You have established a new relationship with the powers of darkness. Whatever you were before you were a Christian... you are now a sworn foe of the legions of hell. Have no delusions about their reality or their hostility, but do not fear them. The God inside you terrifies them. They cannot hurt you, let alone hurt you, but they can still seduce, and they will try. They will also oppose you as you obey Christ. ...If you are serious about Christ being your Lord and God, you can expect opposition. (John White)
back it up with the bible
Deuteronomy 32:46,47a And he [Moses] said unto them, Set your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day, which ye shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law. For it is not a vain thing for you; because it is your life.
1 Corinthians 9:24-26 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
Philippians 3:13,14 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
2 Chronicles 15:12,15a And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul…And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought Him with their whole desire; and He was found of them.
2 Corinthians 5:15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
core christianity
The Spiritual Soldier
Whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.— Luke 14:33
The people were following Jesus in great numbers, but for the wrong reasons. So He made a series of statements intentionally designed to thin out the ranks. He wanted to be left with those who really wanted to follow Him, truly committed disciples and soldiers. Let’s look at the qualities Jesus wants in the soldiers He is enlisting in His service. We can see just what He expects in the Gospel of Luke:
Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. . . . So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple. (Luke 14:25–26, 33)
Jesus laid out plainly what is necessary to be His disciple, to be a soldier in His service. In essence, Jesus said, “If you want to follow Me, you must love Me more than anybody else.”
If someone is trying to hold you back, say to that person, “I’m sorry, but I am following Christ. If you want to walk with me, come on. You can be a spiritual soldier with me.”
A spiritual soldier must also forsake all he or she has for Jesus. That means you take everything in your life and say, “This belongs to you, Lord.”
That is what it means to be Jesus’ disciple. That is what it means to be His soldier: you love Him more than anyone, more than anything—just as He loves you! (Greg Laurie)
previously published
(Jesus:) When you’re a soldier fighting a war, which you, My disciples, are in spirit, there are always going to be battles. It’s a fact of life, and a very prominent one. When faced with it, you can do one of three things: You can truly embrace it as your calling, become a professional and proficient fighter, train with your weapons, become the best you can possibly be, and even learn to love the fight. Or you can be a mediocre soldier and “get by” and stay alive for a while, using your weapons, perhaps some fully and perhaps some only to their minimal use, fighting battles, winning some, and losing some. Or you can decide that a soldier’s life is not for you, and quit, leave the army, and do something else with your life…If you’re going to fight to win, and truly defeat (the enemy), then you’ve got to be the best type of soldier, what I would call an “A+” soldier--a professional, a skilled new weapons wielder, and a warrior who enters wholeheartedly and unreservedly into the fight, giving it all they’ve got, fighting for all they’re worth! To be an “A+” type soldier, here are the main attitudes, actions, and training courses you need to embrace:
* Think of your calling as a soldier, proactively and aggressively, rather than defensively.
* You need to actively train in the use of the new weapons,
* When you’re faced with a spiritual battle, learn to take the offensive and aggressive approach of bombarding your spiritual Enemy with as many of the weapons at your disposal as you can!
There’s nothing easy about being a soldier and fighting battles and winning wars. But it’s your calling, your destiny. That should be your goal, your focus, and what you live and breathe and fight for every day. Be a soldier! Be a conqueror! Be an aggressor who scares the Enemy to death at the mere thought of you!--Not because you’re so great in yourself, but because you are a channel of the full power of God through your use of the powerful and undefeatable weapons He has entrusted to your hands. (The Art of War, Part 1)
make it personal
Please tell me, Jesus, about some of the “spiritual soldier” attributes that You require of me and why.
