My title is the name of an early Christian song. It is the Church’s patriotic song of marching into (spiritual) battle.
Onward and forward convey the same meaning. The last chapter of Exodus reads, “Whenever the Cloud (of Glory) was taken up from above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would GO ONWARD (i.e., forward) in all their journeys” (Exodus 40:36; see also Numbers 9:17). This “Cloud” (and “Fire”; Exodus 13:21) was Divine: “And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light…” We know these were symbolic of the coming Holy Spirit. This extraordinary phenomenon was seen by the naked eye by God’s ONWARD MARCHING PEOPLE: the Cloud and Fire leading, guiding, covering, protecting Israel in their journey towards the Canaan Land, the “Land of Promise.”
For the New Testament believers, the Holy Spirit, which cannot be physically seen but can be physically felt (at times), leads/guides us towards the finish line of our journey. Exodus 40:38 mentions the “Cloud/Fire” being over the tabernacle day and night: so is the Holy Spirit over God’s living tabernacle day and night. Verse 34 says that the “glory” of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
Paul wrote about the New Testament tabernacle in his epistle to the Corinthians: “For we know that if our earthly house (i.e., body), this tent (tabernacle), is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” (2 Corinthians 5:1). (See Jesus’ language concerning His Temple, aka, His body, being destroyed; another building would arise, a glorified/Spirit body).
The Old KJV uses “tabernacle” instead of “tent,” meaning the same thing (see Hebrew 8:2,5; 9:2,3,6,8,11,21; 13:10; 2 Peter 1:13-14).
I said all this to say that we, God’s “Spirit Army” have the Holy Spirit (or Holy Ghost) leading and guiding us into confrontation with the enemy/enemies, just as the Holy Ghost led Jesus: “Then Jesus was LED up by the Spirit (the same Spirit found in the Cloud and Fire) into the wilderness to be tempted (tested) by the devil” (Matthew 4:1). Luke 4:1 says, “Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit … was LED by the Spirit into the wilderness.”
Not only does the Holy Spirit lead/guide us into battle, but equips us to overcome our enemies. The Spirit (Greek, Pneuma) was prominent at Jesus’ early stage of His journey to the Cross [see Luke 4:1,14; verse 18 = “The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me (Jesus)…” ]
Here is what we see in Luke’s account:
- Luke 3:12,22 = The Holy Spirit descends upon Jesus at His water Baptism;
- Luke 4:1 = Jesus is filled with the Holy Spirit
- Luke 4:14 = Jesus returns from battling the devil by the power of the Spirit
- Luke 4:18 = the Spirit is upon Jesus for His Ministry
This was a demonstration of what lies ahead for the New Testament Ekklesia period – which is still in progress: Acts 1:4-5: “And being assembled together with them (His disciples), He commanded them … to wait for the Promise of the Father … you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
Matthew mentions this Holy Spirit Baptism in Matthew 3:11: “I (John) indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me … He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit AND FIRE! (– the same FIRE that was present in Moses’ day in the Exodus journey).”
The “Promise” of the Father was and is the Spirit Baptism (of FIRE). Chapter 2 of Acts records this advent. This Pentecostal experience included the gift of “Tongues as of Fire,” Acts 2:3 (see Exodus 19:18).
The FIRE in Exodus 19:18 symbolizes the presence of the LORD God to initiate the covenant on Sinai. Here (in Acts 2) the Holy Spirit acts upon the disciples/apostles, preparing them for their new work; for example, taking Jesus to the whole world, as in Matthew 28:19-20.
Peter proclaimed in his speech at Pentecost, “REPENT and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38).
How far can one get in this life without the Spirit leading/guiding/equipping? Not far! Yet, there are multitudes that go to a church who have never repented of their sins! I’ve met “ministers” who never repented but held office in certain denominations. Somehow they have this strange non-Biblical belief that “church” covers them. NO! It is the blood of Jesus that covers/washes away our sins through repentance.
How far can one go on the battlefield of life without the Holy Spirit? Being “religious” is not being righteous. Paul wrote, “as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged (implored) every one of you … that you (believers) would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own Kingdom and Glory (Cloud)” (1 Thessalonians 2:11-12). Without repentance and the infilling of the Holy Spirit, it is like going into battle without a leader or weapon. The spiritual armor/weapons are supplied (see Ephesians 6) but we have to personally take them and use them.
Are you ready to go ONWARD, FORWARD?
~ Gen. Jim, POW