The Christian Soldier: Ready For Spiritual Warfare!!!

 II Timothy 2:3 – 4 KJV

3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

Every day, whether you realize it or not, you are fighting a struggle. The devil wants your life in his hands. His aim is to kill, steal, and destroy everything in your life that is good and Godly. You, too, have a plan from God. Finally, it is so that you may have fellowship with Him and eternal life through His Son Jesus.

 

It's no secret that Christians are fighting a spiritual battle. With each passing day, the battle that we are fighting becomes more difficult. The enemy's onslaught and tactics appear to have no bounds. We are up against an adversary that has worked against all that is sacred and righteous from the beginning of time. He will stop at nothing to wreck our lives and prevent us from doing the work we've been asked to accomplish.

 

God and the devil, on the other hand, are at odds over you and your life, and you must choose a side. You are not permitted to sit on the barrier. Because this is primarily a spiritual conflict rather than a physical one. The battle isn't solely between people; it's also a battle of ideas, values, and beliefs. The battle is between the values of God and the values of the devil. The battle is between the principles of God and the principles of the devil. The battle is between God's kingdom and the devil's troops. This is referred to as "spiritual warfare."

 

We can choose to ignore it, but the fact remains that on every hand, we are at odds.

Satan will use all means at his disposal to keep the church from being all that it can be for God's glory. He has no problem with churches that merely exist, but he despises those who strive to be fruitful for the Lord. If we want to win the battle, we need to be prepared.

 

If this church is to be ready, we, the people who make it up, must also be ready. We are the church, and we have a responsibility to do all possible to overcome. The attributes necessary to live a triumphant Christian life and beat the adversary are revealed in the verses we've just read. We need to be equipped and have the qualities and discipline of a soldier of Christ in this spiritual combat. Let us take a moment to evaluate what is required of us if we are to live a successful life: The Christian Soldier At War and Ready to Fight

 

The efforts of a Christian to live a faithful life are described in numerous ways in the New Testament:

 1. Both as a walk and as a race

 2. However, the term "warfare" is used the most frequently.

 B. Ephesians 6:10-20 is one of the most important scriptures on spiritual warfare.

 The apostle to the Gentiles referred to himself and his coworkers as soldiers on several occasions. He referred to the Christian life as a battle. Somehow, this strong soul-winner compared himself to a soldier, and the church to an army of soldiers, journeying, battling, suffering, enduring, and conquering. This noble preacher saw his ministry as more than just maneuvering and drawing rations; it was a war that required him to give everything in order to win. "Thou therefore suffer hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ," Paul wrote to Timothy, whom he referred to as "my son" and whom he adored.

So, there are some characteristics of the “good soldier of Jesus Christ!”

First, The Christian Soldier's Allegiance Must Be Demonstrated.

James 4:7 reads, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” In this verse, two commands are given: submit and resist. These are actually commandments that the Lord expects His followers to obey. This is a list of military terminology that every Christian soldier should be familiar with and follow. We have the privilege of serving the Captain of the Lord's host, and we have a responsibility to obey His commands and live in accordance with His will. As good soldiers we are enlisted to resist the will of the devil and to walk in the will of God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We must be dedicated and faithful soldiers to the kingdom of God and to His cause.

Submit is a word that refers to a position. “We must arrange ourselves under the authority of the Lord Himself,” it says. Without good leadership, no effective campaign has ever been documented in history. The armies that won battles had strong leaders in charge and obedient soldiers who carried out their orders. We must subject ourselves to the Lord's authority if we are to be victorious in this spiritual battle.

 

Secondly, We Must Be Tenacious and Durable!

How many times have we heard the question of how we should deal with Satan's attack? How will we be able to fend off his advances and deception? Resist him! is the answer to this frequently asked question. “Stand against him, oppose him in every situation,” this indicates. In any sector, there is no place for compromise. We can't give in to anything the devil puts in front of us.

