This New Year’s, Resolve to Become “God Strong” for Life! Will You Join Me?

by Fr Richard Heilman | December 26, 2019 2:37 PM

Christ’s Elite Fighting Force

Whether it’s a Navy SEAL or a Saint, we admire those who put it all on the line — go “all in!” — those who are totally dedicated to the mission. In the military, this dedication is revealed in the Warrior Ethos, four simple lines embedded in the Soldier’s Creed[1]:

I will always place the mission first.
I will never accept defeat.
I will never quit.
I will never leave a fallen comrade.

Sustained and developed through discipline, commitment, and pride, these four lines motivate every soldier to persevere and, ultimately, to refuse defeat. What would happen if we dedicated ourselves to the training and mission of Jesus Christ with the same intensity?

Admission into Christ’s elite fighting force begins by knowing that by your baptism you have been commissioned by the Lord Jesus Christ to fulfill a most dramatic mission; it is the mission of saving souls. This mission cannot be accomplished without entering into conflict with ‘the world, the flesh and the devil.’ It is not a mission for the fainthearted or for those who wish to take the wide road to heaven. It is the path of warfare, of spiritual battle.

 

United States Grace Force

The United States Space Force (USSF) is a new branch of the United States Armed Forces, which is intended to have control over military operations in outer space.

Those who believe in the supernatural power of God know that the greatest need is to “stand strong against” (spiritual warfare) the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

St. Paul wrote,

“Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:10-12

With this greatest of needs in mind, I have launched a new branch of the United States Armed Forces: The United States Grace Force (USGF).

Of course, this does not rise to any official branch, but it is the most important branch as it calls upon the Power of God to protect and bless our nation, especially praying God’s protection (“Got Your Six”) for those who put their lives on the line to protect and defend our freedom.

The Grace Force adheres to this ancient maxim, which was popularized by President Ronald Reagan:

“We maintain the peace through our strength; weakness only invites aggression.” 

We are emerging from a very grim period of spiritual weakness as the vast majority of Christians ceased to believe in the supernatural power of God. As a result, Satan and his minions have been able to move almost unabated while, in spiritual terms, we have stood naked on the battlefield with no spiritual armor and no spiritual weapons to combat Satan’s evil designs.

Since 2016, tens of thousands of faith-filled prayer warriors have joined forces[2] and engaged in spiritual warfare as we have prayed, with belief, for our country (Also, for our Church and the world). Through various spiritual warfare campaigns, such as the miraculous 54 Day Rosary Novena, and other powerful prayers and novenas, nearly 60,000 prayer warriors have received daily marching orders (through daily emails with specific prayers and reflections/teachings[3]). Many more have participated through social media. This mighty force has witnessed a multitude of miracles and answered prayers, including the thwarting of evil designs as many long-standing evil regimes (e.g., the swamp; the ruling class) are being toppled. Satan and his minions are in full-on “panic mode.”

 

Enlistment Requirements

Check Your Disobedience at the Door

Jesus answered, and said to him: “If any one loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and will make our abode with him” (John 14:23).

In the Letter of St. James, we get a very frank teaching:

“When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble. Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:3-7).

Everything … I mean EVERYTHING … depends upon OBEDIENCE. Obedience is the very “Key” that unlocks the door to the Divine Life … the paradise of God’s Presence and Power of Supernatural Grace, once lost by the disobedience of our first parents. Mary is the New Eve who, by her fiat (Yes), brought us a Savior. And, the very last words Mary ever speaks was at the Wedding at Cana, “Do whatever He tells you.” With that call to obedience, bland and tasteless water was turned into the “best of wines” … wine is symbolic of the “inebriation of the Holy Spirit.”

Your willingness to obey, makes you a viable candidate for enlistment. So, besides having no struggle with any of the teachings of the Church, these are the bare bones basic requirements for enlistment into the US Grace Force:

Based on the precepts of the Church 

1. Mass on Sunday and all Holy Days of obligation.
2. Confession at least once a month, and immediately after mortal sin.
3. Communion at every Mass in a state of grace (Confession, if needed).
4. Fast and abstain on prescribed days and no meat on all Fridays year round.
5. Register at a parish and offer parish some of your time, talent and treasure.

 

US Grace Force Rank

Prayer is our outstanding supernatural resource for fighting the wiles of the enemy. St. Alphonsus said,

“Prayer is, beyond doubt, the most powerful weapon the Lord gives us to conquer evil … but we must really put ourselves into the prayer, it is not enough just to say the words, it must come from the heart. And also prayer needs to be continuous, we must pray no matter what kind of situation we find ourselves in: the warfare we are engaged in is ongoing, so our prayer must be on-going also.”

The heroes of our faith are the warrior saints who have gone before us. God worked mightily and miraculously through them. Therefore, we must study their ways. How did they remain so well connected, in such strong friendship with God, so that His river of supernatural grace could flow so freely through them? What do these “SEALS for Christ,” teach us about the ideal spiritual disciplines, the ultimate daily regimen of prayer?

