Steps to Unleashing the Warrior (Part 2)

My personal journey of becoming a warrior continues with more Steps to Unleashing the Warrior .On day two the Promise Keepers Unleashing the Warrior event began with a similar bang as had the night before. Only this time the men were even more ready to freely give themselves to the spirit and there was a different level of energy and comradery in the room.

The first speaker of the day was Bruce Wilkinson,  who has written more than 60 books that have been translated into 30 languages,

photo credit: oelore82 via photopincc

including several books that reached the number one spot on the bestseller lists of The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and USA Today. Bruce’s breakout book, The Prayer of Jabez: Breaking Through to the Blessed Life , remains the fastest-selling book in history, with worldwide sales exceeding 20 million.

He started the day out on a subject that every man avoids like the plague… purity.  He spoke of failings of men who succumb to the dark abyss of pornography.  He challenged the men in the audience who were addicted to porn to imagine themselves looking at their mother rather than the girl on the screen, many of which are victims of sex trafficking. Better yet imagine Jesus seeing through your eyes all that you see.

Wilkinson also told the men that were living in sin with a woman who are unwed to go home and move out…today.   If they were addicted to pornography…quit…today. Whatever your weakness or addiction…quit…today.  The only way to become a warrior they would need to be released from the sin that binds them.

Pastor Rodney J. Washington Sr. followed up with the topic of saving our families and becoming “two-fisted thoroughbred men“. He went into great detail on how it was the man’s job to protect the home front. (Genesis 2:20) We were shown how to be the man we were called to be as it is our time and our season to take a stand. (Ephesians 5:25) As a warrior in order to be unleashed we must be ready and willing to protect that which is ours.

Next up to the podium to speak was the one and only Dr. Raleigh Washington, the president and CEO of the Promise Keepers as well as the distinguished older brother of R.J. Washington Sr.  Dr. Washington spoke of “Shame and scandal in the family“. (Ephesians 2:11) He went into great detail of how the racial divides have attacked the church and society for generations.

• Alienation of race has been destroyed by the blood of Christ on the cross.
• Alienation by man’s rule and regulations have been destroyed.
• Alienation because of rejection has been destroyed.

Dr. Washington challenged the men that were “not of color” to go to the nearest man of color and tell them “I believe in you.” No one in the place moved… awkward silence. I jumped up and ran five aisles ahead of me and shook the hands and gave a chest bump to  the first…then second man of color I saw and told them truthfully that “I believe in you my brother in Christ“. The place erupted with everyone following suit… it just takes one to change the world.

The final speaker of the event was Samuel Rodriguez Jr., nominated by TIME magazine for their “100 Most Influential People in The World” list in 2013 and his description of the Latino faith community emerged as their April 15, 2013 cover story, The Latino Reformation. The Wall St. Journal identified him as one of America’s most influential Hispanic Leaders  , and the only religious leader on the list. ( http://nhclc.org/) He  spoke on religious differences but worshiping the same God. He spoke about men being set free by the blood of the lamb and that there is nothing more powerful than a free man.

In Christ we can be set free of fear or condemnation. He referenced his book The Lamb’s Agenda: Why Jesus Is Calling You to a Life of Righteousness and Justice in which we live a life represented by the horizontal and vertical of the cross.
The vertical / horizontal relationship is the way in which we live through the agenda of the lamb. Today’s complacency is tomorrow’s captivity.  There is no place for kumbaya comfortable Christianity, men have to stand up for our families and become the warriors we were destined to be.

The conference closed with the men of Promise Keepers being unleashed as a warrior for Christ. Dr. Washington had the men that were ready (almost all were) to stand and profess a declaration of preparation as not only men but as a warrior armed with the Word and shielded by the blood of Christ. We declared our rite to become a warrior and to follow the life of Christ the most prominent of  Promise Keepers.

As a man, husband and follower of Christ, I found the event to be fulfilling and empowering.  I look forward to sharing what I learned and living my declaration as a newly anointed promise keeper.

Now it is your turn: Have you attended an event in which you had your faith and fire rekindled and felt full afterwards.  If so what did you experience and what was the event?

Blessings,

CJ