Is There A Soldier in The House?
2 Tim. 2:3
One of the most sobering scenes I have ever seen is a picture of Arlington cemetery of the rows and rows of crosses of the many that have paid the ultimate sacrifice for the freedom we enjoy. I am reminded of those also in the army of Christ who have died on the battlefield of faith and of the legacy they have left behind. I think of those in Hebrews chapter 11, great men & women of God who were good soldiers of the cross and died to preserve our precious faith. Share fate of Jesus= followers!!!
* Since the death of Jesus Christ approx. 2000 years ago
* 43,000,000 Christians have become martyrs,
* Over 50% of these were in the last century alone.
* More than 200 million Christians face persecution each day ~ 60% are children
* Every day over 300 are killed for their faith in Jesus Christ,
* Unfortunately, persecutions is a way of life for Christians in over 60 nations of the world today,
Literally hundreds of thousands of people today are being killed, brutalized, sold as slaves, imprisoned, tortured, threatened, discriminated against and arrested solely because they are Christians. I Peter 4:12-16 - Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you, but rejoice insofar as you are sharing Christ=s sufferings, so that you may also be glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the spirit of glory, which is the Spirit of God, is resting on you. If any of you suffers as a Christian, do not consider it a disgrace, but glorify God because you bear this name. Also see Phil. 1:29; Matt 5:10-12
What I want to show you this morning is how Christian service is like military serviceY You know that military is not always an option, right? Some people get drafted. Some people volunteer. Some people go to get an education. Some people go to stay out of trouble. Some people enlist because they come from a family of enlistees. It=s the same in the church. But here=s where a analogy breaks down. Regardless of how you end up in military service, you know what you=re getting into. But the call to Christian service is a call to unknown situations and circumstances.
POW - Prisoner of War or People of Worship.
Paul and Silas. Acts 16:22-30 (Read) A List of Paul=s suffering are found in 2 Cor. 11:23-28
Will we be people of Worship???
Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 2 Tim 2:3
See the word hardness in the text. Paul uses a Greek word, which describes this best. He uses the word kakopatheo. This word shows up three times in the New Testament:• In 2 Timothy 2:3 (this text) it=s translated, Ahardness@.• In 2 Timothy 2:9 it=s translated, "suffer trouble."• In James 5:13 it=s translated, "afflicted."I have noticed that all three times this word appears, it never appears around sinners, but it appears adjacent to the saints.• In 2 Timothy 2:3 - it is adjacent to both Paul and Timothy.• In 2 Timothy 2:9 - it is adjacent to Paul and all believers after him.• In James 5:13 - it is adjacent to the scattered church in Asia Minor.
MIA - Missing in Action or Men in Action.
Missing - 1) Not present; absent; lacking 2) Said of one whose whereabouts or fate in battle has not been determined.
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Matt 10:28
WIA - Wounded in Action or Women in Action.
John the Beloved,
What about those who are wounded?
"Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. "Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matt 5:10 12
God will work out all situations for His good.
"As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive. Gen 50:20 (Joseph & his brothers)
Can God use persecution to further His work in our lives? Can he anoint and protect His people during times of great trial and persecution? Can He reveal Himself to us in times of persecution? The answer to all of these questions is yes! Jesus never promised us a life of ease and pleasure. His word specifically tells us that we will be hated and persecuted by those who do not know Him. 2 Tim. 3:12 - All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. No Christian is exempt from what the Lord has declared in His word. This should not bring fear to our lives, but it should cause us to rejoice knowing that we have been counted worthy to take part in the fellowship of His sufferings. If we really want to know the Lord in the way that the Apostle Paul knew Him, we must be willing to go all the way with Jesus. We must be willing to lay our lives down for the cause of the Gospel. People everywhere are looking for a cause. Today I=ve given you one.
* If we look to the cross ~ we don=t have to look very far for the answer to see that persecution is part of God=s plan. Jesus= suffering on the cross was the heartbeat of God=s plan ~ resulting in our salvation and His glory. Was Jesus only sent to redeem mankind, but did He not set the example for us to follow? II Timothy 3:12 tells us that all who desire to live a righteous godly life will meet with persecution ~ it is part of God=s plan. When one suffers according to God=s plan, they are walking where Jesus walked and they now have the privilege and honor of being persecuted for His name sake...how truly blessed they are according to Matt. 5
* History shows that the blood of the Martyrs is the seed of the church and that the church is strengthened by their sufferings. James 1:2-4 says >Dear Brothers and Sisters, whenever troubles comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything.@
And the suffering will be temporary. As Paul said in Rom 8:18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
Heb 13:6 So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"
Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
What has Persecution done for the Church?
Persecution has permanently enriched the history of the church. It has given us the heroic reputation of the testimony and the suffering of those whose lives would otherwise have been unrecorded. Their names as well as their careers would have been unknown had not persecution "dragged them into fame and chased them up to heaven."
Persecution made Christ very near and very precious to those who suffered. Many of the martyrs, even when in the midst of the most cruel torments, felt no pain, but that Christ was with them.
We need to understand that when there is a hardship, there can be a BUT GOD situation. • I may be poor; BUT GOD will feed me when I=m hungry. • I may suffer hardship; BUT GOD is my rock and my fortress.• I may be torn in two; BUT GOD will put the pieces back together again.• Yes, hardships will come.• Yes, suffering will come. • But GREATER is He that is within me than he than is in the world.
