TEXT:(2 Tim 2:3 KJV) Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. (2 Tim 2:4 KJV) No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
1.GOOD SOLDIERS ARE EXPECTED TO FIGHT.
(1 Tim 6:12 KJV) Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
(I Corinthians 9:26) SO FIGHT I
(II Timothy 4:7)”I have FOUGHT a good FIGHT…”
Billy Sunday, Sam Jones, and Sam Morris FOUGHT the liquor business; Martin Luther and the reformers FOUGHT the Roman Catholic (whore) Church; Dr. J. Frank Norris FOUGHT denominationlism; and Lester Roloff FOUGHT the state and federal governments over control of his homes. We are commanded to FIGHT against ~ of the enemies of God.
2 -GOOD SOLDIERS ARE EXPERTS IN THE USE OF THEIR WEAPONS
(II Corinthians 10:4)”For the WEAPONS of our WARFARE are not carnal…”
” (Ephesians 6:17-18)… and the SWORD of the Spirit, which is the word of God… Praying always…
In order to have skill in the proper use of the SWORD which is the word of od, a soldier must have thorough knowledge of the weapon. He must know how to rightly divide the word of truth” and not “handle the word of God deceitfully” or improperly. He must keep the right DOCTRINES in their proper DISPENSATIONS. The DOCTRINAL FOUNDATION for this age are the 12 epistles of PAUL (Romans TO Philemon). Improper use of the SWORD can occur in two ways:
(1) not having he proper SWORD to begin with which means having nothing but the 1611 KING AMES AUTHORIZED BIBLE: and
(2) having the ‘right sword’ but misusing it by trying to force DOCTRINES meant for one age (Old Testament, the tribulation, the millenial kingdom) into another age where they do not belong. This is wrong and does as much damage to God’s ‘army’ as using a false Bible version.
3.GOOD SOLDIERS ARE EQUIPPED FOR THE BATTLE.
(Ephesians 6:11-18) “Put on the WHOLE ARMOUR of God… Notice the word WHOLE. If a SOLDIER only has on pieces of his armour, he ill be vulnerable to being wounded in the battle and become a casualty and unable to engage the enemy in combat. This armour is described in Ephesians 6.
A.”…LOINS girt about with TRUTH…” This includes DOCTRINAL TRUTH (what we believe) and PRACTICAL TRUTH (how we live
B.”…having on the BREASTPLATE of righteousness… The breastplate protects all of the vital internal organs (heart, lungs, tc.). Spiritually this means that we are to
(Proverbs 4:23). “…keep the heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.” This means that the righteousness of Jesus Christ that becomes our STANDING before God at salvation…(2 Cor 5:21 KJV) For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
C.”…FEET shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace… The gospel which brings peace (Romans 5:1) In this dispensation IS the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (I Corinthians 15:1-4). We must be ‘prepared’ to go (FEET) and preach that gospel to every man anywhere,
D. the SHIELD of faith…”
God never does WRONG at any time or for any reason in what He allows to happen in our lives. “We walk by faith…” and God must be FULLY and COMPLETELY TRUSTED 1OO% of the time (Romans 8:28).
E.the HELMET of salvation…”
‘The helmet is to protect the BRAIN, the MIND, and the THOUGHTS of the Christlan (1 Pet 1:13 KJV) Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; (2 Cor 10:5 KJV) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
F.”…the SWORD of the Spirit, which is the word of God… Just like the armies of Israel used a ‘carnal’ SWORD to conquer God’s Enemies in the Old Testament, we are to use a ’spiritual’ SWORD (the word of God) to conquer God’s enemies in this age. If by chance I die before the ‘rapture’ comes, the verse of Scripture that I would hope could be rightfully placed on my tombstone if I was a worthy and faithful SOLDIER unto death is found in II Samuel 23:10 concerning “…Eleazar. . .the Ahohite, one of three mighty men with David…” “He arose.. .and his hand CLAVE unto the SWORD: and the Lord wrought a great victory that day…
G. … PRAYING always with all PRAYER.
If most of us were honest, this is the weakest spot in our suit of spiritual armour -Did you notice that in this list of armour that there is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING for covering the BACK of the Christian SOLDIER. We are not ever expected to turn and run from the enemy like cowards. The great Gen. George S. Patton said of the armies in WWII, “COWARDICE IS EPIDEMIC!” GOD FORBID that this is said of us.
