Some of the similarities of being a soldier as far as the Word of God teaches, Part 4

1. The importance of things can be measured by how much time we are willing to invest in them.

ECC 3:1 There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven—

2. The more time you give to something, the more you reveal its importance and value to you.

ECC 3:11 he has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set the desire for eternal things in their heart,

3. If you want to know a person’s priorities, just look at how they use their time EPH 5:14-16.

EPH 5:14 For this reason it says, “Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you.”

EPH 5:15 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise,

4. When it comes to time, you can make more money, but you can’t make more time.

EPH 5:16 Making the very most of the time [buying up each opportunity], because the days are evil.

5. You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.

EPH 5:2 And walk in love, just as Christ also loved you, and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.

6. Sadly, many Christians use the church but don’t love it revealed by their desire to eat at one place while supporting with their time, talent, and treasure, another place.

2CO 5:16 Therefore from now on we recognize no man according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know   Him thus no longer.

ROM 15:26 For Macedonia and Achaia [a-kai-a] have been pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem.

ROM 15:27 Yes, they were pleased to do so, and they are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are indebted to minister to them also in material things.

Mutual blessing by association in which the pastor contributes the wealth of doctrine and the congregation contributes in a monetary way.

It is merely those who have been blessed in a material way recognizing the source of their spiritual and material prosperity.

JER 15:16 Thy words were found and I ate them, And Thy words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; For I have been called by Thy name, O Lord God of hosts.

JOB 23:12 “I have not departed from the command of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.

EPH 5:17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

 EPH 5:18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,

7. If you are filled with the Spirit one of the results is speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;

2CO 13:14 “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the “fellowship” of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.”

1CO 1:9 “God is faithful, through whom you were called into “fellowship” with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”

1JO 1:3b And indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.

We are to have fellowship with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

For the Christian Soldier, the difference between fear and courage is the ability to think and concentrate under pressure.

If you have trouble concentrating under normal situations, you will have trouble concentrating under pressure situations.

If you don’t think doctrine under normal circumstances, you will be filled with fear during abnormal circumstances.

Those of you who take the course under normal circum­stances have a chance to learn how to handle disaster.

There are many who will sit through the course but will not metabolize the lesson or if they do, they will fail to apply it at the appropriate time.

He has to know how to do his job under normal conditions before he is given the job under abnormal conditions.

11. Soldiers are also clothe by the military they represent so the Christian soldier is said to be clothe by TLJC.

2CO 9:8 “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that always having all sufficiency in everything [logistical grace support and blessing], you may have an abundance for every good of intrinsic value production.”

MAT 6:25 our Lord said, “For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, {as to} what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor for your body, {as to} what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body than clothing?

MAT 6:26 “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, and {yet} your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?

MAT 6:27 “And which of you by being anxious can add a {single} cubit to his life’s span?

MAT 6:28 “And why are you anxious about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin,

MAT 6:29 yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory did not clothe himself like one of these.

MAT 6:30 “But if God so arrays the grass of the field, which is {alive} today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, {will He} not much more {do so for} you, O men of little faith?

MAT 6:31 “Do not be anxious then, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘With what shall we clothe ourselves?’

MAT 6:32 “For all these things the Gentiles eagerly seek; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

MAT 6:33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.

GAL 3:27   For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

LUK 12:27 “Consider the lilies, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory did not clothe himself like one of these.

LUK 12:28 “But if God so arrays the grass in the field, which is {alive} today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more {will He clothe} you, O men of little faith!

12. The Christian soldier has his warfare appointed to him and his enemies are made known to him by the Scriptures.

1JO 2:15 Do not love the world [the cosmic system], nor the things in the world [cosmic system]. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

1JO 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh [the OSN] and the lust of the eyes [arrogance system] and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.

1JO 2:17 And the world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God abides forever.

REV 17:14 “These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful.”

13. The world is the enemy of the Christian soldier insofar as the things of the world, the pleasures or the profits of the world take the believer away from the plan of God.

1JO 2:14 I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

1JO 2:15 Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

1JO 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.

1JO 2:17 And the world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God abides forever.

14. A soldier is also supplied logistically as he goes forward in training, discipline and warfare, so the Christian soldier is provided logistical grace for his spiritual walk and warfare.

GAL 5:16   But I say, walk or live by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.

GAL 5:25   If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk [march] by the Spirit

Stoicheo goes back to classical Greek where it was a military term which was used of troops lining up in a row or in ranks.

To follow a certain course of action, to follow a preset pattern, to stay in line, and it is used to refer to walking in a closely regulated life, living according to set of definite rules.

1CO 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it.

1TI 4:7 But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women.

It is a woman who is old in her soul. One who is bitter, harsh, caustic, sarcastic, hostile, resentful, jealous, suspicious, covetous……filled with malignity, hatred, revenge.

1TI 4:7 But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness;

Again we see the importance of self-discipline. The organization of your time, the setting up of your priorities is very important.

Because it requires self-discipline and organization to execute the PPOG even if you have Bible doctrine as your number 1 priority.

1TI 4:8 for bodily discipline is only of little profit (for a short time),

There is profit in physical exercise but it’s only for a short time.

1TI 4:8 for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things,

The reason why we have exercise used as an analogy to godliness is because “exercise” requires self-discipline.

1TI 4:8 for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things,

“Godliness” or living the spiritual life is the result of consistency in the perception of doctrine.

1TI 4:8 for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

Your happiness depends on godliness or spiritual living.

Your capacity for life depends on godliness or spiritual living.

Your success in life depends on godliness or spiritual living.

Your promotion in life depends on godliness or spiritual living.

So, the one thing that you have in this life as a believer which will be profitable for you for ever and ever and ever is “godliness or spiritual living.”

Godliness or spiritual living tones up the spiritual life.

So self discipline means;

a. Dedication

b. Commitment

c. Instruction

d. Discipline.

The word discipline means to drive on or something performed or practiced in order to develop skill.

a) Self-discipline

b) Assembling together

c) Concentrating on the teaching

d) Good-manners

e) Silence.

f) Not commenting

 g) Not disturbing

 h) Not moving-around

 i) Objectivity

 j) Persistence in spite of distraction.

All of this is part of the spiritual exercise that takes us from salvation to spiritual self-esteem, from S.S.E. to S.A., from S.A. to S.M.

15. A soldier is also known by his discipline, his armor, and his weapons so the Christian soldier must be disciplined, have his armor on and know how to use his weapons, EPH 6:10-17.

16. Soldiers are also clothed by the military they represent so the Christian soldier is said to be clothe by TLJC, MAT 6:25-33, GAL 3:27.

17. The Christian soldier has his warfare appointed to him and his enemies are made known to him by the scriptures, 2CO 2:11.

18. The Christian soldier is provided logistical grace for his spiritual walk and warfare, 2PE 1:3.

The military bears the expense of the war and furnishes the soldier with whatever is necessary for his calling.

19. A soldier must also be an expert and well-skilled in his field so the Christian soldier ought to be well-skilled in all things necessary for his calling, LUK 14:31.

LUK 14:25 Now great multitudes were going along with Him; and He turned and said to them,

LUK 14:26 “If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.

LUK 14:27 “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.

LUK 14:28 “For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost, to see if he has enough to complete it?

LUK 14:29 “Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him,

LUK 14:30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’

LUK 14:31 “Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and take counsel whether he is strong enough with ten thousand {men} to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand?

LUK 14:32 “Or else, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks terms of peace.

As the psalmist in PSA 119:60 I hastened and did not delay To keep Thy commands.

20. The Christian soldier must know his place and particular station, where he has been placed in the body of Christ by God the Holy Spirit, 1CO 12:18.