2 Timothy 2:3,4 YOU, endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. Do not let yourself be entangled with the affairs of this life, strive lawfully in order to please Jesus who has chosen you as a soldier.
In Exodus 13:17-18 God decided that his people were not ready for battle. He knew that they would turn tail and run back to Egypt, so he led them through the wilderness to give them time to grow up and prepare for battle. He led them to mount Sinai and gave them a “constitution”. He fed them and clothed them and protected them.
Did they appreciate his wisdom? NO! They complained of the boredom. So he led them to the battle. He promised to go before them and drive out their enemies with hornets, and take them into a land flowing with milk and honey. Did they seize the exciting battle? NO! They turned tail and ran before the battle even started.
God then gave them 40 years of boredom to teach their children to seize the battle and the promised kingdom. Did they? NO! They grumbled and grumbled and raised a generation of whimps only slightly more obedient than they.
We want a life of ease, of Egypt’s’ fish and onions, an interesting life with no challenges. God wants to give us a life of joining with him in battle for the kingdom of God. Fellow soldiers, fellow servants, fellow builders.
Do you find yourself in a bit of a “Wilderness?” Thank God for it and find out what he wants you to learn. Work at becoming a prayer warrior, a wielder of the fire of the Holy Spirit, a sword fighter attacking the enemy with the Word of God! Grab any opportunity to fight for right and learn to hate comfort and ease.
Someday we will sit in the VFW in heaven and recount our share of the foreign wars. Do you want to say that you stayed home and peeled potatoes for the troops or just watched the fray on the TV?
The battle starts with letting God help you defeat the devil in your own life and moves on to helping fellow believers and then to witnessing to this skeptical world.
Happy fighting fellow soldier!
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