During the World War II in 1942, during the heat of the battle. there was a Japanese soldier named Hiroo Onoda who was stationed in a remote area called Lubang island in Philippines. When he was stationed, his commander has commanded him to “never surrender”.
What followed was a compelling tale of unwavering determination in the face of turmoil, led by a single individual.
My Master said to “never surrender”
Enter 1945, the allied troops won, and Japan was defeated, but Onoda never received the message. He believed that the war was still raging, and with unparalleled courage, he fought off anyone who approached his area. Driven by his unyielding commitment to his master’s order to “never surrender”, he remained steadfast in his belief that the war was not yet over, unless explicitly instructed otherwise by his master.
Many attempts were made to drop pamphlets in that area, but he remained skeptical and refused to believe them, seeing them as deceitful.
For 29 years, until 1974, he steadfastly persevered, maintaining unwavering vigilance day and night until the day he received orders from the emperor relieving him of his duty, as there was no other option to stop Onoda’s relentless fight.
This is no work of fiction. This really happened. A man made the choice to never give up. As believers, there are lessons for us in his story.
You might be facing a tough time in your life. It’s possible that you feel like the doctor’s report is the final word. But that report goes against the truth of God’s Word that By His stripes you were healed. Jesus Himself said we should never surrender, and maintain faith in every circumstance. He has given us promises. Will we give up at the first sign of trouble, or will we recognize it as the devil’s lies?
Why did you leave your station?
Hiroo Onoda’s troops may have been defeated, but he refused to accept it. In our case, we have won, and many of us struggle to hold on to that truth. At the sign of the first problem, we doubt thinking that maybe God might not fulfill his promise in this area, or maybe that you heard it wrong.
Stand firm.
Unless our emperor, our Lord, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, reverses His decision, there is no reason to believe that not even one of the promises of His will fail.
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