“Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer.” 2 Timothy 2:3-4

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual force of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:10-12

          All who belong to God and Jesus Christ are placed squarely in opposition to this world and the evil rulers of it, as our text above plainly says. In the days of old, the enemy could be seen, and warfare was waged with weapons that could be held and felt; instruments of battle that could bring death. But the battle a Christian is engaged in is a spiritual one; it is a battle for the mind, heart and soul of every living being.

          David was anointed to be king when he was just a boy, but God’s choice and calling was clear and irrevocable; and the devil knew it. The minute the prophet Samuel poured the anointing oil on David, he became a marked man. God watched over David all the days of his life. Israel was blessed with King David on the throne. But, while his days were filled with many victories, he met head on, the hatred of the devil through King Saul. He also knew the defeat of sin and the trouble it brought into his life. But, through it all, God was with him and David remained one of God’s chosen vessels.

          My brothers and sisters in Christ: you are engaged in a spiritual warfare today, whether you realize it or not; whether you want to be or not. If you confess Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and coming King, you’re a soldier in the Lord’s army and you have been called to serve Him with all your heart, mind and soul. You have been appointed to keep on the firing line until the day Jesus comes or calls you home.

          Make no mistake about it: the enemy that used men to betray and crucify Jesus, has his sights set on you; the devil and his ministers are your enemy. In your lifetime, you will encounter his assaults on a daily basis, until you draw your last breath. They may appear as strife in your own family, or conflict with a co-worker or neighbor. Marital problems, your job or financial trouble, chronic illness, sorrow and death are all part of life, but they are also part of the battle and a trial of your faith.

          In these daily battles you feel the weakness of your flesh; it wells up within you in frustration and anxiety, and ofttimes tends to tempt you to anger. Daily you’re faced with situations, some requiring decisions on something you’ve never dealt with before. Sometimes you feel you’ve done well and sometimes you feel like you failed miserably. And quite often you find yourself looking back, thinking, “If only I had done this or that better”, or, “If only I hadn’t done that.”

          Take heart my brothers and sisters, you are weak, but our victory is in Jesus. God has called you to be His child; Christ dwells in you, and that is our hope. God chose to put the treasure of His Son in earthen vessels so that the glory would be of Him and not of you. You are on the battlefield; you are covered by the blood of Jesus and you are clothed in His righteousness; you are sealed by His Holy Spirit until the day He returns for you.

          Love one another as Christ has loved you, forgiving one another. Pray without ceasing and feed daily on God’s word. As you have opportunity, do good and be merciful and kind. Keep on the firing line—Jesus is coming!

Brother Bill is a Bible teacher and can be contacted at bboldham@sbcglobal.net