The Tactician
A “Tactician” is basically just a “Strategist” who looks at all that huge big problem, and “the Mountain to Climb” that is right in front of them, they then assess them in detail, and then prioritizes them into a list of the easiest to solve down to the most difficult, what to ignore, and what to attack. They then apply all the principles of “Design”, “Engineering,” “Hydraulics,” “Geology,” “Earth Works,” and the likes to find a solution to each problem. From this list they then work out a plan of attack for the progressive and strategic method of achieving a victory and a conquest, and often the solution is micro seconds away, as any delay loses any victory.
In Yacht Racing, the “Tactician” is often the role that makes the boat a “Winner” as they have placed the Yacht in the very best position at the Start, and then jockeyed it to stay ahead. They have carefully watched the opposition to asses any of the their weaknesses that can be capitalized upon, any places where their boat exhibits an advantage or disadvantage, and then they look for “wind shifts” and other things to get them where the wind is stronger, more consistent, or if they can get their boat in the good wind, and then shadow the opposition so that they have the bad wind, and a slower boat speed to them, so that they can just sail away with yet another victory.
As a Christian, we can have a “Tactician – Strategist” with us always, to give us that protection from pit falls, and to show us a much better way to travel, and this role is so wonderfully filled by the “Holy Spirit.” We have this in Isaiah 30:21 “And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This [is] the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.” Proverbs 3:4-8 “So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.”
Matthew 11:28-30 “Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke [is] easy, and my burden is light.” Here we find Jesus giving us a solution to our trials, “Come unto Me,” and then the Holy Spirit will council and advise us, and should we listen to our “Tactician,” we will sail away from, or sail right through, like the disciples in the storm on the lake in a sinking ship, with Jesus on board, his love for them quelled the storm, and they could just sail on home in great sailing weather.
The only problem that we so regularly face is this, “We do not obey, or heed the advice, promptings, and direction from the Holy Spirit, our “Tactician,” and then we foolishly try “The Blame Game,” and it is all God’s fault, he let us down in our hour of need and in our crisis, but we suffered, not because God failed, but we failed to hand over the helm, the tiller, the rudder to God, then we should have just cuddled up and held on close to him, and stood there close beside him, just watching and observing that ultimate skill that makes all things great. We often trust our own flawed skills, more than we trust in our loving Saviour, and Heavens enormous, boundless compassion and care, and in the Holy Spirit, our personal “Tactician.”
Matthew 11:28 “Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Here Jesus is pointing out that we so desperately need to “Come unto Me,” when we often try to bellow and roar out commands and orders, God do this, attend to that, fix those, sort out…. And so the lists roll on, but this is on the vein that you are the Boss and God is the Slave. The Holy Spirit is our “Tactician,” the one who is advising the best path to travel, the best time to tack, now is the time, not earlier and not latter, we must be instant. Paul in writing to Timothy advised this as found in 2 Timothy 4:1-2 “I charge [thee] therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” We will borrow the key phrase and adopt it here, “be instant in season, and out of season.” We need to be always instantly responding to our “Tactician,” never asleep at the post, responding quickly, for so often “Delay is Disaster.”
Paul has this concept for us in Romans 6:14 “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” With Jesus as our Saviour, Redeemer and King, with the Holy Spirit as our “Tactician,” we have seen Jesus break through sin and death, and we cling close and sail on through, from Death unto Life, a life that stretches on eternally. So are we going to “Ship Wreck” on the shoals and rocks of Sin, or are we going to change to a Heavenly Pilot, who knows his way through whatever Satan throws at us, and sail to victory with Jesus at the Helm and our “Tactician” calling out the very best paths. Let us each moment, and moment by moment, be Spirit Led, being instant in season and out, staying on the very best tack, and we will always sail to Victory in Jesus.
