Lion Hunters
Read Time: 10 mins 42 seconds (238 wpm)
Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a brave warrior from Kabzeel who performed great exploits. He struck down the two sons of Ariel of Moab; he also went down and killed a lion inside a cistern on a snowy day. He even killed an Egyptian who was seven and a half feet tall. The Egyptian had a spear as big as the crossbeam of a weaver’s loom; Benaiah attacked him with a club. He grabbed the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, who gained fame along with the three elite warriors.
1 Chronicles 11:22-24 NET
Y'all. I asked an accomplished, visionary, and respected leader to give me a list of books they’d recommend, and In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day by Mark Batterson was at the top of their list. Their eyes lit up, and the tone of their voice got excited as they remembered it. I could tell it was special to them. I finally got a copy, and one chapter in, I understand why. It’s like an espresso shot of inspiration. (I’ll leave a link to my recommended book list so you can pick up a copy or get another one of the books that have helped to inspire or shape my life.)
The book is about Benaiah. You likely haven’t heard much of him, but I call dibs on naming my firstborn after him. Benaiah was King David’s chief bodyguard, who was only mentioned a few times in the Bible, but those few times were packed with power.
His name means “God will build,” and God for sure built a stellar resume for him. David’s inner circle is full of what you’d expect from a warrior of his caliber. One man killed 300 men with one spear in one battle. Another killed 800 with his spear in one battle. When the Israelite army retreated, another of these mighty men stayed and stood his ground until his hand was stuck to his weapon. When the deserters came back, all they found was him standing around a bunch of corpses. These guys were real-life versions of John Wick or Christian Wolff. And Benaiah belonged right along with them.
The Bible says that Benaiah killed an Egyptian giant who was 7 and a half feet tall. The giant had a spear approximately 6-8 feet long, but Benaiah, only armed with a club, ended up prying the giant's spear out of his hand and killing him with it. This story is intentionally designed to remind us of David fighting Goliath and killing him with his own sword. David would’ve read this on a resume or heard it in a description and seen some of himself in Benaiah. But this wasn’t the only thing listed. Something else would’ve reminded David of himself. The Bible says that Benaiah didn’t just casually beat two lion-like champion fighters; he, too, decided to fight an actual lion.
Benaiah was special because, like David, he was a lion chaser. The text tells us that on a snowy day, in terrain that would’ve been uncommon and uncomfortable to Israelite warriors, Benaiah chased a lion into a pit and didn’t just leave it there and go about his business. He jumped in with it and killed it unprovoked.
The exploits of the other men were impressive. They may even sound more impressive than Benaiah’s. But the difference is that if you're in a battle and the rest of the army leaves you high and dry, you’re forced to at least try to perform. No one forced Benaiah to run after this lion, let alone jump into a pit with it when it was already seemingly pacified. He didn’t just wake up with his back against the wall. He wasn’t forced between a rock and a hard place. No, he chose it. He jumped into it.
He wasn’t forced to run into danger. He may not have even been hired to do it. But he decided to. And I think this points to a warrior posture that many of us are missing.
Called to Fight, Not Flee
Jesus says that the gates of hell won’t prevail against us, the church. Now, gates are defensive, not offensive. The gates are stationary; we are the ones advancing. So if the gates aren’t going to win or stand, it means that when we attack, they can’t do anything about it. It’s like the walls of Jericho. The gates of hell collapse when we advance. Death can’t even stop us through the power of Christ. The gates won’t succeed in their job of defense and will be overpowered by Christ's offense. It’s a guaranteed win. The issue is, we aren’t attacking.
Many of us just see Christianity as the abstinence from bad. We focus on sins of commission, the things we do that are wrong, and try not to do them. The issue is, we often ignore sins of omission, failing to do what’s right. We forget that our call is to advance what’s good.
We aren’t just called to flee evil, we’re called to fight it. We’re called to find some lions, chase them, and not just trap them. We’re called to put everything on the line to kill what’s killing others.
A guy in my high school class was a mixed martial artist. You could tell that he was walking around at times, looking for a fight. While I don’t think you should be that eager to get into physical altercations, I don’t think we should be so afraid of spiritual ones. While the devil is seeking people out as a lion, we should be actively hunting lions to protect them.
