Followers Make Good Soldiers Series

Lesson 02 of the Follow Me Series.

Followers Make Good Soldiers

Grady Henley

Key Verse:

1 Tim 3:14 These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly:

1 Tim 3:15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

INTRODUCTION

Our service to Jesus Christ is often compared to different occupations such as:

a. An athlete, 1 Co 9:24-27; 2 Ti 4:7-8

b. Laborers in the harvest Lk 10:2

c. Sowers of the word, Luke 8:5.

Another occupation used to describe our service is that of a soldier, 2 Ti 2:3-4. Not just a regular

soldier, but “a good soldier,” one that seeks to please the One that enlisted them. If you doubt for a minute that your primary occupation is that of soldier, never forget that we have an enemy whose name is Satan. This enemy knows our weaknesses. He has one ultimate goal: destroy us. Fact is that is his name: the Destroyer or Abaddon, Rev 9:11. Ex. 12:23 For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.

Knowing you have an enemy and that he is out to destroy you automatically makes you a soldier. Still have doubts? God equipped us to fight this enemy, Eph 6:11, with the weapons belonging to a soldier. Therefore, accept the fact you are a soldier and get ready to do battle.

Do not be surprised when the attacks come. Be leery when all is quite. Be ready to fight! Know your enemy. There is no place in the army of God for a conscientious objector. “You are in the army now.”

I. OUR REASONABLE SERVICE, Rom 12:1-2.

There is a call sent forth from days of old to this very day for the willing and able volunteers to rise and take up their arms and defend their homes, their families, and their country against invading foes. Stirring speeches delivered by men and women cause many to realize some things are worth fighting to maintain. Once the costs are weighed, one realizes it is a reasonable service to defend their home and those freedoms enjoyed. Some have gone so far as to give their lives so that others may live free.

Even so, it is the duty of every born again child of God to remember our reasonable service is to present our bodies a living sacrifice in the service of our Captain. What is reasonable service? Consider that the Captain of our salvation, Heb 2:10, does not ask us to do:

a. Anything that goes beyond His ability to control.

b. He never sends us into battle without equipping us to meet the foe.

c. He never demands more than what He already gave.

Our Commander cares not for dead sacrifices. He had thousands of them under the Law of Moses. He wants a living soul fully dedicated unto Him so that others might see the benefits of joining His ranks.

Our Captain does not ask us to commit suicide. All He asks us to do is stand. If it cost our lives, so be it. The Captain of our salvation does not asks us to do as the kamikaze pilots did in WWII or to engage in activities of the Jihad Muslims who blow themselves up and kill innocent by standers. To even associate the activities of those with the life of a Christian is to wrest the scripture to destruction, 2 Pet 3:16.

A. WE WERE CHOSEN.

Does the life of soldier in salvation army of the Lord sound exciting and interesting? Do you long for the opportunity to see far away places and meet interesting people? Why not join this elite rank?

We do not one day just decide to be a soldier for the Lord. No man takes it upon himself to serve the Lord. The reason we do not choose to serve the Lord has nothing to do with the error known as Calvinism or predestination. The reason we do not choose to serve the Lord is the natural man, (lost in sin) has no desire to do the things of God. 1 Cor 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. The most foolish thing in the world from a lost man’s perspective is to see a man preach the gospel, 1 Cor 1:18. The heart of man is desperately wicked, Jer. 17:9, and is not set on deliberate service save to satisfy self. For such reasons, in His great love for us, He chose us for service.