“Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place” (2 Corinthians 2:14). 

The path to victory leads into the heat of the battle. There the soldier must defend his honor and stand against the onslaught of opposing forces. There would be no retreat from that position. It is either do or die. The fainthearted would rather avoid such definite lines of battle. It would be easier to be on both sides rather than to outwardly declare war against a foe that threatens one’s security and all others that would follow. Too much is at stake. The loss of life and limb, or the shame to admit that there was not enough strength to carry on. Such are the challenges facing the follower of Christ. He has been positioned by God as our captain. His purpose is to lead us to victory after victory. Yet not by bloodshed, but rather by fumigating the environment with the sweet smell of His knowledge, thus eliminating the stench of ignorance that pervaded before the engagement of war began. The enemy is won over because their soldiers have crossed over to our side. Those who were once enemies of Christ now have become His friends because they have been influenced by the aroma of life and repulsed by the stench of death.