We aren’t just called to complain about what’s happening in the world. We need to use our power and storm the gates of hell. Prophets in the Bible were almost never popular because they’d just walk into palaces and start tearing stuff up. Where is that commitment to fight for good and against evil today? I want us to develop a Benaiah level of commitment and courage when it comes to the call of God on our lives!
Learning from the Audacity of MAGA
On January 6th, 2021, President Donald Trump repeatedly told his followers to come to the Capitol, “fight like hell” and “show strength" as he challenged the results of the 2020 election. While he may not have explicitly told them to break in, kill people, injure over one hundred law enforcement officers, and seek to hang Vice President Mike Pence for trying to do his job, you can see how his use of influence and lack of pushback could lead to that. Now, I’m definitely not co-signing the behavior or telling you to do that in a literal sense. Violence isn’t the answer, and God calls us to fight with love, not force, fear, or political strength. But watching the audacity present in the situations like these that we’ve seen for the past decade makes me mad. Why? I want you to just imagine what would be turned upside down for good if we followed God with an ounce of the audacity people follow Trump with. Imagine running into the devils capitol just to tear some stuff up because our leader told us we could? Imagine what we could accomplish for good if we actually believed what our leader said? That’s fighting lions.
You Have a Calling
God has called us to so much, but we’re often found sitting on our hands. Danish philosopher and theologian Soren Kierkegaard argues that boredom is the root of all evil and should not be ignored. Sounds dramatic, but why does he say that? To Soren, boredom is not just not having something to do. It’s a signal to a life with a prevailing sense of meaninglessness.
He argues that a posture overrun by boredom is proof that you aren’t really bought into the truth of God's call on your life. It goes back into our discussion of sins of omission vs commission. Christianity isn’t just about avoiding bad. It’s about advancing good, and if you truly accepted the call on your life, you’d commit to doing good. However, if you don’t see the seriousness of your call and have a heart for God and people that causes you to steward every opportunity for His glory, you can find yourself sitting by as people are hurting and not care. Martin Luther King argued that those who passively accept evil are just as bad as those who perpetrate it. God is calling us to more. We have to kill some lions, y'all.
We have to step out on faith and not wait for battles to come to us, but run to them. There are so many things you can do. God has given you unique gifts and passions that point to your purpose in this. One leader said that whatever consumes the mind of a believer the most is typically tied to what God wants them to do to advance the kingdom. Do you care deeply about education? Maybe you fight lions there. Do you care deeply about inequality? Maybe you fight there. Hate to see people alone? Maybe that’s the path to your fight. Jesus is calling you to step out on the water and partner with Him to change lives. Are you in? Take the opportunity. Maybe the boredom, lack of fulfillment, and lack of passion you feel is because you aren’t fighting your lion. There’s too much potential for you to live a bored and unfulfilled life. You have some lions to hunt.
I know this can seem overwhelming, so I want to remind you that you aren’t here to do everything on your own. There’s a lot to be fought, but I’m not calling you to be a bomb that just explodes and burns out. I’m calling you to be a gun that strategically and accurately kills the lions it was designed to kill. We’re a part of a team, and you’re a role player. God has given you gifts, passions, and insights to kill the lions in your sphere of influence.
Two million children are in sex trafficking right now. Maybe you’ll partner with some like-minded people to fight for them. Or maybe you’ll counsel the friend who was assaulted. Maybe you’ll preach to thousands overseas or pray for three people at your school. Maybe you’re a mobilizer. You’re gifted at drawing attention and challenging people to take action. Maybe you’re a teacher who trains the evangelist to go out.
Find something. God gave each of us a mix of gifts that are designed to benefit His people. Get involved. I’m sure your church or community needs help. There’s a needed movement you can join, start, or influence the creation of. Hold on to the tenacity of a lion fighter. You may get some scars, but it’s worth it. It’s bigger than you.
Let’s strategize and mobilize. Maybe you’ll stop just complaining about the government and start doing what you wish they’d do. I know a church that fed tens of thousands of people when their community was hungry. I know another one that gave away cars when community members were walking. You can teach financial literacy classes, fight against health disparities, or teach people how to thrive in food deserts. You can share a smile, give a compliment, or stand up against gossip. You are uniquely designed to fight some lions, both big and small. Maybe you’re gifted to have hard conversations and draft more people to the winning team. For some of you, you’ll stop simply arguing about abortion and start adopting some kids. Maybe you won’t just gain millions, but will be the one to give millions away. What has God positioned you to add to His team? Do something! Get in the pit and fight a lion!
