While writing the previous blog post, the Lord showed the role of an armor bearer and how this role refers to our role as believers and followers of Jesus Christ. Let’s look at what the Bible says about the life of an armor bearer and the characteristics of an armor bearer. What does it mean to be an armor bearer of Jesus Christ?
What’s the role of an armor-bearer?
The armor-bearer is in the service of his lord. He carries his armor and does what his lord commands him to do. The armor-bearer knows, that he is subordinate to his lord. He is not important, but his lord is important. It’s not about his will and what he wants, but it’s all about what his lord wants.
Although the armor-bearer is subordinate to his lord, he plays an important role in the battle. The lord and his armor bearer each have their task to do in the battle.
Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armor bearer after him: u waqgħu quddiem Ġonatan; and his armor-bearer slew after him(1 Samwel 14:13)
What are the characteristics of an armor-bearer?
The first characteristic of an armor bearer is that an armor bearer follows his lord. Wherever his lord goes to, his armor bearer follows him and will not leave the side of his lord.
The second characteristic of an armor bearer is that an armor bearer is always obedient to his lord, fl-affarijiet kollha.
Fil 1 Samwel 14, we read about the battle, between the people of Israel and the Philistines.
Jonathan stepped out of the army of 600 people and commanded his armor-bearer to come with him and fight against the Philistines.
Jonathan commanded his armor-bearer to come, and his armor-bearer immediately obeyed his lord.
The armor-bearer didn’t think about it. He didn’t argue with his lord and didn’t question him. He didn’t say to Jonathan, “Ġonatan, are you sure? Is this the right thing to do? Why don’t we wait until the others go, so we can all go together and attack the Philistines?”
Nru, the armor-bearer didn’t say that. The armor-bearer was willing and obeyed his lord and went with him. Because he trusted his lord completely. The armor-bearer knew that his lord had the knowledge, Għerf, u għarfien, to make the right decisions.
Jonathan commanded his armor-bearer twice to come. Both times his armor-bearer obeyed Jonathan and came.
It-tieni darba, that Jonathan commanded his armor-bearer to come with him, the armor-bearer said, “Do all that is in your heart: dawwarlek; ara, I am with you according to your heart.”
The armor-bearer obeys and follows his lord
Whatever Jonathan decided to do, his armor-bearer obeyed and followed him. Jonathan made his plans known to his armor-bearer and made him partaker of his mission.
When Jonathan climbed up to the Philistines, his armor-bearer followed him and stayed in his shadow. Jonathan had authority, and as long as his armor-bearer stayed in his shadow, he shared this authority with him. But as soon as the armor-bearer would leave his shadow, he would be on his own and lost his authority.
The armor-bearer wouldn’t have any authority anymore, because he was the armor-bearer and not lord.
Then came the best moment of their cooperation, jiġifieri, the moment that Jonathan and his armor-bearer attacked the Philistines and gained the victory. The Philistines fell before Jonathan and his armor-bearer slew after him and killed the Philistines. During their attack, they each had their own task and together they gained the victory. (Aqra wkoll: Fidi, azzjoni, u rebħa).
A list of the characteristics of an armor-bearer
In the story of Jonathan and his armor bearer, we see the following characteristics of an armor bearer:
- The armor-bearer’s life was in service of his lord
- Hu obda his lord
- Hu trusted his lord
- Hu followed his lord
- Hu stayed in the shadow of his lord
- Hu fulfilled his task during their mission
What does it mean to be an armor bearer of Jesus Christ?
Jekk temmen f’Ġesù Kristu, jitwieldu mill-ġdid fiH, have become a new creation (ir-raġel il-ġdid), and made Jesus the Lord of your life, you are an armor bearer of Jesus Christ.
Just like Jonathan and his armor bearer were joined together and worked together, you are joined together with Jesus Christ and work together with Him.
All hosts, Fil-Ġenna u fid-Dinja, are put under Jesus’ saqajn. Ġesù għandu kull awtorità fis-smewwiet u fuq l-art! (lill-. Mattew 28:18, Efesin 1:19-23, Kolossin 2:10, Lhud 2:8).
Jesus came in the Name of His Father and stayed in His shadow, by speaking the words and doing the words that His Father told Him to speak and do. He stayed obedient to His Father until death.
Jesus finished God’s perfect redemptive work for humanity on earth, through His death on the cross.
Fuq is-salib, Ġesù ħa d-dnubiet kollha, mard, and iniquities of the world upon Him. He bore the penalty of sin which is death, U daħal Hades. Wara tlett ijiem, Jesus rose as Victor from the dead.
Through His redemptive work and by His blood, He restored the position (istat) of fallen man and reconciled man back to God.
