To Arms! With Prayer Employ You is a rousing hymn of encouragement. It reminds us of the spiritual battle we face every day of our lives, but it also reminds us of the absolute victory of our Savior. The German hymnologist Edward Kock described this hymn as “a call to arms for spiritual conflict and victory.”
Verse 1: Rise! To arms! With prayer employ you, O Christians, lest the foe destroy you, for Satan has designed your fall. Wield God’s Word, a weapon glorious; against each foe you’ll be victorious, for God will set you o’er them all. Fear not the prince of hell, here is Immanuel! Sing hosanna! The strong ones yield to Christ, our shield, and we as conqu’rors hold the field.
Satan is our ancient and evil enemy. When he rebelled against God he was cast out of heaven and condemned to eternal suffering in hell. He is filled with anger, hate, and rage. His only desire is to lead as many people as possible away from God and condemn them to the same torment that he must endure. Satan hates God and he hates the followers of God. He wants to destroy and kill us. In John 8:44 Jesus tells us the devil was “a murderer from the beginning.” On our own, we could never defeat the power of the devil. But we are not alone because God is fighting on our side. We do not need to fear the prince of hell because God sent his one and only Son to save the world from sin. Christ has defeated the devil and given us victory.
Question: Read Ephesians 6:10-20. What weapons has the Lord given us to resist the attacks of Satan?
Verse 2: Cast afar this world’s vain pleasure and boldly strive for heav’nly treasure. Be steadfast in the Savior’s might. Trust the Lord, who stands beside you, for Jesus from all harm will hide you. By faith you’ll conquer in the fight. Take courage, weary soul! Look forward to the goal! Joy awaits you. The race, then, run; your battle done, the crown of glory will be won.
We face a spiritual battle every day of our lives. We are tempted by the pleasures of this world and at times give into temptation and fall into sin. But when we repent of our sins, we remember that all the treasures of this world are nothing in comparison to the glory that awaits us in heaven. This is why we remain steadfast in our fight. We know the glory that awaits us. We also know that we are not alone in this fight. Our Savior is at our side. On our own, we cannot win the fight against Satan, but we don’t need to because Christ has already won our victory. This is why we press on toward the goal of eternal life.
Question: What are some of the empty promises that the world makes to us?
Verse 3: Jesus, all your children cherish, and keep them that they never perish whom you have purchased with your blood. Let new life to us be given that we may look to you in heaven whenever fearful is our mood. Your Spirit on us pour that we may love you more, hearts o’erflowing; and then shall we, from sin set free, sing praise through all eternity.
As we face times of struggle and hardship in our lives we may wonder if God truly loves us. This verse reminds us of the amazing price that God paid to save us. Christ offered his very life to purchase you with his blood. Think about that. You were purchased with the holy, precious blood of God himself! We did nothing to earn or deserve this amazing gift that has been given to us. God redeemed us because he loved us. He has forgiven our sins and given us the promise of eternal life with him. As we face the darkness and evil of this world we rejoice and remember the joy that is ours in Christ alone.
Question: How does God pour out his Spirit on us?
Rise! To Arms! With Prayer Employ You is a stirring hymn of comfort. It reminds us of the danger we face every day from the attacks of the devil, the world, and our own sinful flesh. It encourages us to find strength and comfort in our salvation and in the Word of God as we face temptation and trial. This hymn also reminds us that the battle will be fierce at times, but the war has already been won. Christ has given us the victory. Satan can no longer harm us because the power of Christ has destroyed him. We do not need to fear death because Christ has given us the gift of eternal life.