SOLDIERS

Mike* is a soldier in the US Army. About 18 months ago he wanted to join, but I told him he wasn’t man enough to be a soldier. His motives were all wrong. Enlisting would break him into pieces. I think at the time he thought he could escape reality and prove himself. A few months later, he was again ready to enlist. This time with a clear head, he told me why serving in the military would be the right thing for him to do. I didn’t try to stop him, but went with him to the recruiter’s office. Today he is a soldier, and I am proud of the man he is. (*Mike is not his real name.)

I know some Christians who have no idea that they to are soldiers—soldiers, not of this world, but soldiers in God’s army. Many Christians have the mistaken idea that once saved they can enjoy the good life. God will always cause the sun to shine on them, so they can sit back and enjoy life until they get to heaven. Wake up! Nothing could be further from the truth.

The Christian who does not serve as a soldier in God’s army is unfaithful to Christ. Our enemy is real. The war rages on.

• 3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
  2 Corinthians 10:3-4 NIV

Some may think being a soldier in God’s army is just a metaphor or figure of speech. Such are those who have enlisted (that is to accept Christ as Savior), but have not yet completed basic training (that is to make Him Lord). Jesus commanded us to go and make disciples, not converts. Converts are those rescued from the POW camps of sin and death. Disciples are those who become God’s soldiers.

The first enemy we must defeat is not Satan. Jesus has already defeated Satan at the cross. Christ’s victory is complete and Satan has been humiliated (see Colossians 2:15).

None of us are ready to confront Satan and his legion of demons until we have first conquered the enemy of SELF. The battle is fought not somewhere out there, but within our minds. The desires of our flesh are opposed to the things of God; we must put the yearnings for comfort and pleasure to death (see Galatians 5:16-19, 24). Fortunately God has equipped us with the weapons with “divine power” to win the battle against self. We are at war. What do you think?