Ġesù ħa ċ-ċwievet (of authority) back from the devil and gave you the power to reign with Him, in His authority in the heavenly places. (Aqra wkoll: Has Jesus bound the strong man, or do you have to bind the strong man?).
The armor bearer is a servant of his Lord
It all begins by giving up your own life. Jesus said this in all the four gospels:
Imbagħad Ġesù qal lid-dixxipli tiegħu, Jekk xi raġel jiġi warajja, Ħallih jiċħad lilu nnifsu, u ħu s-salib tiegħu, u segwini. Għal kull min isalva ħajtu għandu jitlefha: u kull min jitlef ħajtu għall-fini tiegħi għandu jsibha (Mattew 16:24-25)
U meta sejjaħ lin-nies lejh mad-dixxipli Tiegħu wkoll, Qalilhom, Kulmin se jiġi warajja, Ħallih jiċħad lilu nnifsu, u ħu s-salib tiegħu, u segwini. Għal kull min isalva ħajtu għandu jitlefha; imma kull min jitlef ħajtu minħabba Tiegħi u għall-Evanġelju, l-istess għandu jsalvaha (Mark 8:34-35)
Għal kull min isalva ħajtu għandu jitlefha: imma kull min jitlef ħajtu minħabba Tiegħi, l-istess għandu jsalvaha (Luqa 9:24)
Min iħobb ħajtu jitlifha; u min jobgħod ħajtu f’din id-dinja għandu jżommha għall-ħajja ta’ dejjem. Jekk xi ħadd jaqdini, ħallih jimxi warajja; u fejn jien, ikun hemm ukoll il-qaddej Tiegħi: jekk xi ħadd jaqdini, Missieri jonorah (John 12:25-26)
The armor bearer of Jesus gives up his own life
You can’t serve Jesus without giving up your own life. Why not? Because you will not be able to follow Jesus. A follower follows someone. When you want to follow your own will and do what pleases you, then you can’t follow someone else. Because the only person you want to follow is yourself.
There can’t be two lords in your life. There’s only one lord and one follower.
When you decide to follow Jesus Christ, it means that you have to give up your own will; your ‘awto‘’, and give your whole life to Him and yield to Him and become His servant. (Aqra wkoll: Wara Ġesù jiswik kollox).
The armor bearer of Jesus obeys his Lord
When you give up your life and serve Jesus Christ, it means that you inħobbuh and you shall obey Him and do His commandments. It doesn’t matter what you want to do, what you feel, or what you think. But it’s all about what Jesus wants and what Jesus thinks and what the Word says.
Just as Jesus did the will of His Father and walked in His commandments, so shall you do the will of Jesus and walk in kmandamenti Tiegħu.
Jesus said, Jekk tħobbni, Żomm il-kmandamenti tiegħi (John 14:15)
Jekk iżżommu l-kmandamenti Tiegħi, intom tibqgħu fl-imħabba Tiegħi; bħalma jien żammejt il-kmandamenti ta’ Missieri, u żommu fl-imħabba tiegħu (John 15:10)
Jekk xi ħadd jaqdini, ħallih jimxi warajja; u fejn jien, ikun hemm ukoll il-qaddej Tiegħi: jekk xi ħadd jaqdini, Missieri jonorah (John 12:26)
The armor bearer trusts his Lord
You can only follow Jesus if you believe in Him and fully trust the Lord. Faith is the foundation. When there is doubt in your heart, it is impossible to obey and follow Jesus and walk in the faith.
Meta tgħid, that you believe, then you should prove that by walking in faith and relying on Him. Because you can say that you believe, but your words and actions show if you really believe in Jesus and His words or not.
Afda fil-Mulej b’qalbek kollha; and lean not unto your own understanding (Proverbji 3:5)
When you trust Him and don’t lean on your own understanding, then you shall be able to follow Him.
The armor bearer follows his Lord
Jesus commands you to follow Him. Għalhekk, you should follow Him and His will, instead of following your own will. He gave you His Word. Issa, it’s all about what you do with His words.
When you take up your cross daily, which means that you submit your will and flesh to Him (il-Kelma), His will and follow Him, you shall be His armor-bearer.
And he said to them all, Jekk xi raġel jiġi warajja, Ħallih jiċħad lilu nnifsu, u jerfa’ salibu kuljum, u segwini (Luqa 9:23)
The armor bearer of Jesus stays in his Lord’s shadow
As long as you are seated in Jesus Christ and stay in His shadow, you walk in His authority and are protected.
But as soon as you leave His shadow and go your own way, you will have no authority over principalities, setgħat, il-ħakkiema tad-dlam ta’ din id-dinja, u ħażen spiritwali fil-postijiet għolja.
