🚨 Are you ready for war?

Happy Saturday - Good morning, men! Today we’re jumping straight into the fire as we look at a concept most of us know about intellectually but don’t live in such a way that would suggest we believe that it’s real. We’ve heard it preached and taught but for many, it hasn’t made the 18-inch move from our minds to our hearts.

What’s the topic today? No less than spiritual warfare and the truth that you have an enemy combatant who wants to destroy you and has waged war against you, your soul, your family, and your testimony for Jesus. He’s real and he is active and his name is Satan.

Armor up, men. It’s time we go to war for the glory of God - Will

Our world is in trouble. We can’t watch or read an online news source without seeing devastation. For the last year, the war in the Middle East has been at the forefront of most reporting and the subject of much debate and conversation. The barbaric attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, was horrific.

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of attending a small, private gathering of a ministry, called the Joshua Fund, which is dedicated to sharing Christ in Israel and with its neighboring countries. We were there to get a birds eye view of what happened on October 7th and to hear first-hand accounts of how the war continues to devastate the people of Israel and the many innocents who live in its neighboring countries. The brutality of October 7th is impossible to comprehend. Evil was front and center.

One evening at the Joshua Fund event, we were privileged to hear directly from former (and future?) Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. One thing that struck me unequivocally as he was speaking…and as we have seen in recent news reports of the killing of the leaders of the terror organizations Hamas and Hezbollah…is that Israel is on war footing. 

Israel knows it is at war and they are acting from a war posture.

The War in Me

I thought about myself and other men I know. Specifically Christian men. I thought of one friend reeling from a pending divorce. And another good friend who has lost a brother and a close friend to suicide in just the past week. You likely know Christian guys in your own circle who are living in the pain of addiction, loneliness, or depression - and feel like they have nowhere to turn.

What’s happening to us as men today? I would suggest that we are in a war every bit as real as what is happening in the Middle East. And yet, unlike the Israelis, we men have no idea that we’re actually at war. Standing at the ready on a war footing … us? Not even close. This is a war for Biblical manhood - and our very lives, as well as the lives of our families, are at stake.

Satan is Your Enemy

Who are the evil enemy combatants attacking Christian men today? None other than Satan and his evil minions. Most of you probably know of the classic passage in Ephesians dealing with spiritual warfare. In Ephesians 6:11, we are told to “Put on the full armor of God so you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”

Putting on armor is done for one purpose: to prepare for battle. Putting on armor so that we might take our stand is about engaging in that battle, engaging in warfare. Why? We are to do this so that we might defend ourselves from the devil’s schemes. 

Did you know the devil has schemes to defeat you? He’s not just after “the church”...but you as an individual. He is behind many of the problems we face and the struggles we endure.

The devil is on the warpath. He desires to emasculate you and me, to defeat us, to fill us with shame, and to render us useless for our families and the cause of Christ. Jesus tells us this in John 10:10 (emphasis mine): “The thief (Satan) comes ONLY to steal, kill, and destroy …”

Satan, the thief, the enemy has one purpose. He is out to kill you, to destroy you. He wants to make you miserable and live a life of despair. He tempts us to sin and to become separated from God. He is at war with you in an effort to keep you from being the man God has called you to be. This is a daily reality.

This is where the rubber meets the road in Biblical manhood. Will we stand and fight?

It’s Time to Join the Battle

My prayer is that each man who reads this takes to heart that we are in a war, a real war. I pray that you begin to look at life from a war footing…while recognizing you’re at war not with your spouse, not with your boss, not with the person from the other political party … actually, not a person at all. Your real war is against Satan, the “terrorist” coming after your soul.

I’d like to suggest a few things this week as we begin to engage in the battle and get back to a war footing to defeat the devil and be More the Man:

• Memorize John 10:10 and understand what Satan is all about…and what sin leads to

• Read through Ephesians 6:10-18 and write down what preparation a warrior must make as he prepares for war with Satan.

  • What are the defensive tools you must use?

  • What is the tool to take the battle to the devil?

• Think about one guy in your life who you can ask to join you in this battle and on your journey to Biblical manhood.

