John Piper’s APTAT — for Deployment

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Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you and you shall glorify Me. — Psalm 50:15

Living the Christian life. Living the Christian life in the military. Living the Christian life in the military during deployment. It’s all difficult, right? Some would say impossible, but we know better. On a scale of one to God, nothing is impossible.

As Christians who know God’s abundance and how He gives graciously and mercifully to us in every circumstance, we can still struggle with expressing to others exactly what “living the Christian life” means.

Theologian John Piper has for many years spoken on “what it means to live the Christian life” with three biblical phrases:  1) Living by Faith in the Son of God (Galatians 2:20); 2) Walking by the Spirit (Galatians 5:16); and 3) Serving in the Strength That God Supplies (I Peter 4:11).

But Piper goes on to explain what those phrases mean in everyday terms—by using an acronym, A.P.T.A.T. As Piper says, “It (the acronym) doesn’t mean anything. I just find it easy to remember.” The simple acronym summarizes in five distinct steps “the practical biblical meaning of living by faith, or walking by the Spirit, or serving in the strength God supplies.” Why? “So that Christ gets trusted, you get helped, people get served, and God gets the glory.”

Here are John Piper’s five APTAT steps:

A – I acknowledge that without Christ I can do nothing. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

P – I pray that God would make me love as Jesus loves, and work in me all that is pleasing to him. “May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (Hebrews 13:21)

T – I trust the promise of God’s help and strength and guidance. “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)

A – I act in obedience to God’s word. Doug Heil asked me last Sunday if Philippians 2:12 fit my acronym: “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling”? I said yes, because look at the ground clause which follows: “for it is God who works in you to will and to do his good pleasure.” Yes! Yes! We act. We obey! But what keeps this action from being a “work of law” is that we have acknowledged our helplessness, prayed for enablement, and trusted that precisely in and under our working and willing it is God who does the work! Therefore our act is a fruit of the Spirit not a work of the flesh. “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” (Philippians 2:12)

T – I thank God for whatever good comes. I give him the glory. “If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.” (I Peters 4:11)

Since Piper states he has practiced APTAT consistently for the last thirty years, we would do well to examine exactly how this applies to Christian life in the military—specifically to deployment. If Piper is right, and his acronym APTAT is an aid to focus on making wise choices, facing obstacles, maintaining Christian integrity, and experiencing joy in spite of struggles, then we can ask, “What does APTAT look like in deployment?” Because if it is true, then it is true for deployment.

In deployment, “A” would mean—Admit that without Christ you are helpless in this deployment.

Christian military couples are competent and confident . . . always covered by the humility of knowing their strength comes only from their sovereign Lord.

“P” would mean—Pray for God’s help for this deployment.

Pray before, during, and after deployment. Pray for God’s leading, His protection, His peace. Pray for your family. And every time you communicate with your spouse, ask “How can I pray for you?” Then do it—and later ask, “Remember how you asked me to pray for _____. How did God answer my prayer?”

“T” would mean—Trust in a promise of God suited to your need in this deployment.

Write down your favorite Bible promises (Piper’s favorites are Isaiah 41:10, Romans 8:32, Matthew 28:18, 20). Keep these in your pocket or wallet, on your mirror, placed everywhere you need to keep them “front and center” in your life—as much as possible.

“A” would mean—Act with humble confidence in God’s help during this deployment.

Perhaps God will lead you to help someone else in their Christian life. Take the faith that you have to serve others—and to speak to them of the peace that you experience.

“T” would mean—Thank God for the good that comes from this deployment.

Keep your eyes and heart open for how God is growing you spiritually during these months of deployment. And thank Him for how He alone is working in your life.

Piper closes his 1988 teaching on APTAT with a reminder on prayer: “The first two (steps) and the last are acts of prayer. So let us enter this (week) with a deep awareness that prayer is not a mere devotional interlude in the real business of living; it is the pathway of faith and obedience. There is no other.”

I pray that your prayer life during deployment will grow as you use APTAT steps, or however God leads, to come to Him regularly with what concerns you during this deployment.

Work Cited:

Hear and read John Piper’s entire sermon on APTAT at:

http://www.desiringgod.org/sermons/practical-help-for-praying-for-help

Questions to Share:

1. In what ways can you apply these five steps to your daily life as a Christian in the military?

2. What unique spiritual challenges are you facing now that you can share with your spouse?