There are two shadows in which you can live. You can live in the shadow of the Most High or the shadow of death.
The shadow of death
The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; In-nies li qagħdu fid-dlam raw dawl kbir; u lilhom li qagħdu fir-reġjun u dell tal-mewt tnissel dawl (Mattew 4:15-16)
The shadow of the Most High
How excellent is Thy lovingkindness, O Alla! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Thy wings (Salmi 36:7)
Min jgħammar fil-post sigriet tal-Għoli jibqa’ taħt id-dell ta’ Dak li Jista’ Kollox (Salmi 91:1)
For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. U intom kompluti fih, li huwa l-kap tal-prinċipat u s-setgħa kollha (Kolossin 2:9-10)
Sakemm tibqa 'f'Ġesù Kristu; il-Kelma, you shall walk in His shadow and His authority. When you walk in His authority, you shall have dominion over all hosts. (Aqra wkoll: Imxi fil-ħakma li tak Alla).
The armor bearer has a task to accomplish
Ara, Jiena nagħtikom is-setgħa li timxu fuq is-sriep u l-iskorpjuni, u fuq il-qawwa kollha tal-ghadu: u xejn m'għandu bl-ebda mod iweġġgħek (Luqa 10:19)
Jesus finished His task on earth, He bound the strong one; Ix-Xitan. Jesus defeated the devil at the cross, u bil-qawmien Tiegħu, He took the keys of authority back from him.
Lil kulhadd, who believes in Him and has given up his or her life to serve and follow Jesus, He has given power (awtorità) over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt him or her.
Jesus finished His work and is now seated on the right hand of God the Father.
Jesus has bound the strong one, Ix-Xitan. Issa, huwa xogħolna li nħassru d-dar u nħallu lin-nies ħielsa.
Ebda bniedem ma jista’ jidħol f’dar ta’ raġel b’saħħtu, u jħassru l-oġġetti tiegħu, ħlief li l-ewwel jorbot lill-bniedem b’saħħtu; u mbagħad se jħassru daru (Mark 3:27)
Kemm Ġonatan kif ukoll min iġorr l-armatura kellhom biċċa xogħol x’jaqdu. Jonathan ma ħax dawn iż-żewġ kompiti fuqu nnifsu, biex min iġorr l-armatura ma kellu jagħmel xejn. Nru, il-Filistin waqgħu qabel Ġonatan u l-armar tiegħu kellhom joqtlu lill-Filistin.
Ġesù tak biċċa xogħol x’twettaq
Għandek ukoll il-kompitu tiegħek x'twettaq. Ġesù ta lilkom u lil dawk kollha li jġorru l-armatura Tiegħu l-kompitu li ġej:
U Ġesù ġie u kellimhom, tgħid, Is-setgħa kollha tingħatali fis-sema u fl-art. Immorru għalhekk, u jgħallem lill-ġnus kollha, jgħammduhom fl-Isem tal-Missier, u tal-Iben, u tal-Ispirtu s-Santu: Għallimhom josservaw dak kollu li ordnajtilkom jien: U, lo, Jien dejjem miegħek, anke sa l-aħħar tad-dinja. Amen (Mattew 28:18-20).
Min jemmen u jitgħammed għandu jiġi salvat; imma min ma jemminx ikun indannat. U dawn is-sinjali għandhom isegwu lil dawk li jemmnu; F'ismi għandhom ikeċċu x-xjaten; għandhom jitkellmu b'ilsna ġodda; Għandhom jieħdu s-serp; U jekk jixorbu xi ħaġa fatali, m'għandux iweġġagħhom; għandhom ipoġġu idejhom fuq il-morda, u għandhom jirkupraw (Mark 16:16-18)
Ma tistax titlob lil Alla u tistenna lilu jieħu f’idejh u jagħmel il-parti tiegħek; il-kompitu tiegħek. Jekk dan kien il-każ, allura x'qed nagħmlu lkoll hawn fuq l-art? Għax dan ikun ifisser, li m'għandek tagħmel xejn aktar.
Ma tistax iddawwar il-kompitu tiegħek f’idejh u tistenna liH iwettaq dak li suppost tagħmel. Huwa xogħolek li twettaq il-kompitu li tak Ġesù. Ġesù għamel il-parti tiegħu, issa għandek tagħmel il-parti tiegħek. Dan ifisser azzjoni!
Sakemm ħajtek tkun fis-servizz ta’ Ġesù Kristu u int ċedi lilu u tobdih, afdaH, jimxu warajh, u tibqa’ fih, allura tkun tista’ twettaq il-kompitu tiegħek u twettaq il-missjoni ta’ Alla fuq l-art.
‘Kun il-melħ tal-art’
