The Precise Moment the Battle Turned (Flashover Fiction)

An army of men and women, old and young, stood on a battlefield crying out to God.

“Help us, O Lord!” they cried. “The battle is fierce and many are falling all around. Do you see our suffering? Send us help!”

A battalion of prophets and teachers walked throughout the battlefield. “What are you all doing?” they asked. “Do you not see the battle raging around you?”

“Of course,” the army replied, “and many are falling but what can we do? We’re making as much noise as we can!”

The members of the battalion pointed to the weapons lying at the feet of the soldiers. They pointed at them and indicated their own. “Why haven’t you employed the weapons God has provided?”

I tried using that weapon once. It didn’t work.

No one’s ever shown me how to use mine.

I don’t believe that weapon exists any longer. It was only for a time.

I only use that weapon on Sundays when I can find the time.

I’m not that kind of soldier.

So many others have weapons and they’re better at using them, I didn’t think the battle needed mine.

I used mine once but no one appreciated it, so I’ve stopped for now.

I was skilled in those weapons when I was a youth but now I’m old. It’s someone else’s turn to fight.

Someone said I was too young to be effective in the battle so I gave up.

I was told I wasn’t doing it right by a more experienced soldier so I threw it back down. Why bother if I’m not going to get it right.

Mine doesn’t always accomplish what I want it to so I don’t see the point.

Aren’t those just for you prophets and teachers to use?

I tried to tell the others we should be using them but no one would listen so I figured what difference could I make alone?

One in the battalion fired off a powerful round and the words buzzed around the ears of the soldiers like sniper fire:

“For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.” 2 Corinthians 10:3-6

“Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.” 2 Corinthians 6:2b-10

“Loved ones,” the battalion cried out as one, “Loved ones, the battle is the Lord’s and we are His army. He has equipped us with everything we need for life and godliness! You’re efforts are not lost or unseen. Every soldier on the field contributes to the tenor of the warfare. We depend on the Lord and we rely on one another to live up to His call to us. Now is our time! Will you not employ every weapon God has provided?”

Many just stared back at the battalion as the war raged around them but one old woman began to pray. Seeing this, one young girl turned to obedience and another chose to endure. An older gentleman nudged the young man beside him as he reached for God’s Word. The young man stooped down and chose love and forgiveness over anger and rebellion.

It was precisely in that moment, the battle began to turn.

**CHALLENGE: I’m issuing a challenge today to my fellow Christian writers. Flash fiction is a short story under 1000. Flashover fiction is a story under 1000 words that is intended to light a fire. (A flashover is the near-simultaneous ignition of most of the directly exposed combustible material in an enclosed area.) Let every believing writer ignite a fire in the hearts of our readers whether we have many or few. Write your own flashover fiction story and post it on your blog today. Pray. Read God’s Word. Then, right what you hear. Paste a link to your story in the comments here. Let us use every gift at our disposal to awaken as a church and engage with Jesus Christ in the greatest battle of all time – the war for souls. If you aren’t a writer, you can join in the challenge by sharing the flashover fiction stories that inspire you through social media, email, or reading aloud in your home or other circles.

The Precise Moment the Battle Turned https://t.co/4rsfNOL8su #flashfiction #flashoverfiction #amwriting #spiritualwarfare

— Lori Roeleveld (@lorisroeleveld) February 17, 2016