Good morning and welcome in everybody. Today, we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture, but before we do that, I wanted to tell you a little story.
Whenever anybody decides to become a soldier they are going to have to endure many difficult situations. They will have to deal with insects and bugs while they try to sleep in a jungle. They will have to continue their march as they carry their heavy gear through the blazing desert heat. They must learn how to survive in the freezing frigid temperatures of a frozen winter landscape. When you become a soldier, these are things that you are going to have to consider before you sign papers. Will you have what it takes to be able to endure these types of situations?
This reminds me of the Christian life.
Jesus taught his disciples to count the cost. This means to consider beforehand if you are capable of completing the things that you have started. Are you the kind of person who can be a faithful soldier for Christ?
Luke 14 ²⁸ For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? ²⁹ Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, ³⁰ Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. ³¹ Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? ³² Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. ³³ So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
To become a soldier, you needed to be able to walk away from everything, including family members, jobs, and even your own home. You must also count the cost if you have enough to finish what you have started. Many people who begin the Christian life simply are not going to have what it takes to see it all the way through. Some of them will wash out, and then get caught up with all of the cares of this world instead.
2 Timothy 2 ³ Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. ⁴ 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.
The Apostle Paul was a faithful soldier of God who stood up against all of the darkness of this world.
Ephesians 6 ¹⁰ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. ¹¹ Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ¹² For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. ¹³ Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; ¹⁵ And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; ¹⁶ Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. ¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
For a soldier to have an advantage in any military engagement, they need to be wearing their equipment. The devils have gained access to many high places of Authority in this world, and when you take a stand against them, you need to be ready and prepared for battle. As earthly soldiers battle with Earthly weapons, the man of God wields the Sword of God’s Truth.
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12
The more that you speak out against the evils of this world, the more you are going to create enemies. The more you speak out against the false forms of Christianity, the more you will be hated. This is because we live in a very wicked world. The preaching of God’s Word is going to bring about hatred from an impenitent world. Soldiers of God must be ready for this kind of treatment because when you stand up for biblical truth, even those who have been closest to you, will turn on you and betray you. You can take it from somebody with plenty of experience in this area. You will even be hated by people who claim to follow the Lord Jesus, but completely reject His teachings. Like a soldier who defends the borders of his own country, the Apostle Paul was a defender of the one true faith.
“………I am set for the defence of the gospel.” Philippians 1:17
If you are going to take a stand for the truth of scripture then you had better get ready to be hated by the world. This is a wicked and evil place that we live in, and the majority of people, weather they claim to be a believer not, are not going to have what it takes to make it into heaven. Jesus made that very clear.
Luke 13 ²³ Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, ²⁴ Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
When you preach the truth, you will enter into some type of suffering and persecution, but when this happens if brings great blessings from God.
Matthew 5 ¹⁰ Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ¹¹ Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. ¹² Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
A soldier of God is standing on the front line against the evils of this world. Noah was a soldier of God, a preacher of righteousness who prepared himself for God’s impending punishment against sin. But as a soldier of God, you must learn to endure suffering. You will be hated. You will be persecuted. You will be harassed. You will be falsely accused. Soldiers have to deal with all kinds of poor conditions when they enlist, and so will anybody who begins the Christian Life.
2 Corinthians 11 ²⁴ Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. ²⁵ Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
²⁶ In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; ²⁷ In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. ²⁸ Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.
Remember that our precious Lord Jesus lead the way, as He endured the exact same things
John 15 ¹⁸ If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. ¹⁹ If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. ²⁰ Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
“For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.” Hebrews 12:3
As a soldier for Christ, we must be capable of completing the mission no matter what situations you have to endure. Just make sure that you consider the cost before you ever enlist in…
……..The Army of God
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you all, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.❤️
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