April 15, 2017: A Good Soldier
Category: General
Posted by: IDF CGA Leader
2 Timothy 2:3-4
Theme Scripture- Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
In order to be a soldier an individual must first join a branch of the service. No one can be a soldier for the Lord until they first receive Jesus as their savior. This can be found in John 3:3, which states “Jesus answered and said unto him. Verily verily I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” A good soldier will have certain things that make them a good soldier. Just because you join a branch of the military that does not automatically make you a good soldier. What are the qualities of a good soldier?
1. A good soldier is a follower- there is always someone higher than you. The same is true in the Army of Lord. Every child of God is under ranked beneath Jesus and is responsible for following Him and His will for their lives. We should always seek God for guidance so we can make sure that we are in His will. It’s not what we want but what he instructs.
2. A good soldier is faithful- 2 Timothy 4:7 states “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith” . A good soldier endures hardship and does not quit. They are determined to get the job done. The good soldier realizes that there will be trouble along the way and they are not detoured by them. The Christian soldier understands that pain is often part of the Christian experience meaning that life is not always a bed of roses but even in the midst of trails, pot holds, disappointments and maybe even tears, they do not give up on God. A good soldier seeks to please the Commander as we read in 2 Timothy 2:4. A good soldier has no higher goal in life than pleasing their Superior. Anything that interferes with their performance in the military must be done away with. The question that we must ask ourselves is who comes first in your life? God is looking for a faithful soldier that is committed all the time and not just on certain days of week so is it with the Christian soldier they want to live life in a manner that brings honor to the Lord and not dishonor. The same as in the military you want to represent well!!
3. A Good Soldier is Familiar with the commander’s voice, skills of using their weapons, and strategies of the enemy. A good soldier not only cares about their own safety but also looks out for the safety of their fellow soldiers which is stated in Gal. 6:2. Ephesians 6: 10-18 talks about putting on the whole armour of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. A Christian gets familiar with the Lords voice by spending time listening to it and reading the Word of God.
4 A Good Soldier is a Fighter- A good soldier does not retreat in the face of the enemy; he does not run from a fight. Serving in the military, you don’t want to be with someone who is scared to shoot their gun when they see the enemy or runs and hides behind a tree leaving you to do all the work. Instead you want to be connected with someone that will stand their ground and fight the battle until the battle is over! A good soldier is driven and dedicated.
5. A Good Soldier is a Finisher- A good soldier is in for the long haul. They do not quit at the first sight of trouble. Personally I don’t like to start something and not finish it but I want to complete the task. As Christians, God gives us the attitude of finishers. A good soldier finishes their course because they know that at the end of the war, every deed will be rewarded by the Commander and Chief. Likewise, there will come a day of blessing with the Lord if we stay in the battle (2 Timothy 2:8 ). We will hear Him say well done thou good and faithful servant!!!Hearing the Lord say these words is not automatic but it is conditional due to finishing the course that He has laid out for us. Revelation 22:12 says, “ Look I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done.” As you self-examine, there may be areas mentioned above that are necessary to become a better soldier. It is never too late to join the army of the Lord!
Theme Scripture- Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
In order to be a soldier an individual must first join a branch of the service. No one can be a soldier for the Lord until they first receive Jesus as their savior. This can be found in John 3:3, which states “Jesus answered and said unto him. Verily verily I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” A good soldier will have certain things that make them a good soldier. Just because you join a branch of the military that does not automatically make you a good soldier. What are the qualities of a good soldier?
1. A good soldier is a follower- there is always someone higher than you. The same is true in the Army of Lord. Every child of God is under ranked beneath Jesus and is responsible for following Him and His will for their lives. We should always seek God for guidance so we can make sure that we are in His will. It’s not what we want but what he instructs.
2. A good soldier is faithful- 2 Timothy 4:7 states “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith” . A good soldier endures hardship and does not quit. They are determined to get the job done. The good soldier realizes that there will be trouble along the way and they are not detoured by them. The Christian soldier understands that pain is often part of the Christian experience meaning that life is not always a bed of roses but even in the midst of trails, pot holds, disappointments and maybe even tears, they do not give up on God. A good soldier seeks to please the Commander as we read in 2 Timothy 2:4. A good soldier has no higher goal in life than pleasing their Superior. Anything that interferes with their performance in the military must be done away with. The question that we must ask ourselves is who comes first in your life? God is looking for a faithful soldier that is committed all the time and not just on certain days of week so is it with the Christian soldier they want to live life in a manner that brings honor to the Lord and not dishonor. The same as in the military you want to represent well!!
3. A Good Soldier is Familiar with the commander’s voice, skills of using their weapons, and strategies of the enemy. A good soldier not only cares about their own safety but also looks out for the safety of their fellow soldiers which is stated in Gal. 6:2. Ephesians 6: 10-18 talks about putting on the whole armour of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. A Christian gets familiar with the Lords voice by spending time listening to it and reading the Word of God.
4 A Good Soldier is a Fighter- A good soldier does not retreat in the face of the enemy; he does not run from a fight. Serving in the military, you don’t want to be with someone who is scared to shoot their gun when they see the enemy or runs and hides behind a tree leaving you to do all the work. Instead you want to be connected with someone that will stand their ground and fight the battle until the battle is over! A good soldier is driven and dedicated.
5. A Good Soldier is a Finisher- A good soldier is in for the long haul. They do not quit at the first sight of trouble. Personally I don’t like to start something and not finish it but I want to complete the task. As Christians, God gives us the attitude of finishers. A good soldier finishes their course because they know that at the end of the war, every deed will be rewarded by the Commander and Chief. Likewise, there will come a day of blessing with the Lord if we stay in the battle (2 Timothy 2:8 ). We will hear Him say well done thou good and faithful servant!!!Hearing the Lord say these words is not automatic but it is conditional due to finishing the course that He has laid out for us. Revelation 22:12 says, “ Look I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done.” As you self-examine, there may be areas mentioned above that are necessary to become a better soldier. It is never too late to join the army of the Lord!
