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Joby Martin
Welcome to the Daily Blade. The word of God is described as the sword of the spirit, the primary spiritual weapon in the Christian's armor against the forces of evil. Your hosts are Joby Martin and Kyle Thompson, and they stand ready to equip men for the fight. Let's sharpen up.
Kyle Thompson
Welcome to a new week of the Daily Blade. So happy to have you guys here. So I've told people before that I'm essentially a walking billboard for four things. One, the gospel of Jesus Christ. Two, Jiu Jitsu. Three, eating meat. And four, Christian metal. Okay, so a couple of weeks ago, like any normal, well adjusted Christian man, I was listening to some very loud, screaming, angry Jesus music. Then I got on a little bit of an old school kick. So I landed on an album that was put out by a Christian metal band on the metal label, Solid State records back in 2003. It was the album failure on by a band called Beloved. So it was the band's only full length album album that they released on a major Christian label. And then the band essentially disappeared. You know, they, they popped their heads above water with an EP and a few performances here and there. But for all intents and purposes, their 2003 album was the only art that that band left for humanity. So I'm listening to this album, enjoying it, feeling overwhelming nostalgia. I can literally see and smell my senior in high school self in my stinky bedroom listening to this album and trying my best to, you know, do a solo mosh pit. And then I get to track four called Death to Traitors. So this was a big time fan favorite because it had a very intense crowd participation line. So this band was unique because it had two vocalists. So the clean vocals were done by their front man and then their screaming vocals were actually done by their Drummer. And about three minutes and 30 seconds into the song, all of the instruments except for one guitar cuts out and the drummer screams, we were born for battle. Like, I can't do it. Very good. He did it. Amazing. And all of you Christian metal heads can hear it in your heads right now. And if you can't, that means you have terrible taste in music and you need to go listen to it right now. So like any self respecting human would do in an obligatory fashion, I scream that part along with the drummer and then continue banging my head. But for some reason that line kind of stuck with me for the rest of that day. So not like in a, you know, I just can't get this song out of my head kind of way, but you know, just the line itself, I was truly pondering it. And because I'm constantly scanning the horizon for ideas for Undaunted Life podcast and for the Daily Blade, I began thinking about it in the context of Christian men. And without bending my mind too much, I was just reminded that we as Christians, as men, were indeed born for battle. Now, you know, battle can take many forms, but we were born for battle nonetheless. So this week on the Daily Blade, I'm going to focus in on different parts of scripture that will help many of us remember that fact, regardless of if we act like it or not. So the first scripture I'm going to cover is 1 Corinthians 16:13, and it's this Be watchful. Stand firm in the faith. Act like men. Be strong. Now, we're running short on time, and Joby has a men's book coming out in the next few months. It's fantastic. I was able to read it about a month ago. It's called Stand Firm and Act Like Men. So I'm not going to try and take any of his thunder, but I do want to point out just a few things. So this verse comes towards the end of the Apostle Paul's first letter to the church in Corinth. So the English Standard Version names this ending section of Scripture, final instructions. So in a letter that addresses, you know, different factions and immorality and the resurrection and other important topics, this section is his final salvo, if you will, to the members of this body of the body. So verse 13 is part of a concise call for these followers of Christ to be spiritually alert and to persevere. So again, 1 Corinthians 16:13 says, Be watchful. Stand firm in the faith. Act like men. Be strong. So let's actually break that down. Be watchful. So essentially don't fall asleep while on watch. So remain awake and alert from a spiritual sense. So this is how you can prevent yourself from falling into sin or falling for false teaching. Stand firm in the faith. Basically, plant your feet firmly onto the foundation of the capital T truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Anything else will leave you, as Francis Schaeffer would say it, with your feet firmly planted in midair, act like men. So conduct yourselves courageously. Be brave, be mature. Don't become enamored with or attracted to every whim or dictate of culture or bad doctrine. And then be strong. So the verb here is actually passive. So it's saying that the strength comes from an external source. So for us as Christians, this means that we are to rely on God and the finished work of Jesus on the cross of Calvary. Come back tomorrow and we'll dig into another passage of scripture that tells us we were born for battle.
