Lessons from War Room

In this week’s article I want to lift up biblical principles that I observed in the movie War Room. The movie is about Tony and Elizabeth Jordan, a Black couple, who seems to have everything. Tony is a pharmaceutical salesman and Elizabeth is a realtor. They live in a big house and attend church, In spite of these things the Elizabeth Jordan find herself in a war zone that has adverse effects upon their daughter. Her husband Tony thinks about cheating on his wife with women that he meets on his rounds as a salesperson. He is critical of his child’s activities and school grades. The couple argues over how they are to use their money. The movie has its critics both negative and positive. My goal is not to criticize the movie. Rather, in keeping with the goals of this website, I want to mention a few passages of Scripture that I believe are at least hinted at that Christians should think about and discuss in their homes and churches. The first Scripture that I was reminded of is Titus 2:1-7. Elizabeth Jordan meets an older woman whom she is assisting in selling her house. When the two meet Miss Clara begins to ask Elizabeth questions about her marriage and her relationship to God. What does this have to do with selling a house? Probably, it has little or nothing to do with selling a house. However, the movie later reveals that Miss Clara is asking Elizabeth these things because she senses the need to minister to this young wife and mother. In Titus 2 Paul instructs older men and older women to guide younger Christian men and women in sound doctrine so that they can lead their families according to God’s commands. Now, I have had several older women to tell me that they cannot talk to the younger women. They say that younger women feel like they know everything, and many think that the older women are jealous because her best days are over. Miss Clara does not start off by trying to give the younger woman advice. Instead she seeks to discover if a need exist and learn how she might use her experiences to help this younger woman. Later, Miss Clara tells Elizabeth about her own mistakes and her desire to help her to avoid making the same mistakes that she had made. Miss Clara is not putting Elizabeth down, rather she is seeking ways to encourage and assist the younger woman with the issues that she is facing. The second Scripture that I was reminded of is found in Revelation 3:14-22. In this passage John is instructed to write to the angel of the church at Laodicea. This church is characterized as being “lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold” (vv.15-16, NASB). Miss Clara offers Elizabeth a cup of coffee. When she gives the coffee to Elizabeth, she discovers that it is lukewarm and tells Miss Clara that no one likes lukewarm coffee. Miss Clara agrees, but she is demonstrating to Elizabeth that her cavalier attitude towards God is unacceptable to God. Elizabeth has described herself as being “spiritual” and not overly concerned about her commitment to God and His ways. Elizabeth does not involve God in her personal life. She is more concerned about her family problems and does not involve God in her decisions and actions. We must ask ourselves: Do I have a nonchalant attitude toward God? Do I involve God in my life as I try to deal with the problem areas in my life? God wants us to be hot or cold. He will not accept a lukewarm attitude. As the relationship between the two women grow, Miss Clara learns of the strained relationship between Elizabeth and her husband Tony and the negative impact that it has on their daughter Danielle. Miss Clara tells Elizabeth that she is fighting against Tony, but Tony is not her enemy. This brings us to the next Scripture passage. Miss Clara paraphrases the words of Jesus in John 10:10. Jesus says to the Pharisees: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.” In the text Jesus identifies the Pharisees as instruments of Satan who are destroying the people. Miss Clara tells Elizabeth that the thief is seeking to destroy her marriage and her family. She must avoid this by accepting two truths. The first truth is that the enemy is too powerful for Elizabeth to fight. She cannot change her husband. She must pray for her husband and allow God to change him. This idea is supported by two Scriptures. The first passage is when King Jehoshaphat was facing his enemies in battle against “the sons of Moab and the sons of Ammon, together with some of the Meunitges” (2 Chron. 20:1, NASB). The king prayed to God and God answered saying: ‘“Listen, all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: thus says the LORD to you, “Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God’s’” (v.15, NASB). A second Scripture that informs us about who our enemy really is found in Ephesians 6:12. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” (NASB). Miss Clara tells Elizabeth a second truth; that she must develop the right strategy to fight against the enemy. In verses 10-20 Paul identifies the right strategy and equipment needed to fight against the enemy. Paul tells the church to “be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil” vv. 10-11, NASB). This brings us to the heart of the movie; its main point. Early in the movie Miss Clara shows Elizabeth her third and second favorite rooms in the house. She invites Elizabeth back for a cup of coffee as they discuss the details of the sale of her house. On this visit Miss Clara shows Elizabeth her favorite room. It is an empty closet with handwritten prayers hung on the wall. She tells the younger woman that this is her war room. It is the place that she has set aside for prayer; a sacred place where she reads the scriptures and talks with God about all of her issues and concerns. She tells Elizabeth to pray the Scriptures. Let us ask ourselves if we have ever thought of the Scriptures as God’s promises to us? Do we say back to God in prayer what God says to us in His Word? She also tells Elizabeth to pray in the Spirit so that her mind will not be on her own things but on the things of God. Paul tells the church at Philippi, “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus” (NASB) and stated in the King James Version “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:” (Phil. 2:5). This attitude and mind of Christ seeks the welfare of others as they experience the grace and mercy of God. The movie ends on a positive note. Elizabeth develops a prayer closet and searches the scriptures to know God’s promises. She develops a war strategy and Tony begins to responds favorably as he faces his own challenges. God is working out everything for the good of the Jordan family. Tony loses his job, but he is offered another job. Tony makes things right with his old employers and learns to appreciate his wife and his daughter. Elizabeth sees her prayers answered. Prayer is the strategy to fight against the enemy. We cannot win with our own abilities, but the battle belongs to the Lord as we seek Him in our War Room.