Proverbs 24:10 KJV If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.
Proverbs 24:10 MSG If you fall to pieces in a crisis, there wasn't much to you in the first place.
I am sensing something in my spirit that may not make sense in the natural, but that is usually how the prophetic works. It feels and perceives things on a spiritual level.
And what I'm sensing is a strong urging of the Holy Spirit to toughen up.
2 Timothy 2:1-4 Thou, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. [2] And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. [3] Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. [4] No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: [4] (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) [5] Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.
If there is one thing Paul understood it was the spiritual nature of the warfare that he was in.
What the Roman soldier looked like in the natural... Paul was in the spirit.
The Bible is not written to the casual, onlooker. The Bible is written as a manual for spiritual warfare, for those who are actively engaged in fighting the Lord's battles.
In 2 Timothy 2:1-4 Paul writes... Thou, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. [2] And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. [3] Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. [4] No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
That brings to my mind the question... What are the characteristics of a good soldier?
Teachable
Obedient
Faithful
Dependable
Team player
Disciplined
Hardened
That's why we have a boot camp program, to sift out those who have these qualities from those who don't.
The thing about these characteristics are they are within reach of everyone, but they are not automatic. You have to choose them, and you have to cultivate them.
Paul the apostle is exhorting his spiritual son Timothy to be a good soldier and endure hardness. Those words may not have meant much coming from someone else but this man had the credentials, he knew what he was talking about.
Lets look at some of the hardness Paul endured.
2 Corinthians 11:24-27 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. [25] Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; [26] In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; [27] In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
We need to embrace the mindset and the attitude of a soldier on active duty. All the time.
A soldier may not be wearing his uniform while he's on leave, but inside, in his heart and mind, he is still a soldier.
Tell your neighbor... I'm a soldier. Now say.. Toughen up soldier.
I have to say standing here this morning... these last few years have been a whirlwind. Early on beginning 2019-2020 it looked like America was sold down the river. There was a sense of hopelessness, and dispondancy.
But the church didn't throw in the towel. Instead we pushed forward and trusted that God could deliver us from the plans of the wicked.
And he did. God showed up. He caused every strategy, and every plan and assignment of the wicked to backfire in their faces.
And we saw the greatest what the secular world would call a political victory ever. But we know that it may have manifested in the political arena, but this battle was not political it was spiritual.
And though there was alot of hard work done in the natural, it was the supernatural power of God, that opened up the Sea for us, and drowned the pharoahs plan.
? Now we have to seize the day.
? We have to own this moment in history.
? We have to rise up to hold the spiritual territory that we have won.
? We have to stand our ground spiritually to enforce what has been done in the spirit.
We cannot afford to slip back into our spiritual p.j.'s Sitting on the couch sipping hot cocoa.
• We have to step into the armor that God has provided.
• Keep the momentum.
• Keep pushing forward and reclaiming all the ground that we have lost.
• And take new territory.
The worst thing that can happen to us now is to become spiritually complacent.
The truth is an army is usually most vulnerable right after a great victory. Why? Because they're relaxed, they're enjoying their victory. They're celebrating their win. And they aren't at the top of their game, and they lose their edge.
We can't afford to do that. We have got to remember that no matter how bad the enemy may have lost, he never gives up.
Remember this, the devil never takes a vacation. And his demons never quit plotting and scheming.
The devil counts on us becoming complacent, lazy, and letting down our guards. He counts on us feeling overconfident and untouchable.
That's why we have to outsmart him. We have to take this time and...
• fortify our resources.
• Build up our armory.
• Tighten up our belts.
• Pray more diligently and more intelligently.
• Worship more passionately.
• Serve more aggressively.
• Build up ourselves on our most holy faith praying in the Holy Ghost.
• Hiding God's word in our hearts.
• Sharpening our spiritual weapons.
Putting on the attitude of a Soldier in the midst of warfare.
Because the truth is, even though we may not see it right now, this battle is raging in the spirit. And the devil is strategizing, and plotting for his next move.
*We must decide, we will not be caught slumbering.
I saw a thing on YouTube or Facebook about how soldiers are brought to the point of exhaustion, then their drill sergeant tries to steal their weapon from them while they're sleeping.
If the drill sergeant is able to take their weapon, then the whole group has to do hard duty.
It seems mean, but there is a valuable lesson here...The point is, your life, and the life of everyone around you depends on you being in possession of your weapon at all times.
So what is the attitude that we should have going forward now?
* Keep looking ahead.
* Lift up your eyes.
* Keep moving forward.
* Don't get stuck.
* Remember God's mighty works of the past.
* Stay in an attitude of Gratitude.
* Protect your ear gates and eye gates.
* Don't take anything at face value except God's word.
* Practice the presence of God moment by moment.
* Guard your heart and mind against all fears.
