What Christian Soldiers Battle Kelly Durant (Re 9-2026)
2 Tim 2:3-4 Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs, he wants to please his commanding officer.
2. In the trench warfare of WWI each side would make long trenches and no one could pass from one side to the other. The reason? Every time someone put their head up to try and run to attack, they would get shot at! The land between ally and enemy trenches was coined, “no man’s land” as no one could be there without getting shot! That is the way our enemy, Satan operates. As long as you stay comfortable in your trench, the enemy doesn’t bother you! But when you come out and go on the attack and get some victories for Jesus, exposing the sins destroying your life and those in the world, then is when he attacks you. Be brave! Know that these attacks come in different ways.
As Christians we are God’s soldiers and the only way to fight this war on the evil that would destroy you and others is to be disciplined! What is our discipline? Being faithful one day at a time! This includes daily prayer, the study of the Word of God, obeying it and proclaiming Jesus as the Savior and commander over all souls! Faithfulness is what wins the victories!
3. So, Christian soldiers, when you have a hard time standing for your Commanding Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, remember, when you are weak and can’t seem to get up, then you should kneel! Kneel and get strength from outside yourself! Prayer works!
Remember also you are not in this war alone and there are more than 1 million Salvation Army Soldiers in the world! Plus, statistics reveal there are more than two billion Christians standing up for Jesus too! In this Church Center everyone does pray and we care for each other to win against evil.
I sincerely hope all of you are praying for each other when needed. If you are a friend and a help to someone, be faithful! We must be communicating, and supporting and loving each other and encouraging a friend when they are down, doubtful, or weak. In the same way soldiers watch out for each other in the trenches, you here are all in this one big trench together. The enemy never stops shooting at us so remain strong and courageous, persistent, patient, and keeping your eyes on the victory to come.
4. The Salvation Army uniform can be taken as symbolic while being in service to Jesus! This unique uniform indicates to the world we are dressed for war against evil; the destruction Satan wants to bring in our lives. Meditate on how Paul compares us to being fighting soldiers. Eph 6:12-18
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.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
5. These are the classic verses on being prepared for battle and it was the uniform of the Roman Soldier in Jesus’ time. We must pay attention to these verses and do what it says or we might get a hit in a weak spot and it will take months or years to heal if it doesn’t kill you! Eternal security requires eternal vigilance! Recognize it when negative thoughts come into your head, your battle is spiritual.
Picture yourself wearing a uniform in battle. It identifies you as representing the Kingdom of God and note, we are a saving army! We are at war with evil! Just as a firefighter in his uniform is prepared to fight fires, just as a policeman identifies himself as the keeper of the law, we as Christian Soldiers represent the fight for righteousness, holiness, and love serving suffering ones who are our neighbors! Being in the world without a Christian’s protection can get you killed!
Most of all, a Christian soldier represents our Commander and Chief, Jesus Christ! Every day we fight for what is right! Even in heaven we will have a pure white uniform to wear reflecting the light and purity of God! So, a uniform on earth is actually a good practice for wearing one in heaven!
6. As you know we do not train to fight with a rifle or a gun, we train to fight the enemy with the sword of the word of God, quoting scripture to the enemy, and after being resisted, the tempter will flee from us! James 4:7
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. We are the rebels, the resistance, the beloved fighters of God!
In the verses in Timothy, we see that we are to endure hardships, as the soldiers of the world do, for our Lord Jesus Christ. And when you think about when Paul was writing, the Romans had a very strict code of conduct, and they would march on foot for months carrying heavy metal armor and they suffered many hardships! Much worse than what anyone of us experience! The soldiers of the world get their spirits and bodies broken, but the soldiers of the Lord get their spirits and bodies healed and regenerated!
Never despise your time here in the training camp! It is way more less dangerous than what the Soldiers of the world have to endure.
Today we will cover three basic battles or hardships a Christian Soldier faces; The one with Satan in your head within yourself; the one with those close, your family & friends; and the one with the evil people of the world.
7. One of the first attacks, how our accuser and adversary confronts us, is with discouragement in our minds! You and I may be doing good for a while happy with Jesus, just like many that first arrive, but Satan, the tempter, will get into our head and feed any weak one with pride that you deserve better, or attack you over the opposite, over your failures, wounding you with discouragement. He tells you… look at you, you are a failure or he will say you are powerful and don’t need this, and either extreme of exaltedness or debasement of your self is not of God.
Often you and I are either tempted to think we do not need God since we are so smart, or we are tempted to think that there is no hope in God. It is human to be subject to prideful thoughts or on the flip side to feel abandonment, depression, and rejection! You know very well you are a sinner but hating on yourself, or on anyone else over past sin makes you destructive to yourself and to others! Satan always schemes to destroy and tries to make you confused in your mind, which will make you sick in your spirit, which will make you sick in your body as well!