Joby Martin
Thank you for listening to today's episode. Before you go, if you want to help, equip other men for the fight, share this podcast around and leave us a five star rating and review. Stay sharp.
Podcast Summary: The Daily Blade #144 - Kyle Thompson // WE WERE BORN FOR BATTLE: 1 Corinthians 16:13
Release Date: July 21, 2025
Hosts: Joby Martin & Kyle Thompson
Description: The Daily Blade, hosted by Pastor Joby Martin of the Church of Eleven22 and Kyle Thompson of Undaunted.Life, is a short-form devotional show that equips Christians to apply the Word of God to their everyday lives.
In episode #144 of The Daily Blade, hosts Joby Martin and Kyle Thompson delve into the powerful scripture of 1 Corinthians 16:13, exploring the theme "We Were Born for Battle." This episode focuses on empowering Christian men to recognize their spiritual battles and stand firm in their faith.
Kyle Thompson opens the discussion by sharing a personal anecdote that bridges his passion for Christian metal with his spiritual journey. At [00:20], Kyle describes himself as a "walking billboard" for four things: the gospel of Jesus Christ, Jiu Jitsu, eating meat, and Christian metal.
He recounts listening to the 2003 album Failure by the Christian metal band Beloved, released under Solid State Records. Kyle reminisces, "I can literally see and smell my senior in high school self in my stinky bedroom listening to this album and trying my best to do a solo mosh pit." This nostalgic experience brings him to the song "Death to Traitors," a fan favorite known for its intense energy and dual vocalists.
At [03:30], Kyle highlights a pivotal moment in the song where the drummer screams, "We were born for battle." This powerful line resonates deeply with him, prompting a day-long reflection on its meaning. He challenges listeners, especially fellow Christian metal enthusiasts, to embrace this declaration: "If you can't, that means you have terrible taste in music and you need to listen to it right now."
Inspired by the song's message, Kyle transitions to the core scriptural theme. He emphasizes that "we as Christians, as men, were indeed born for battle," acknowledging that battle manifests in various forms but remains a fundamental aspect of the Christian journey.
Kyle introduces the primary scripture for the episode: 1 Corinthians 16:13, which states:
"Be watchful. Stand firm in the faith. Act like men. Be strong." ([00:25])
He breaks down each component of the verse to unpack its significance for Christian men today.
Be Watchful
Stand Firm in the Faith
Act Like Men
Be Strong
Kyle briefly mentions Joby Martin's upcoming book, Stand Firm and Act Like Men, highlighting its relevance to the discussion. He expresses enthusiasm about the book, stating, "I was able to read it about a month ago. It's fantastic."
Wrapping up the episode, Kyle reinforces the message that Christian men are inherently called to engage in spiritual battles. He encourages listeners to internalize and act upon the principles outlined in 1 Corinthians 16:13 to navigate their daily lives with strength and purpose.
Kyle closes with:
"Come back tomorrow and we'll dig into another passage of scripture that tells us we were born for battle." ([05:05])
Joby Martin complements with a brief but motivating farewell, urging listeners to support and share the podcast to "equip other men for the fight."
Kyle Thompson at [00:20]:
"I'm essentially a walking billboard for four things. One, the gospel of Jesus Christ. Two, Jiu Jitsu. Three, eating meat. And four, Christian metal."
Kyle Thompson at [03:30]:
"We were born for battle. Like, I can't do it. Very good. He did it. Amazing."
Kyle Thompson at [00:25]:
"Be watchful. Stand firm in the faith. Act like men. Be strong."
Kyle Thompson at [05:05]:
"Come back tomorrow and we'll dig into another passage of scripture that tells us we were born for battle."
Episode #144 of The Daily Blade masterfully intertwines personal experience with deep scriptural analysis, offering Christian men practical insights and encouragement to embrace their innate role in spiritual battles. Through relatable anecdotes and profound theological reflections, Kyle Thompson and Joby Martin provide a compelling guide for living out one's faith with strength and intentionality.
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