What could be the reason for tribulations, trials, and persecution??? Here is a story that will some it all up for us.
Illustration
A story is told of a small bible study group who was studying the 3rd chapter of Malachi. Consequently, one lady decided that she would visit a silversmith and report to them on what he said about the subject. When she went she did not tell the silversmith why she was inquiring as she begged him to tell her about the process of refining silver. After he had fully described it to her, she asked, "But, sir, do you actually sit there during the entire time while refining is going on?" The silversmith quickly responded, "Oh, yes ma=am, I must sit with my eyes steadily fixed on the furnace, for if the time necessary for refining be exceeded in the slightest degree, the silver will be injured."At that moment, the lady saw the beauty and the comfort of the first expression in Malachi 3:3, "And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver."God sees it needful to put His children into a furnace; His eye is steadily intent on the work of purifying us. His wisdom and love are both at work for our good. Our trials do not come at random, and He will not let us be tested beyond what we can endure.Before she left, the lady asked one final question, "How do you know when the process is complete?" "Why, that=s quite simple," replied the silversmith. "When I can see my own image in the silver, the refining process is finished."
Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2 4
And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Rom 5:3 5
AWOL - Absent Without Leave.
Absent - Not present; away; lacking; non existent. (Webster) While on AWOL status, you can return to your duty station. There will be some consequences for your actions.
DESERTER - This is what you are considered after you have been AWOL a long time. When you are classified a deserter you are no-longer able to return to your duty station. You reach the point of no return. A deserter is one who forsakes a duty, friends etc; esp., one who deserts from military service. (F&W Dictionary)
DESERT - 1) To forsake or abandon. 2) To forsake in violation of one=s oath, or orders, as a service, post etc. 3) To abandon one=s post, duty etc. 4) To be absent without leave with the intention of not returning.
Some are like Adam, when in the garden, God is saying where are you?
Today as we look at our country and as we look at the churches in this country we can easily see the great price that was paid for being deserters of God and His Word.
*A baby is killed in the womb every 20 seconds.*Prayer has been removed from school.*God and Jesus have been removed from school.*And have been replaced by condoms and safe sex and humanism.*We see false doctrines being preached in churches.*We see scripturally immoral lifestyles being sanctioned by the modern church.*WE see a Godless world without hope, without direction, that is being sucked into the worldly scum of sex, drugs, violence, greed and hate.*God is waiting for Soldiers to arise today, He is waiting for his people to have the courage to Love God and hate sin.
*He is waiting for a modern day Soldier TO ARISE who will burn with zeal for GOD=s honor, as he sees the sin all around him. Who will bend down and firmly grasp his spear and march to the fight.
*He is waiting for someone=s zeal to burn as they see:+an unborn child dies every 20 seconds (He is waiting for someone with the courage and zeal to thrust their spear in the sin and immorality in our world) +as God is mocked, ignored and ridiculed in our country+as false doctrine spreads and as the church caves in to compromise watering down the word.+As the sinful march to justify their sin+As God and prayer in our schools are replaced with condoms. +As NEA uses our tax dollars to fund art that depicts Jesus suspended upside down In a jar of urine.+As pornography destroys our country.+God is waiting, and it is time that SOLDIERS OF CHRIST ARISE.
IS THERE A SOLDIER IN THE HOUSE???
Our Commander (Jesus) will not ask you to do something that He hasn=t already done.
God will reward each soldierIn this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, 7 that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 1 Peter 1:6 7
knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. 25 For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality. Col 3:24 25
Christ will bring his soldiers back with him to earth to rule
And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. Rev 19:14
CONCLUSIONEvery day in the military we had roll call, and one day Jesus will make his roll call how will you be found? POW, MIA, WIA, OR AWOL
*I am a soldier. Here I stand.*I am a soldier, a prayer warrior, of the army of my God.*The Lord Jesus Christ is my Commanding Officer.*The Holy Bible is my code of conduct.*Faith, Prayer, & the Word are my weapons of warfare.*I have been taught by the Holy Spirit, trained by experience, tried by adversity, & tested by fire.*I am a volunteer in this army, & I am enlisted for eternity.*I will either retire @ the Rapture or die in this Army; but I will not get out, sell out, or be talked out.*I am faithful, capable, & dependable.*If my God needs me, I am there.
*I am in place, saluting my King, obeying His orders, praising His name & building His Kingdom.
*I am committed.*I cannot have my feelings hurt bad enough to turn me around.*I cannot be discouraged enough to turn me aside.*I cannot lose enough to make me quit.*When Jesus called me into this army, I had nothing.*If I end up with nothing, I will still come out even.*I will win. My God will supply all my needs.*I am more than a conqueror. I will always triumph.*I can do all things through Christ.
*Devils cannot defeat me. People cannot disillusion me.*Weather cannot beat me. Sickness cannot stop me.*Battles cannot beat me. Money cannot buy me.*Governments cannot silence me & hell cannot handle me.*Even death cannot destroy me.*For when my Commander calls me from this battle field,*He will promote me to a captain & bring me back to rule this world with Him.*I am a soldier, a prayer warrior, in the army of God, & I=m marching. Claiming victory.*I will not give up. I will not turn around.*I am a soldier, a prayer warrior, and marching heaven-bond.*Here I stand!!!
God has us on a mission for us, to go into the enemies camp (World) & take back the captives & prisoners
One day roll call will be taken, where will you be found???
