Have you ever heard of Lieutenant Hirro Onada? He was the last Japanese soldier to surrender after World War II. He was left on the island Lubang in the Philippines in 1944 --- along with three other soldiers. They were left with the command to "carry on the mission even if Japan surrenders."
Eventually the others were killed or surrendered. But Onada continued his war alone. Through the years, he ignored messages from loudspeakers announcing Japan's surrender. Leaflets were dropped in the jungle begging him to surrender so he could return to Japan. During his 29-year private war, he killed at least 30 Philippine nationals.
More than half a million dollars were spent trying to locate him and convince him to surrender. Finally, on March 10, 1974 Onada surrendered his rusty sword after receiving a personal command from his former superior officer. His lonely war was finally over. When he returned to Japan as a prematurely aged man of 52, he made this comment: "Nothing pleasant during those 29 years in the jungle." (Newsweek, 1974)
That's a bit of an understatement!
"The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." John 10:10
In a spiritual sense, many Christians don't recognize that they don't have to try and fight spiritual battles on their own anymore. Jesus came so that we could live life abundantly with the assurance that, if we will let Him, He is capable of fighting our battles for us. That's great news!