• Through prayer, ask God to help you see the reality of the war you’re engaged in as clearly as He does.

• Share this newsletter using your custom referral link below with that “one guy” or a group of guys you think might benefit from our weekly newsletter.

Next week, we’ll learn that we don’t have to fight these battles or the war alone. Until then, it is a privilege to join you on the journey to be More the Man God has called us to be.

TAKE ACTION
The Four Rules of Muscularity: Part Two of Two

Putting on muscle is an essential part of unlocking your God-given masculine capabilities. More muscle means an accelerated metabolism, less fat, improved hormonal performance and a clearer, sharper and stronger mind.

Last week we laid out the first two of four essential rules of that, when diligently followed, will deliver results. This week, we look at the second two rules. Remember, building muscle is math: inputs produce outputs. Consistently invest the right inputs and you enjoy the desired outputs.

Rule #3: Recuperation and Sleep

Most guys that train at gyms spend too much time there. The key is to work as hard as you can to get the work done as quickly as you can and get out so you can get to rebuilding. Here are some things you can do to shave time off your gym time:

• Go with a plan: Going to the gym without a plan is like grocery shopping when you are hungry. Don’t waste time figuring it out as you go.

• Aim for no more than three minutes between sets … unless you are lifting really heavy.

• Dial up the intensity: Three to four sets at high intensity are better than five to six at moderate intensity. Read this to learn more about “intensity”.

The most important part of your rebuilding between training is sleep. Sleep is also the element most guys fail to appreciate. Sleep is when your hormonal system goes to work to take your training and your nutrition and use those inputs to transform your body. Shoot for eight hours and try to get to bed and wake up as close to the same time daily.

Rule #4: Creatine

You already know about the countless supplements whose primary effect is to drain your bank account. Creatine of one of the few that has proven its value in numerous research settings over decades. Creatine helps with cellular energy production, muscle recovery with additional benefits added to the list regularly.

Unlike many muscle-building supplements, creatine (sold as creatine monohydrate) is relatively inexpensive at around 50 cents per five gram (5g) serving. Like protein, creatine works best when taken immediately after training … put it in the same shaker bottle as your powdered protein and mix with water.

Avoid mixing creatine with citrus juices (orange, grapefruit, etc.) as the acid can react with creatine to render it less useful. Take the same dose on your rest days to maintain a stable amount of creatine in the system.

Creatine will also make your nail grow faster so you'll need to build time into your schedule for regular clipping.

There you have it: the four rules of muscularity. Make them part of your routine and share your successes with us on our X profile.

📣 NEWS FROM AROUND THE WEB 📣 

Note that our providing these links does not constitute an endorsement of the writer’s or publisher’s perspective. We try to filter out propaganda but sometimes good information is laced with bias. As with everything you read and watch, process with a critical perspective.

Training

1. What is “intensity” as the concept relates to fitness training? This article does a very good job exploring the dimensions in which intensity is experienced and how to balance them to achieve optimal results.

2. Do you even CrossFit? CrossFit has become something of a fitness religion over the past decade or so … but does it work? This research summary indicates that it does but not because it contains some magical exercise. CrossFit succeeds because it excels at forming camaraderie. So, if you need a boost of motivation to get your body moving, CrossFit might work for you. 

Reading & Romance

1. Lord Foulgrin’s Letters: Did you know that it was a message Germany sent to Mexico intercepted by the English that prompted the United States to enter World War I? Malevolent global (and spiritual) powers are in constant communication and one of their favorite topics is … you. Lord Foulgrin’s Letters is based on C.S. Lewis’s spiritual warfare classic “Screwtape Letters” and it pulls back the curtain on the demonic chatter oriented around the destruction of your life

2. Need date night ideas? If you have a special woman in your life, whether you are courting or married, you never stop dating … but finding inspiration can be a challenge. Here are a handful of fresh ideas to fuel your romantic creativity in time for fall dating season.MTM needs your help!

Thanks for joining us for our eighth issue and stay tuned for MTM issue nine next Saturday morning.

If you found value in what we shared, please share More The Man with family and friends and help us build a community of exceptional men that includes YOU.

Questions? Send a note to Will.