We are to endure hardness. We should not allow ourselves to become easily discouraged if we are to endure hardness. It means we're ready for battle at any time of day, whether it's early in the morning or late at night. It means that we should not be intimidated by the enemy's threats. It indicates we will not give up because of the casualties all around us. A good soldier never considers resigning!

A Christian soldier is charged to be “strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might,” Ephesians 6:10 KJV. As Christian soldiers, we must have force, might, and strength. But keep in mind that this isn't fleshly strength; it's strength that comes from the Lord. Those who are conceited enough to assume nothing will never happen to them are great targets for Satan’s wrath. They are venerable because of their self-confidence. The truth is that we can't stand up to Satan and defeat him from within. He delivers things that are pleasant to the senses. If we want to be victorious, we must have God's power operating in us. One of the best ways to operate in God’s power and anointing is Romans 12:2 states, “and be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” To be durable and strong in the Lord we must let ourselves be transformed by the Lord and renewed in our way of thinking to God’s way. 

Thirdly, Good Soldiers Are To Be Deliberate In Their Actions!!!!

Paul said, “No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life.” All the things that happen in life do not distract a good soldier. His primary goal is to accurately portray the Lord Jesus in the battle and to ensure that He triumphs. Distractions may result in getting struck by the wicked one's fire dart. Distractions may make us vulnerable to spiritual assassination. Distractions may cause us to turn away from the truth, making us exposed to satanic attacks.

James 4:8 states, “draw nigh to God, and he will draw to you.” What a promise we discover for the cross-bearer. If we just get close to God, He will get close to us! Only the first step is required of us. Take the first step by seeking the Lord, and he will faithfully draw near to us. Isn't that a wonderful thought? All we have to do is take a step of faith toward the Lord, and we can be assured that He will always work in our favor. Be deliberate in your action to seek the Lord and stand on the right side of the Kingdom of God. I went through a period in which it seemed as if my life was dry spiritually. It was all because I did not seek the Lord deliberately. I did not set aside any time dedicated to daily prayers. Prayer can be powerful in regards to drawing us closer to God and helping to fight spiritual wickedness. There are powerful examples of prayer throughout the scriptures that can help you on your journey to draw nigh to the Lord. We must cleanse our hands and purify our hearts

Lastly, We Must Show Love

My pastor always says the Christian soldier is to show love. She would then follow it with the statement, “love is what it does!” Love is an action word. My mother always said, “give them their flowers why they live!” So, it is our action. How we live displays that we are Christian soldiers ready to wage war on the devil. It is through this Agape type love or the love of God that we can conduct spiritual warfare and fight wickedness. 

We need to reach a point in our spiritual lives where we are bothered by what we see in the world. When we consider the state of the world, our hearts should be heavy. The fact that those around us are lost and on their path to an eternal torment should concern us. It should trouble us that our wonderful Lord is now unwelcome in many parts of the world. A decent cross soldier will be burdened by the requirements of this life. He will not be oblivious to other people's needs. He will not be content to live his life without a desire to reach out to people for Christ.

We are in the midst of a major battle for God's kingdom. We are His mercenaries. We're fighting for His cause and fighting His wars, and we must persevere until the finish. It is a soldier's life to never surrender and to never experience defeat. Addressing his troops, Garibaldi said, "I don't have any joy, quarters, or provisions to offer. Hunger, thirst, forced marches, warfare, and death are all on the table." Soldiers of the cross should be no less brave or willing to suffer and sacrifice than soldiers battling for an earthly ruler. God's kingdom is advanced through sacrifice and the perseverance of His servants in the face of adversity. It is both our honor and our responsibility to give everything we have to further God's work on earth.

We must have and keep a positive attitude. If we want to win, we must have a right perspective. Being a Christian soldier means to fight wickedness on every hand. It is an action word just like the word love. My mother always said, “I got to make 100 because 99 ½ won’t do! We are full time soldiers because it is our way of life.