The DNA of a Warrior

Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle. He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield, in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me.

Welcome to Warpath. You're about to embark on a journey towards lifelong healing, freedom and victory. This is a season of training. It's sanctification on steroids, not for the faint-hearted, but for those who truly desire to live the rest of their lives for Jesus. No reserves, no retreats, no regrets. What was once your deepest, darkest secret will now become the word of your testimony that heals and liberates others.

In this new season, God is calling you up. He's calling you to a higher level, a place where you're no longer part of the problem but are becoming a part of the solution.

In the Conquer Series, you entered boot camp. It was the chance for you to begin to heal, and an opportunity for you to find the strength that you never knew you had. But in Warpath, you are rising to the challenge to become a fighting, valiant man. This is more than just stopping your behavior. This is a commitment to join your brothers in battles that you didn't create, so that they, too, can win. This will be a lifetime journey where you will reap fruit.

Before you can fully step into this role, you first must grasp your true identity in Christ. Why? Because your identity defines your destiny. In this episode, you're going to learn about the DNA of a warrior, which is uniquely different than that of every day, ordinary men. You will be reminded of the battles that you've faced up to this point, and the sacrifices that you have made to ensure the generations to follow do not face the same struggles that you endured. Today, you graduate from being more than a conqueror. You graduate from boot camp and become the warrior that God created you to be.

Identity: You will have to grasp your true identity in Christ. You cannot look at this as a "what", but instead about a "who". We must become more like Christ, because He is a warrior.

A different DNA: As a warrior, your spiritual genetic code will be different from those who haven't tasted the victory and grace you've experienced from this battle. You've experienced truth as a person: Jesus; and it has forever changed you. You've been set apart as a "fighting man", no longer a civilian idly consumed by the cares of this world, but a warrior who's passionate about the Kingdom and craving some sweet revenge.

"Warpath isn't about just winning for you; that's the beginning. Warpath is about you taking the battle and winning for others so they can have their families, and their marriages, and their destinies."

Created for this: God created you as a solution. You are now running into the face of the battle, coming to the rescue of the men around you. It won't always be easy, as you will help them dress their wounds. But remember, as your brother wins, you win.

You will face challenges. It is likely that Warpath will hit on something that you didn't want to see in your heart - or wounds of your past may resurface. As you mature, your marriage and family will shift. As your wife deals with her betrayal trauma, it most likely will get worse before it gets better, but stay committed to the process. That's what warriors do.

The warrior DNA is unique. God designed you specifically for this battle, and He has given you a DNA which is indestructible. It is stronger than anything on this planet, but you've got to understand the warrior identity in order to unlock and unleash your spiritual authority over the broken areas of your life.

"You've broken curses that your grandfather only could wish to have even addressed."

New level, new devil: As you move forward, you will encounter new challenges that you will have to face. These "minefields" could be in your marriage, other important relationships, work, etc. Don't be fearful of the "giants" in your Promised Land. God will use these obstacles to transform you on the inside-out if you stay rooted in your warrior identity in Christ.

Take your land back. Fight for your marriage, your family, and your legacy. Jesus died to give you ALL of your inheritance. So, fight!

"Don't make a goal. Make a discipline. You make a discipline, you'll reach a goal."

What is DNA? DNA is simply: Disciplines Nurtured Actively. You cannot think the same as other men. You have to understand that when you actively nurture your disciplines, you are guaranteeing your outcome.

Live an exposed life. Sexual addiction doesn't get solved in isolation. Warpath is a commitment to have accountability for your entire life. If you stay exposed, you can stay free.

Commitment - It's important that you're willing to do whatever it takes. This journey will require you to stay focused so that you can move forward. Become aggressive.

1. Stay submitted. Most men get onto this path because of exposure. Realize that this is just the beginning, accountability will be required for life.
2. Be willing to sacrifice. Being available to the men in your group may require you to be interrupted from time to time. Be willing to trade your plans regularly for those of God.
3. Faithfulness - This is one of the most powerful forces in the Kingdom. Stay faithful to God, to your wife, to your children, and to your destiny.
4. Remember, this is a lifestyle. As a warrior, learn to say "yes" to God.

Attacked Anointing - The enemy can sense when God sends an anointed warrior. Satan wants to attack God's anointed sexually, because sexual sin is Hell's gateway for total invasion in a person's life. Don't forget what God has done in your life up to this point. If you maintain a strong foundation through discipline, God can build you up to the next level.

Weapons of War

1. Develop the discipline of prayer. You are a man of God, so you should be the house of prayer. Be a man of prayer.
2. Cultivate gratitude. Being thankful is not easy in the face of adversity. But science shows that being thankful rewires the brain and can offset depression and anxiety¹. Start by thanking God for your freedom every day.
3. Read the Bible. If you don't have a regular discipline to read the Word of God, you will struggle to become like Him.
4. Make a phone call every day for the first 90 days. This is not only during the duration of this class; this is a lifestyle. When you believe that you're independent, Satan will attack.
5. Stay in a group. Build relationships, and make sure that someone always knows how you're doing.
6. Have a "forward" vision. Stop looking back at who you were. The only time to look at your past is when you're dealing with it so that you can advance forward in your marriage and in your life. In the Conquer Series, we introduced "Mental Visualization." Mentally visualize the man you desire to be; the marriage you want to have, etc. and set your face like a flint as you move towards this vision for the future.
7. Maintain boundaries. Keep them in place, and remember that you're protecting the land that you already have. Regardless of how far you think you've come, do not relax your boundaries on television and movies.
8. Stay honest with others. Many men get tripped up here, believing that they only have to stay honest with God. Jesus is the head of the Church, and this is where you get forgiveness. But we are the body, and it's in the body where you can maintain a lifestyle of healing. Remember, your secrets are your kryptonite.

1. The Effects of Gratitude Expression on Neural Activity; Prathik Kini, et al., 2015