So how will you get the will to fight from God then? You must yell in your mind and with words when needed, “Get behind me Satan! I claim the blood of Jesus! I resist you in the name of Jesus who liberates me! I am not the man I used to be, I am a new man in God!”
8. 1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
You must repeat to Satan, “I am God’s child”! You are God’s now since Jesus died for you to have eternal life! Any sin that you or I may have, Jesus has cleaned us from it! Pray, Jesus, heal my body, mind, and broken heart!
So, the first battles with most Christians begins with your own evil self and discouragement; but remember Jesus will get the victory if you’re getting your encouragement from the Word of God, pray and get others to pray with you too, and you let God work as you do your part!
9. Battle two: With others, you will have to be tough with those closest to you, with those people in your life, and with those in your family.
Matt 10:34-36
34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother-in-law.
36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
When you live as a true Soldier for Jesus Christ, doing what is correct, pure, and Godly, you will get enemies without even trying! In both Regina and my families there are some people that have no desire whatsoever to see us because they know that we love God, and mostly talk about the Bible, and since they love the things of the world more than the spiritual things, they do not want us around them making them feel uncomfortable. In this battle you will lose some friends and family, but you will gain other friends and family that are more helpful and loving than the ones you had before!
This church Corps, and all true churches, are like family! But sometimes there are brothers and sisters who say and do things in their carnal nature, not praying over their words, and they can confuse you if you do not have your eyes on Jesus! Never focus on the words of some weak or ungodly person, focus on the lover of your soul, Jesus!
Remember, people may fail you, some soldiers even go AWOL, but Jesus, He is a friend forever! Be prepared to face bad experiences sometimes, it is a part of the battle. But God answers prayers, and blesses those who remain dedicated, pure, loving, and patient! Those who get off the trail, like the stray sheep, usually get hurt falling in some rocky ditch. Jesus, the shepherd, has pulled you out of the ditch already so stay close to Him.
10. And finally battle number 3, you will have war with the evil people of the world!
When the people who practice sin and do evil see peace and love in your face and eyes, and they witnessed your transformation from a defeated man into an honorable one, it makes them angry and you may get attacked for proving God regenerates us. Remember how the hypocrites wanted to kill Jesus! Some people want to see everybody sour and bitter, and angry at the world like they are! Never go down to their level! Live in peace, turn the other cheek and move on, but don’t let them destroy yourfaithfulness! When needed rebuke them in Jesus’ name!
As Christian soldiers we have contrasting mindsets with those in the world and when we expose them then we are engaging in a spiritual war.
2 Timothy 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
The evil ones of the world love deception, drugs, addictions, and destructions but..
We love truth, liberation from dependency, and healing from the past
The evil ones in the world love death, and war, and perversions but…
We love life, and peace, and children!
The evil ones in the world love exploitation, material wealth and pride but…
We love righteousness and justice for the poor, and we seek spiritual wealth, desiring humility!
The evil ones in the world love to accuse, condemn, hate and create scandal but…
We love forgiveness, truth, and unity, and as the prostitute was forgiven by Jesus, we just let God’ Spirit take away the condemnation!
11.The values of the world, under its evil empires with its anti-Christian news outlets, promote anti-Biblical values constantly! Bottom line, Satan hates Christians with a passion and he is at war with every one of us! There is a very active war of propaganda to destroy all values of purity and love by all means possible. It is by the promotion of the acceptance of perverse sexual behavior, the stripping away of human rights under totalitarian politics, by addictions, sickness, and drugs, and by the demonization of the people of faith. There are continuous lying attacks on good people all the time and it all comes from the evil powers that control behind the scenes.
Satan exalts everything that is totally diametrically opposed to God’s values insulting Jesus and all Christians. So, take note, a person never wins a defensive war! We all must speak out for God and His love, defending his wise basic principles that produce respect and dignity through the high standards of values fighting for the right! We fight for strength of spirit!
The Lord wants absolute love, dedication, and loyalty and His Kingdom! And God is the only One who is worthy of fighting for! The very first commandment is to… Love God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind! And love your neighbor as yourself!
12. We are all blessed to be representing, as soldiers, Jesus the King of Kings! You have a Commander that is all loving, all forgiving, all-powerful, and he knows where you will best serve Him, and you must serve Him with honor. You and I must battle the enemy and obey His call! But if we do not choose to be governed by God, then we will end up being governed by some manipulating terrible person or by your own abusive, destructive self!
Just think how many people are stuck on this earth all of their lives as slaves to evil men and not to God! And a slavery to addictions is also a real issue! Satan loves to enslave every person with vices, crimes, temptations and sins, creating a sick body, mind, and spirit! Today we all are given an opportunity to serve the true God like never before and live blessed and free!
We must fight with the truth to free the souls of men and or they will have hell to pay! You have to fight to keep your own soul and body strong in the Lord! Philippians 2:12
Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
You are the chosen ones to represent your Lord in battle, so march forward to the prize of the high calling of God! Prayer…
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