Be a good soldier
2 Timothy 2:3 - You therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
Tough times are coming, but God’s people must be prepared and refreshed. Remove all the things that weigh you down and be ready to advance with God’s plans and strategies. Do not become bogged down, snagged up, and immobile. Be ready and able to move with God no matter what He tells you to do. We need to be spiritually fit in order to be a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
1. Be a follower
We need to follow anointed earthly leaders. Pray and ask God who you should follow and then stick with that person and that ministry for the long term.
We need to follow someone that we respect and we must also respect the vision that they have for their church.
2. Know your rank
God places us in different positions. For example, some are administrators while others are teachers. We all have different gifts which are all powered by the same Spirit. We have different ranks in God’s Kingdom but we should know where we are in the pack.
3. Follow orders
In order to do our part in God’s Kingdom, we must receive instructions from our leaders and we must learn to carry them out obediently with a positive attitude no matter what those requirements are.
God wants us to follow His plans through His leaders without making an issue about everything. Just do it even if it does not make sense to you. God knows what He wants.
4. Be familiar with your commander’s voice
The people who followed David knew his voice and knew what he wanted. Learn to know your leaders and what they want. There are lots of voices in the world today which can cause confusion. Do not be influenced by all the other voices in the world, because they are not all from God.
5. Be familiar with your weapons
We have powerful tools. The weapons of our warfare are powerful and mighty for pulling down strongholds. We have the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. We have God’s Spirit which empowers us and ensures that nothing and no one can come against us.
The weapons that God has given us are useless and ineffective if they are applied against flesh and blood. They are spiritual weapons and powerful in spiritual warfare. We do not have to be afraid of the devil because he is a defeated foe and is no match against God’s weapons.
2 Corinthian 10:4 - For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds
6. Be familiar with the strategy of the enemy
The following passage of Scripture clearly summarizes the strategies of the devil:
John 10:10 - The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
What is the devils plan for you? It is to steal from you, to kill you, and to destroy your life. Do not allow him to do this to you. Only you can stop him.
Christian’s lives should not be in ruins. The devil has no right or authority to beat you up. You have the right and authority to stop him in the name of Jesus. Stand up, dust yourself off, learn from your mistakes, and be ready to win the next round.
1 Corinthians 15:58 - Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
