The Call to Duty: Soldiers for Christ

Dear Friend, 

Like me, you probably grew up singing, “I am in the Lord’s army! Yes, sir!” Many of us loved that song and sang it with boldness; however, maturity now demands that we examine ourselves in the light of those words. Are we active soldiers for Christ in God’s army?

God wants to raise an army in this season, and the soldiers will be those who are willing to live indeed as members of His army. So, we must first understand what it means to be a soldier. In 2 Timothy 2:3-4, Paul wrote, “Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer.”

Being a soldier is no child’s play—not in an earthly army, and certainly not in God’s army. A soldier in the Lord’s army is not just one who loves worship and church. It is someone who has become worship, who has submitted their life to the Lord (our commanding officer). As Spirit-filled believers, God’s will is that we live for Him in every way, representing Him on earth without being entangled in the things of this world. This is how we see His kingdom come and His will done on earth.

Living as active soldiers for Christ requires being alert and building oneself up to do His work. In today’s world, it is tempting to rely on hand downs. To wait for a pastor, sermon, social media post or verse of the day to build us up. These are useful but insufficient. Today, I want to leave you with some counsel for taking your place in His army.

Desire Strong Meat

Milk is food for babies, while meat is for adults—you need teeth to chew it. Therefore, you must desire the strong meat of the Word and do the work of chewing and digesting it. Practice sitting with the Word of God daily, breaking it down, and meditating on it. It is in this consistent time of fellowship in the Word that the next step becomes easier. 

Speak with your Lover

Whenever someone says, “I don’t know how to pray”, my response is, “Do you know what to say to your lover?” When you’re in love, every event, thought, and experience is a subject of interest and conversation. Prayer should be the same way. As soldiers for Christ, we are blessed to belong to an army where we are not just bodies to be used, but rather our commander is also the lover of our soul. Therefore, think of prayer as speaking with and hearing from your lover.

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God

–   Psalm 42:1

Obey Your Lord

As you sit with the Word and speak with God in prayer, you will undoubtedly become aware of the desires of His heart. Just as soldiers go through the rigours of training and come to a place of total obedience, so must you. Friend, we are called to a disciplined life of obedience where we know the drills and obey our Lord’s commands. Remember, “the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits (Daniel 11:32).” Practice swift and total obedience to God’s Word and His Spirit’s instructions until it becomes your nature.

Ponder these questions:

Do you know God’s commands through the Word and His Spirit?

Do you obey Him completely?

Are you serving as a soldier in the Lord’s army?

Shalom,

Read my previous note here.

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