We are the Mighty Men

"We are the Mighty Men" - a poem by John Vakidis

37 men and their Pastor travelled to a foreign land.
To call out the inner warrior, the Mighty Man.

700 husbands and fathers were stoic at first
Until their spirit was stirred and certainly re-birthed.

The Holy Spirit was with us, wherever we went.
Back to Hell is where the Devil was sent.

Chains were broken and hearts were set free.
Men were called to the Kingdom, Warriors they'll be.

Miracles were seen and families were forever transformed.
Backs straightened and lives changed is what we would learn.

My Mighty Men is such an honorable group.
Selfless and not worthy, yet God's chosen troop.

Call us to battle, to the death, to the end.
Each of us warriors, we are the Mighty Men!

- John Vakidis
ELC Warrior forever changed

LIVE YOUR CODE

On February 24, 2012 a new movie titled Act of Valor will be released in theaters. This film was directed using active Navy Seals as the actors. While this is just a fiction movie and not a documentary, the types of scenarios that these men endure are real. Within the movie, their code is imbedded throughout. Real life lessons are there for us to learn from and apply in our walk of life.

As Christians, we need to make sure we are also living as elite warriors, much like the Navy Seals. We need to make sure we are always ready to fight the good fight and die for what we stand for. “Until you put your life into the context of war, you will miss 95% of what happens to you.”

“Proclaim ye this among the nations; prepare for war; stir up the mighty men; let all men of war draw near, let them come up.” - Joel 3:9

In October of 2011, at Elevate Life’s Ultimate Warrior Conference, we were blessed to have Jeff Bramstedt, Navy Seal, Ret., share the stage with our Pastor and a group of other retired Seals. These men shared stories of their past and linked them to their faith as Christian men. It was one of the most inspiring days of my lives and for many other men that I know.

I was recently introduced to a new website http://www.lifeofvalor.com/ that has excerpts from the new movie and footage of 2 Seals, Jeff Bramstedt and Clint Bruce, narrating what it means to live a Life of Valor. Below are my notes and I dare you to walk with me on this journey of life to live your life by this code:

· Loyalty
· Honesty
· Sacrifice
· Discipline
· Integrity
· Courage
· Self-Control

TRAIN RELENTLESSLY
“Relentless training makes men run into a firefight, not away from it.”
We need to train daily. We need to dive into the word. We need to pray for our families and for our church. We need to surround ourselves by other warriors so that we, can sharpen one another.

YOU NEED A TEAM
“Stick together as a team, you live. Go it alone, you die. It’s that simple.”
We need high expectations for the men in the church. We need self-accountability and team accountability from those in our circle… our THREE. So I ask you… “WHO are your THREE?”

DEMAND MORE OF YOUSELF AND OTHER MEN AROUND YOU
We need high expectations for the men in the church. When you see a man fall, don’t gossip about him or call him out publicly. Go to him, lift him up. Support him and together, you will both be better for it.

CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUCCESS
PREPARE. PLAN. ACT.

FACE YOUR FAILURE
Admitting your failures to others gives you strength. It also allows others to learn from your past. Don’t forget to share your success, too. Others can learn from the pattern that helped you succeed.

I hope that today’s post has inspired you to consider the life you’re living. You need to think about the path you are headed towards. Are you “following the shoreline” or are you getting tossed around by the waves?

If you are living a life that God wants for you, then you can “Live your life that the fear of death cannot enter your heart.”

Striving to live by the code,
John Vakidis