The following are based in large part on Fr. John McCloskey’s Seven Daily Habits of Holy Apostolic People and include:

Seven Daily Habits

1. The Morning Offering
2. Mental Prayer (at least 15 minutes)
3. Spiritual Reading (at least 15 minutes)
4. Holy Mass and Communion
5. The Angelus (6 AM, noon and/or 6 PM)
6. The Holy Rosary
7. Brief Examination of Conscience (at night)

What rank are you in God’s Army?

The more you pour yourself into your prayer life, the more God will entrust His missions to you and, therefore, the more grace He will pour into your efforts.

Private – practices one daily habit
Sergeant – practices two daily habits
Lieutenant – practices three daily habits
Captain – practices four daily habits
Major – practices five daily habits
Colonel – six daily habits
General (all seven daily habits)

 

I’M GOING IN!!  WILL YOU JOIN ME?

Fasting is a way in which the Lord gives the underdog victory!

Finally, this is what I am doing (below) to “ramp things up” in my “calling out to God” for answered prayers, particular for an end to abortion in America. You are encouraged to join me! This is only for those with a Navy SEAL level tenacity for the monstrous mission ahead. 2020 is going to be CRUCIAL, and may become quite brutal.

In our fight for life and against abortion, we are in humanly impossible circumstances. The pro-death forces dominate the government, business, entertainment, education, and mass media. We are like David fighting the Goliath of Pro-Death (Baal? Moloch?). However, “it is easy for many to be overcome by a few; in the sight of Heaven there is no difference between deliverance by many or by a few; for victory in war does not depend upon the size of the army, but on strength that comes from Heaven” (1 Mc 3:18-19; see also 2 Chr 20:3; Est 4:16). Fasting is one of the main ways the Lord gives us strength for victory and freedom from the evil one (Mt 4:1ff). Fasting is a way in which the Lord gives the underdog victory.

We. Must. Be. As. Strong. As. Possible!!!

I’ve been pretty good, up to now, on keeping up with my “ranking” in God’s Army (see above), but I am planning to become more intensive in “Fasting and Mortification.”

“Fasting gives birth to prophets and strengthens the powerful; fasting makes lawgivers wise. Fasting is a good safeguard for the soul, a steadfast companion for the body, a weapon for the valiant, and a gymnasium for athletes. Fasting repels temptations, anoints unto piety; it is the comrade of watchfulness and the artificer of chastity. In war it fights bravely, in peace it teaches stillness.” – St. Basil the Great

Fasting & Mortification for Life 

This is a sacrificial offering unto God, yes! But it is more. God wants to use us, but if we are half-sick with a poor diet and low energy for anything beyond the day-to-day necessities, we will fail to “strive” for “the more” God is calling us to. Don’t abuse your body through fasting & mortification, but purify (detox) your body, as you work on becoming more and more physically strong too!!

N.B. Feel free to design your own fasting and mortification program, based on your state in life. Any kind of diet and/or exercise program qualifies as fasting and mortification. You decide what God is calling you to do. Just try to challenge yourself, as you work on becoming more healthy; more strong. 🙂

This is what I am feeling called to do (as an example):

1. I will eat one meal each day between a set window of 2-6 hours. For example, 2pm to 6pm. This is also called “intermittent fasting” and is found to be healthy as it burns unwanted fat, regulates blood sugar, and researchers found that fasting dramatically improves stem cells’ ability to regenerate[4]. Once again, we have discovered practices that bring spiritual health also bring emotional and physical health. See HERE[5] and HERE[6].
2. I will fast on water only for 40 hours each week (6pm, Thursday to 10am, Saturday).
3. I will drink only water. Coffee and Tea are also allowed.
4. I will have no sweets or junk food (Allowed on exception days, Solemnities, etc.).
5. I will daily mortify the flesh with exercise (e.g., daily walks and strength training 3xs per week).
6. Whenever I hunger, or sacrifice, or suffer in any way, I will offer it up as I pray a Hail Mary for the conversion of sinners and an end to abortion.

 

ENLIST IN THE UNITED STATES GRACE FORCE
(Please recruit family and friends)

[7]

US GRACE FORCE Facebook group, go HERE[8]

Find everything you need for the United States Grace Force at RomanCatholicGear.com[9]

 

“The world’s greatest need is great men, someone who will understand that there is no greater conquest than victory over oneself; someone who will realize that the real worth is achieved, not so much by activity, as by silence; someone who will seek the Kingdom of God and His justice, and put into actual practice the law that it is only by dying to the life of the body that we ever live to the life of the spirit; someone who will brave the taunts of a Good Friday to win the joy of Easter Sunday; who will, like a lightning-flash, burn away the bonds of feeble interests which tie down our energies to the world; who, with a fearless voice, like John the Baptist, will arouse our enfeebled nature out of the sleek dream of unheroic repose; who will gain victories, not by stepping down from the Cross and compromising with the world, but who will suffer in order to conquer the world.

In a word, what we need are saints, for saints are the truly great men … I assume without further ado that the grace of God is the one thing necessary, and that God will give that grace to those who do His will.” -Venerable Fulton Sheen

Source URL: https://usgraceforce.com/this-new-years-resolve-to-become-god-strong-for-life-will-you-join-me/

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