"Onward, Christian Soldiers"

By: Stephanie Defoyd
January 3rd, 2011


1. Onward, Christian soldiers, Marching as to war, With the cross of Jesus Going on before!
Christ, the royal Master, Leads against the foe; Forward into battle, See His banner go!

2. At the sound of triumph Satan's host doth flee; On, then, Christian soldiers, On to victory!
Hell's foundations quiver At the shout of praise; Brothers, lift your voices, Loud your anthems
raise!

3. Like a mighty army Moves the church of God; Brothers, we are treading Where the saints
have trod; We are not divided; All one body we, One in hope and doctrine, One in charity.

4. Onward, then, ye people, Join our happy throng, Blend with ours your voices In the triumph
song; Glory, laud, and honor, Unto Christ the King; This thro' countless ages Men and
angels sing.

CHORUS: Onward, Christian soldiers, Marching as to war, With the cross of Jesus Going on before!


While paging through one of our hymn books, I happened upon the above song, Onward, Christian Soldiers. This song has always been one of my many favorites, and almost absentmindedly, I started humming it quietly to myself. As I did so, my thoughts immediately turned to a friend of mine who had left for the Army earlier this evening. I couldn't help thinking of the similarities between my friend and what this song describes.

As Christians, we are soldiers in God's army and are fighting a spiritual battle against the devil. Unlike earthly wars where we usually don't know what the outcome will be, we know with certainty Who shall triumph in this fight -- God and His own. Jesus tells us in John chapter sixteen, the second half of verse thirty-three, "In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (emphasis mine).

I John 5:4-5 says that, as Christians, we, too, have overcome the world: "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?" (emphasis mine). By God's mighty and awesome power we shall find victory over Satan -- we claim it the moment we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior of our lives.

We need to share the love of God with all whom we come in contact with, no matter where we are -- in the workplace, at school, in our own community, another state, at a friend's house, etc. Everyone needs to hear about Jesus' unending and boundless love so that they might also overcome the world.

The Apostle Paul writes in II Timothy 4:7, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith." I don't know about you, but I want to be able to say that when my time comes. I also want to hear my Lord say to me, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."