Illustrations from History III--Spiritual Warfare

After the alphabet was invented in the West and logographic symbols in China, much of this received wisdom was put down in writing. Magnificent examples are the Greek bard Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, which preserved stories told by ancient Greeks before they learned to write. Thereafter, writers composed histories and narratives that described events and wars in their own times and that drew on the accu­mulated wisdom inherited from the past

    These authors—some of the most famous are the Greeks Herodotus, Thucydides, and Xenophon—gave insights into the rules of war. But only one ancient writer, the great Chinese strategist Sun Thu, produced an orderly, coherent, comprehensive summary or analysis of the rules. Sun Tzu probably inherited most if not all of his ideas from the past, but his own interpretation of them, written or assembled around 400 B.C., constitutes the most profound, succinct, and systematic treatise ever produced on the prosecution of successful war.

Sun Tzu believed careful planning and accurate information about the enemy were the keys to victory, while a commander's primary target was the mind of the opposing general. All war, according to Sun Tzu, is based on deception. The successful general must conceal his disposi­tions and intent. He feigns incapacity. When near, he makes it appear he is far away, when far away, that he is near. The general approaches his objective indirectly. Make uproar in the east, but attack in the west. The general seeks a quick victory, not lengthy campaign-- extended operations exhaust the treasury and the troops. The commander attacks only when the situation assures him victory. By threatening in many directions, he seeks to disperse the enemy to defend everywhere. If defending everywhere  the enemy is weak everywhere. When the enemy prepares to defend in many places, "those I have to fight in any one place will be few." The way to avoid what is strong is to make what is weak.  As water seeks the easiest path to the sea, so armies should avoid obsta­cles and seek avenues of least resistance.

    Sun Tzu postulated two forces—the zheng element, which fixes the enemy in place, and the qi element, which flanks or encircles the enemy, either actually or psychologically. The zheng (ordinary) element is direct and more obvious, the qi (extraordinary) is indirect, unexpected, dis­tracting, or unorthodox. Using both elements ensures that decisive blows will fail where the enemy does not anticipate them, and is least prepared. However, the two forces are fluid.  As  factors change, the zheng effort can be transformed into the qi and the qi into the zheng.

    Napoleon never drew up a theory of war, but his campaigns reveal six principal admonitions: rely on the offensive; pursue a defeated energy; trust in speed to economize on time; bring about strategic surprise; con­centrate superior force on the battlefield, especially at the decisive point of attack and until the time of attack, protect forces by a well-reasoned and circumspect" defense.

As warfare moves into a period of revolutionary change, these rules will remain as relevant as they have always been. Some will likely be less useful, owing to technological innovations, though perhaps enterprising commanders will find ways to bring them into the twenty-first century.

     The same thing is true about spiritual warfare.  We are entering a whole new dimension of war with our enemy.  I want to give six principles for victory in this warfare we are in and illustrations that pertain to the subject.