A Sermon For You
A Ministry of Huckaby’s Evangelism
GOOD SOLDIERS NEVER QUIT MARCHING
By-Evangelist Gary Huckaby D.D.
2 Timothy 2:3, "Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ."
In one of the battles of the civil war, the story is told of a confederate regiment, and how when the flag carrier was shot down another soldier would catch it before it could hit the ground, and then again when this soldier went down another soldier took his place in keeping the flag from touching the ground. Even during the heat of the battle it was said of these soldiers that they never quit marching into the battle, and they in the end of this battle won the fight, although in the war they finally lost. This was a major victory for the time though and the reason for this battles victory was because of the soldiers that never quit marching. The men of the past knew, just as the soldiers of our military well know today, that no matter how hot the battle becomes, they MUST keep on marching ! GOOD SOLDIERS KEEP ON MARCHING !
GOD’S CHILDREN ARE IN A BATTLE TOO ! 2 Timothy 4:7,- "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith." Here Paul is telling us of his battles; they were not just physical battles, but also Spiritual battles.
Just what is a spiritual battle ?
Jesus told His disciples in John 16:33,-" These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation; But be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."In this world we will still have battles,[tribulations] But be of good [happy] cheer, I have overcome [won] the battles of this world, are the words of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Who is the leader of our opposition, and who are our opposers ? Jesus tells us in John 14:30,-"Hereafter I will not talk Much with you; for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me."
The prince of this world is none other than the devil, and he is the leader of our oppositions; the demons: These are our enemies, these are the ones we are in the battles against. We are out in this world to win the lost to Christ and the devil is out to stop us, but, "good soldiers keep marching !" Next, in Ephesians 6:12,- "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Our enemies are the powers of darkness!
Not people, not even unbelievers can hinder, only one’s own self can get in the way! James 1:13-14; "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed." Here we see that we are drawn away of our "own lust."
IN THE HEAT OF THE BATTLE
You will always know the fiber of a man’s spiritual life when you see him under trials, And no Born Again person can escape the testing of their faith. James 1:2-3, says, "My brethren count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience." Then in the next verse, the Bible goes on to say,"But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing."
The dear Lord Jesus said, we SHALL have tribulation, and the Holy Spirit tells us in 1 Peter 1:6-7,-"Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptation; That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ."
The trial of your faith is more precious than gold." HOWEVER, not all soldiers keep marching, some turn and run, and others just quit. This is a terrible thought, to know some will not be strong enough to keep on marching no matter what happens. In the armies of old, If you turned back while in a battle , they would shoot you for desertion of your duties as a soldier. If you are a Christian and you turn your back on God, He too will shoot you ! This is called chastisement !
What makes one turn and run, there are many things which get in the way, here are but a few. It may be for the love of money. It may be for the gain of friends. It may be a girl, or a woman, or a boy, or a man. It may be your lack of activity in your spiritual life. You quit reading The Word of God, you quit Praying, or quit going to church, or maybe you went back to your old ways, you started doing the things that God had delivered you from when you were first saved. What ever the reason one turns and runs it is wrong for a soldier to do ! No matter the reason, if there is anyone or anything that keeps you from serving, studying, praying, attending service, working, or any thing else then God calls it SIN, and SIN will separate you from God. Sin will make you become a turn coat, and God will punish you. Hebrews 12:6,- "For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth."Then in verse 8 we read;"But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons."
NEXT
HOW CAN ONE KEEP MARCHING.
In 2 Timothy 2:3,- We have the prescription. "Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ; Then in the next verse,"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." Endure hardness !
2 Timothy 4:5,-"But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry." Endure afflictions!
1 Corinthians 10:13,-" There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." Find a way out, and don’t entangle yourself with the affairs of the world. Put on the whole armor of God. Not just part of it.
EPHESIANS 6:13-18
Here is the list of the whole armor we are to put on. You read the passages for yourself, I am going to list each part here for you to consider.
1. loins gurded-[ to keep us marching] with TRUTH. Our loins are an important part of our statue. They hold up our bodies. Truth protects our standing in Christ and keeps us from falling.
2. Breastplate - [to cover our lungs and heart] Righteousness. Righteousness is our standing with God, and the Christian stands in the righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ, not in our own righteousness for all of our righteousness is as filthy rags.
3. Feet shod - [to march into the battle] with the preparation of the Gospel. Know your Bible, study Gods Word. Keep your feet covered with the "Good News" which is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
4. The shield - [to stop the blows of the enemy] FAITH. Faith cometh by hearing and hearing of the Word of God. Read and study the Bible daily to build faith in your life.
5. The helmet of Salvation - [protection for the mind] Know all that you can about your salvation.
6. The sword - The Word of God. Hebrews 4 :12 says it is; "quick and powerful, sharper than a two edged sword."7. Praying Always. "with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints." Need I say more ?
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Maybe you have read this message but are not a child of God ? If not, Why not ? You like countless of other souls can freely have eternal life if you will only come to Jesus Christ ! Do it now.
Ask Him into your heart for forgiveness of your sins, and rest in His promises forever. 1 John 1:9,-" If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Huckaby’s Evangelism
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Pine Mountain, GA.31822
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