The battle’s not yours

Romans 8:37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The Battle of Iwo Jima was a significant battle during World War II in which the United States Marine Corps and Navy captured the island of the same name. There were some, such as Retired Chief of Naval Operations William V. Pratt, who felt the island held little military value as a staging base for the Army or fleet base for the Navy, especially given the anticipated loss of American lives. Others had differing views, suggesting the island was strategically important since it provided an air base for Japanese fighter planes to intercept long-range B-29 Superfortress bombers and provided early warning for American attacks. The island was initially not a target, but as American forces were engaging in their island-hopping strategy to defeat Japan, they had more time than expected before the planned invasion of Okinawa.

From 19 February – 26 March 1945, American forces assaulted Iwo Jima, during which Lieutenant General Tadamichi Kuribayashi departed from traditional Japanese military strategies. Instead of directly opposing the Americans on the beach, he created strong defenses consisting of heavily fortified machine guns and artillery. This strategy proved very effective and unique in Pacific War Marine battles; American casualties exceeded Japan’s by a ratio of 3 to 2. The Americans would clear a pillbox, a dug-in concrete guard post, only to have it reoccupied within minutes using massive underground tunnels. The battle would continue as the American forces faced and overcame many obstacles.

On 23 February 1945, the Americans secured victory after heavy fighting, moving off the beaches, crossing the island, and then fighting uphill to Mount Suribachi. Joseph Rosenthal took the black-and-white image “Raising the flag on Iwo Jima,” which depicts six Marines from E Company, 2nd Battalion, 28th Marines, raising a U.S. flag. This photo, which depicted the second flag raising that day, would become one of the most recognizable of the conflict, and it symbolized American control of the island and the cessation of heavy fighting.

Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

While wars are still being fought today, they are not all physical, fought with tanks and bombs, but are of the spiritual variety. Stress and pressure, anxiety, and depression are often the weapons of choice for our enemy. Much like the physical combat on Iwo Jima, spiritual attacks can devastate the mind. Relentless in their assault, these attacks can be crippling to our mental health and challenge our faith in God to new levels. But I have good news for you; not only is the battle not yours, it has already been won. When Jesus cried, “It is finished,” on the cross, it declared that your sin debt had been paid in full and that his victory over death would also lead to victories in your life. When he rose from the grave, he planted a flag in your life and declared, “It is mine, and I will protect it.”

Insight

When we say God is faithful, we say he is entirely trustworthy; this is the end of the discussion, and there is no room for debate.