* Confess God's word over your life and loved ones.
* Trust the righteousness of God to Execute his Judgement in the earth.
* Trust God’s timing.
* Wait expectantly for better days.
* Be an encourager to those within your circle of influence.
* Sing songs of God's goodness and faithfulness.
* Speak hopefully of the future.
* Season all your conversations with God’s goodness and faithfulness.
* Pre-play in your imagination what you are believing God to manifest in your future.
* Keep the Word of God in front of your eyes and rushing through your spirit.
* Pray in tongues often.
* Season as with salt, all prayer by praying some in tongues.
* Savor and magnify every good thing that happens in your life, no matter how small.
* Keep sowing seeds... kindness, mercy, favor, forgiveness, and yes, money too.
* Refuse to allow today's disappointments to rob you of tomorrow's possibilities.
You must stay in possession of your weapon at all times. Which means, never lose the edge. Never let ease and comfort dull your senses. Be ever ready, because your enemy never sleeps.
Understand that despite victories won, we are still in a hostile environment.
Your adversary the devil is continually on the prowl looking for someone who is slacking off, and not keeping up.
He is looking to see if you are allowing yourself to drift into a deadly slumber.
You may be spiritual Rambo 10 times over, but if the devil can catch you sleeping, you're toast.
The Bible is very clear about the fact that we are in a spiritually active warzone.
Our battle is not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers, and rulers of darkness, and spiritual wickedness in high places.
We are called upon to be good soldiers of Jesus Christ. Enduring hardness.
Yes, we have been through some hard times. It has been very challenging and frustrating. It has also been very revealing. We are seeing God pull back the covers and show us much of the corruption and deception in the institutions of men. And not only the political world but also the church
.
But at the same time, we became more aware of the faithfulness, the integrity, and the mercy of God.
I believe that in 2024 we saw the mercy of God on a level never imagined.
As difficult as these past years have been, I have to say that I believe I have learned some amazing life lessons about patience, endurance, and trusting God, even when I can't trace what he's doing.
I think that I can say that probably the most important thing for me that has become so real to me, is the privilege of prayer, and the benefits of staying in prayer.
I feel in my spirit a word for the body of Christ. I don't mean to be mean or critical when I say it, and I'm including myself when I say it...
I believe the church as a whole, needs to toughen up.
We're learning that the main objective of our appointee for secretary of defense Pete Hegseth, is to bring back a lethal military force. To get rid of this woke, transgender, confusion. Why? Because woke is weak. Woke is confusion. Woke is unstable.
I feel like a similar thing is happening, and needs to happen in the church, we need to toughen up.
Paul tells Timothy in no uncertain terms... If you're going to be a good soldier, you're going to have to toughen up...
-You're going to have to go through some stuff. You're going to have your metal tested.
-You're going to have to feel some discomfort.
-You're not on a cruise ship, you're on a battleship.
That Bible you carry is not a parasol to shade you from the sun... It is a weapon of mass destruction to the agenda of hell.
Sometimes Christians end up going spiritually a.w.o.l. and part of the reason is, that we didn't tell them up front that they were enlisting in an army. We made them think that they were boarding the carnival cruise line to heaven.
Paul never did that. Repeatedly he spoke of trials, tests, hardships, and tribulations.
2 Thessalonians 1:3-5 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth; [4] So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: [5] Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer.
1 Thessalonians 3:1-4 KWherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone; [2] And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellow-laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith: [3] That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto. [4] For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know.
I believe this has been a missing ingredient in much of our motivational speaking. Sometimes we talk to people like we're travel agents for over the moon travel agency.
And then when the bullets start flying, they are shocked because they didn't sign up for that.
So I'm telling you the truth. It's not always easy. It's called warfare. And warfare is uncomfortable. Sometimes you get wounded. Sometimes you get attacked, you get lied on, you get cheated.
Sometimes it's physical, sometimes it's financial, sometimes it's emotionally, and sometimes it's spiritual. But there is a very real adversary who hates you, and he wants to destroy you. And he doesn't play by the rules. That's why we have to toughen up, and we have to realize that this is war.
You never outgrow warfare, you simply have to learn how to fight.
You and I will never get so spiritual that we outgrow spiritual warfare. If the devil attacked Paul the apostle and Jesus himself, don't think for a minute he won't attack you.
The benefit of boot camp and being properly trained, is you are mentally prepped for what is coming. You're not overwhelmed, you expected it. In fact, you were trained for it. You have toughened up ahead of time.
You were fire-hardened before the battle.
The problem is that for many in the body of Christ that never happened, so now we're getting battle-hardened in the battle. But that's alright. Greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world.
Yes, we've been through some fire, but that's all part of the process to toughen us up, so no matter what comes or goes, we won't faint.
Ephesians 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
