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On October 4, 1777, the troops of the British and those of the American Revolutionists converged on the village of Germantown, Pennsylvania.
The minds of the rebel fighters were as murky as the dense fog that hung in the air. In late September, enemy forces had defeated them at Brandywine and Paoli, and then won the city of Philadelphia. Desperate for victory, Washington planned a complex surprise attack against General Howe.
He divided the rebel army in fourths, with each column approaching from a different direction. Initially, it appeared to be successful but as the soldiers relaxed their guard, assuming certain victory, one of the worst possible happenings in a war occurred. Thinking they had the British forces on the run, the column of American troops under General Green opened fire on their comrades who were fighting under General Sullivan.
Mistaking a friend for a foe is the cause of an estimated 2% to 20% of casualties in battle. Confusion that causes soldiers to turn on their comrades gives a significant advantage to the enemy, leaving them with a victory for which they didn't even fight.
God used this tactic when his people prayed to him for deliverance from the Moabites and the Ammonites. While the Israelites sang praises to God, the enemy armies turned against each other and obliterated themselves (2 Chronicles 20).
We read this account and think, Wow! God fought their battle without any effort from them. However, don't forget that Satan learns from God and twists what he learns to evil.
How often do we look at a brother or sister, see an enemy, and open fire? Oh, we don't use physical weapons. Our ammunition is more likely to be a loose tongue, prideful thoughts, or silence while they make self-destructive choices. We don't kill them physically - the harm we inflict is spiritual, like the battle we fight.
Why do we allow the dense fog of Satan to blind us, causing us to see others as our enemies? It's simply a matter of forgetfulness. We forget that the battle belongs to the Lord. We forget that vengeance also is God's to carry out. We forget that we wrestle not against flesh and blood.
And while we fight each other, Satan laughs.
A recent tactic developed to defend against friendly fire is a laser device designed to attach on the scope of a gun. Each soldier would be outfitted with a helmet and uniform embedded with retro-reflectors that correspond with the device. The laser, when pointed at a member of the same army, would show the word 'FRIEND' in the scope of the warrior taking aim.
We don't need a laser to differentiate between friend and foe. In a spiritual battle, the opponent cannot be seen, leaving us with a very simple way to be certain who we ought to fight against - if you can see your 'enemy' with the physical eye, you've been blinded.
*****
Sources: Wikipedia - Friendly fire, List of friendly fire incidents
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Nice article on friendly fire. Very good points and very clearly laid out. I like how you used a historical battle scene to emphasize your point. That was a nice touch.
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