Find your Lion
Stop being idle. There’s some cause you’re drawn to that God has designed you to fight in. Here are some other ways to spot your lions.
What makes you angry? Some call this concept a unique discontent. When God places a unique call or role in your life, He will often also form you to be uniquely annoyed or agitated when it isn’t completed or done well. This is used to motivate you to take action.
Others may not notice or feel it the same as you do when someone is mistreated, but it grinds your gears because you’re called to solve it. This is why Jesus seemingly gets most mad and emotional when religious leaders stop people from experiencing closeness and compassion from God for free. It’s because among His core values and mission was bringing salvation to all for free. Others let the Pharisees get away without pushback, but His purpose didn’t allow Him to. What is your righteous indignation? What makes you mad?
Who are you inspired by? Leadership emergence theory argues that your natural, spiritual, and acquired gifting and unique purpose can often be highlighted by the leaders you’re drawn to, positions you are drawn to, and people who’re drawn to you. If God has designed you to speak, you’ll often be impressed and inspired by speakers. If He’s called you to write, you’ll be impressed and drawn to writers. Like attracts like.
What do others see? It’s very natural for others to see your fitness progress before you do. The same principle is often at play for your giftings and callings. What do others keep speaking over your life and believing for? I remember multiple teachers asking me to speak, write, and lead before I felt a call to leadership ministry in any of those facets. One teacher told me I’d be a pastor before I even had a thought about it. Maybe others can see it in you more clearly than you can. Don't take their word as law, but don’t ignore the trends either. Pay attention to the common compliments or areas you’re trusted in. They may point to a gift God has given you.
What do you want? This is sometimes hard for us to parse, but we have to recognize a core truth. The Bible says to delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. This isn’t just saying He will give you what you want. It’s saying He will give you what to want. What dream has God placed on your heart?
As you prayerfully parse out the practicalities of your purpose, God will reveal little by little. The big picture is that you are designed to worship God by growing closer to Him and helping others to do the same. The smaller image is what does that look like in this season? God gave you gifts and opportunities. He put you in a pit with a lion that only you can defeat. It’s time to start moving.
Start Walking
So start walking towards the lions. You may not have it all figured out, but you’ll never learn what you are made for or good at if you don’t try. Step out little by little. Meditate on what God may have designed you to contribute and walk towards the vision. Just start trying. Your contributions don’t always have to be as big as others'. It doesn’t have to make sense to others. What we view as “background gifts” and contributions are really the backbone. Maybe your field right now is your home and your children. That’s bigger than you realize. Treat it like it’s an important mission from God. Maybe you’ll be the one to prioritize pouring into and encouraging someone around you who has the gifts to be seen as more public. Don’t look for something flashy, look for something fitting. Maybe it’s mentorship. You may not birth Jesus, but you may be an Elizabeth, who can be a support for Mary. You may not be the “star,” but you have a role.
A pastor ran an evangelistic series for days, and no one responded to the appeal except for a little boy named Billy Graham. Was his meeting successful numbers-wise? No. Was it successful in terms of impact? For sure. His role was to pass the ball to a scorer. Your friendship, support, and encouragement may be like Chris Bosh passing to Ray Allen. Find your contribution. Kill your lion.
True and lasting success is found in faithfulness to God. Batterson defines it as doing the best you can with what you have where you are. It’s making the most of every opportunity. Don’t let fear stop you from that. See your lion. Chase your lion. Jump into the battle. Win. Then find another lion and repeat. The gates of hell have nothing on you.
Questions to consider:
What would you do if you couldn’t fail?
The Bible says that we all have gifts to contribute to the body of Christ. Based on the people you’re drawn to, the situations that emotionally charge you, the gifts others have seen in you, and the dreams God has placed in you, what is a rough idea of what God may be asking you to contribute to help and heal His people?
Take a spiritual gifts test. What gifts are your top? Which makes sense? Which surprised you?
What lions do you want to fight?
Today I am actually celebrating my first wedding anniversary with my wife, Taelyn. As a single man, I would sacrifice and put all of my money into this ministry to keep it afloat, but now I want to make sure that I am not taking too much from my new family to keep this going. That is why I ask you to prayerfully consider partnering with me by pledging a monthly donation to this ministry through the link below or Cash App $ThoughtsByPace. I greatly appreciate your support, as it allows me to continue to send these messages out without neglecting the financial goals of my new family.