4.GOOD SOLDIERS ARE TO EXPECT THE ENEMY. Our enemies are the world, the flesh, and the devil. Our attitude toward these enemies can be found in Ephesians 6:11-12; Romans 12:1-2; I John 2:15-16; and I Peter 5:8.
5.GOOD SOLDIERS ARE ‘TO ENDURE
HARDNESS, SUFFERING. AND EVEN DEATH IF NECESSARY.
The greatest commentary ever written on this is Hebrews 11 and FOXE’S BOOK OF MARTYRS. Churches today are no longer a “boot camp” for training dedicated SOLIDERS but have become “entertainment centers” and “nurseries” for caring for “fleshy, carnal, effeminate, Laodiacean BABIES!” Where are the real SOLDIERS OF THE CROSS like
J. Hudson Taylor (China);
William Carey (India);
Adoniram Judson (Burma);
David Livingston (Africa);
John Paton (missionary to the cannibals of the south Pacific); and David Brainerd (American Indians);
John Wesley; Peter Cartwright; Sam Jones; and literally thousands of preachers and missionaries who took the 1611 AUTHORIZED KING JAMES BIBLE to every nation on this earth from 1611-1911?
Would you like to hear the personal testimony of a real SOLDIER OF THE CROSS and compare It to the lives of these sissified, ecumenical, man-pleasing REPROBATES
DAVID Brainerd, missionary to the American Indians in the Northeast, which was recorded on November 22, 1744. David Brainerd died at the age of 29. “Came on my way from Rockciticus to the Delaware. Was very much disordered with cold and pain in my head. About six at night I lost my way in the wilderness, and wandered over rocks and mountains, down hideous steeps, through swamps and most dreadful and dangerous places; and the night being dark, so that few stars could be seen, I was greatly exposed. I was much pinched with cold, and distressed with pain in my head, attended with sickness in my stomach; so that every step I took was distressing to me. I had little hope… but that I must lie out in the woods all night in this distressed case. But about nine o’clock I found a house, through the abundant grace of God, and was kindly entertained. Thus have I FREQUENTLY been exposed, and sometimes lain out the WHOLE NIGHT: but God has hitherto preserved me; and BLESSED BE HIS NAME. Such fatigues and HARDSHIPS as these serve to WEAN ME FROM THE EARTH; and IT WILL MAKE HEAVEN THE SWEETER. When I was thus exposed to cold, rain, ect. I was ready to please myself with the thoughts of enjoying a comfortable house, a warm fire, and other outward comforts; but NOW THESE HAVE LESS PLACE IN MY HEART, (through the grace of God) and my eye is MORE TO GOD FOR COMFORT. In this world I expect TRIBULATION; and it does not now… appear strange to me. I do not in such seasons of difficulty FLATTER MYSELF that it will be better hereafter; but rather think HOW MUCH WORSE IT MIGHT BE; how much GREATER TRIALS OTHERS of God’s children have endured; and how much greater are yet PERHAPS RESERVED FOR ME. BLESSED BE GOD! that he makes the thoughts of my journey’s end, and of my dissolution a GREATER COMFORT TO ME UNDER MY SHARPEST TRIALS; and scarce ever lets these thoughts be attended with terror… but they are attended FREQUENTLY with GREAT JOY!”
This almost sounds like the testimony of Paul in II Corinthians 11:23-28 Would anyone like to volunteer to stand next to David Brainerd at the Judgement Seat of Christ? Certainly not I.
Am I a SOLDIER of the cross, A follower of the Lamb? And shall I fear to own his cause, Or blush to speak his name? Must I be carried to the skies, On flowery beds of ease. While others FOUGHT to win the prize, And sailed thro’ BLOODY seas? Are there no foes for me to face? Must I not stem the flood? Is this VILE WORLD a friend to grace, To help me on to God? Sure I must FIGHT, if I would reign; Increase my courage, Lord; I’ll bear the toil, ENDURE the pain, SUPPORTED BY THY WORD.
” Our ‘commanding officer’ is the CAPTAIN of our salvation (Hebrews 2:10);
” a MAN OF WAR (Exodus 15:3);
” the leader of His ARMIES (Revelation 19:11-15);
” and is the KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORDS (Revelation 19:16).
” SON OF GOD. GOD MANIFEST IN THE FLESH!
” Our “DUTY” is to “fight the good fight of faith” in his name and his power by OBEYING his orders so
THAT I MAY PLEASE HIM WHO HATH CALLED ME TO BE A SOLIDER OF THE CROSS!
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