Ephesians 6:19-20 (NLT)
“And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike. I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for Him, as I should.”
Praise the LORD, everyone! Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! It’s a new day and we are close to stepping into a new month, all because of the Lord Jesus’ grace and mercies. God is truly a good Father to us all. Although as humans we are sensitive to time passing, Our God is sovereign and holds time in His hands. For the Bible says, …” with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like one day” (2 Peter 3:8, NLT). With this being said, no time should be wasted here on earth. Every moment is precious and never to be taken for granted.
I want to bring your attention to the importance of standing firm as “A Soldier for Christ.” We are living in the end times, and we don’t know the time or the date that Jesus Christ will return. However, there is good news, as believers we can hold onto the promises of God that He is coming back. I say this with so much joy, yes unspeakable joy, hallelujah! If you can take a moment and think about that, it should put a smile on your face. In the book of Acts 1, it speaks about the commission Jesus gave to the disciples and His ascension into Heaven. The chapter also speaks about the apostles being baptized by the Holy Spirit, which empowered them as witnesses for Christ. In the chapter the verses that I resonated the most with is what the Lord said to the apostles in Acts 1:8-11. “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be witnesses, telling the people about me everywhere.” The Lord ascended up into a cloud and when they no longer could see Him straining to see Him rise to Heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them saying, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing here staring into Heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into Heaven, but someday He will return from Heaven in the same way you saw him go!” Can you imagine, having that personal experience like the apostles? In this world that we are living in, let not our hearts be troubled. For if you have followed or desire to follow the Great Plan of Salvation, according to Acts 2:38, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30). There is a blessed assurance for your soul that will rest upon you until the day of the Lord’s return.
Another promise that Christ made to us can be found in 1Thessalonians 4:14-18(NLT) where Paul the Apostle encourages the Church. “For Since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with Him the believers who have died. We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet Him ahead of those who have died. For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord Forever. So encourage each other with these words.”
People of God, to all who are reading this encouraging word from the Lord, look up for our redemption draweth near! We must not get comfortable and let our guards down. “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). We are living in a time, that if we are not careful, we may become fearful, doubtful, depressed or oppressed, due to all the tragedies that are happening around us. Nevertheless, we must stand firm as “A Soldier for Christ”, for this is the only way to fight against satan- the accuser of the brethren. The Bible declares, in Ephesians 6:17-18 (NLT), “Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.”
I remember as a young girl when starting high school having the thoughts of joining the US Army. I even started the process by collecting the necessary information to bring home from a recruiter. I was intrigued by the advertisements, the posted pictures of soldiers fighting in the army and its vision propelled me to be interested. Some of the US Army core values I learned were: loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage. I was only a nineth grader when I decided to join without first discussing it with my parents.
I remember the reaction of my father so vividly because his response never went well. My dad after learning that a recruiter would be coming to our home said, “Come where? No one is coming here to convince you to go into the army.” After hearing my dad’s response, I immediately deleted the thought out of my mind. Although, that was not the road the Lord had in store for me, the core values are still applicable to our lives as “A Soldier for Christ.” Our journey as believers, is not an easy road, just like a soldier in the army. The military training is designed to push soldiers to their limits and to test their physical strength and endurance. Our mindset as a soldier in Christ must be to put on the mindset of Christ. Always being watchful, never letting our guard down, because one never knows when the enemy will attack.
As children of God, we must put on the whole armor of God which is a set of six pieces of spiritual armor described in Ephesians:
1. Belt of Truth: Protects against lies from the enemy.
2. Breastplate of Righteousness: Protects the heart from sin and the enemy’s attacks.
3. Shoes of the Gospel of Peace: Prepares for peace.
4. Shield of Faith: Protects during trials, such as when fear and doubt arises.
5. Helmet of Salvation: Protects/covers the mind and helps avoid sinful thoughts.
6. Sword of the Spirit: The Word of God- an offensive weapon used in spiritual warfare against the devil.
Paul the Apostle, truly exemplified being a soldier in Christ, for he not only preached the Word, but he lived the living Word through many trials and tribulations. Psalm 34:19 (KJV) tells us, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.” Paul, a prisoner of Christ, knew that although he encouraged the saints, he himself also needed encouragement and prayers as well daily. He understood the importance of prayer. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (KJV) says, “Pray without ceasing.” He asked the brethren to pray for him so he could speak boldly God’s mysterious plan. It wasn’t an easy task, and he knew it wasn’t by his own ability but utilizing the strategies that a true soldier would use to stay fit as “A Soldier for Christ.” Paul understood the power of Christ was vital in order to fight as a soldier, as he gladly states, “….Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
A Soldier in Christ Jesus:
• They know true submission to the Word of God is his weapon- resist the devil and he will flee. (James 4:7)
• They know that now is the time true worshippers shall worship the father in Spirit and in truth. (John 4:23)
• They know obedience is better than sacrifice. (1 Samuel 15:22)
• They know to fight and be brave against all evil. (Deuteronomy 31:6)
• They know this flesh is powerless against the wile of the devil, so taking every thought into captivity and subject all thinking to Christ Jesus. (2 Corinthians 10:5)
• A true Soldier for the Lord knows the battle was already won on the cross. Jesus defeated the enemy. (1 Corinthians 15:57)
So, my dear sisters and brothers in Christ, let us remain
Have a wonderful weekend🙌
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