Are You a Soldier?

I am a soldier in the army of my God. The Lord Jesus Christ is my Commanding Officer, the Holy Bible is my code of conduct. Faith, prayer and the Word are my weapons of warfare. I have been taught by the Holy Spirit, trained by experience, tried by adversity, and tested by fire. I am a volunteer in this army, and I am enlisted for eternity. I will either retire in this army or die in this army, but I will not get out, sell out, be talked out of, or be pushed out. I am faithful, reliable, capable, and dependable. When my God needs me, I am there. I am a soldier, I am not a baby. I do not need to be pampered, petted, picked up, or pepped up. I am a soldier! No one has to call me, remind me, write me, visit me, entice me, or lure me, I am a soldier! I am not a wimp, I am in place saluting my King, obeying His orders, praising His name, building His Kingdom. No one has to send me flowers, gifts, food, cards, candy, or give me handouts. I do not need to be cuddled, cradled, cared for, or catered to, 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 cause me to quit. When Jesus called me into this army I had nothing, if I end up with nothing, I will 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 weary me, sickness cannot stop me, battles cannot beat me, money cannot buy me, government cannot silence me, Hell cannot handle me, I am a soldier! Even death cannot destroy me, for when my Commander calls me from the battlefield He will promote me to Captain. I am a soldier in the army. I am marching, claiming victory! I will not turn around, I am a soldier! Heaven bound, here I stand, will you stand with me? Are you a soldier?

Spurgeon's Devotion

“The people that do know their God shall be strong.”
- Dan_11:32

Every believer understands that to know God is the highest and best form of knowledge; and this spiritual knowledge is a source of strength to the Christian. It strengthens his faith. Believers are constantly spoken of in the Scriptures as being persons who are enlightened and taught of the Lord; they are said to “have an unction from the Holy One,” and it is the Spirit’s peculiar office to lead them into all truth, and all this for the increase and the fostering of their faith. Knowledge strengthens love, as well as faith. Knowledge opens the door, and then through that door we see our Saviour. Or, to use another similitude, knowledge paints the portrait of Jesus, and when we see that portrait then we love him, we cannot love a Christ whom we do not know, at least, in some degree. If we know but little of the excellences of Jesus, what he has done for us, and what he is doing now, we cannot love him much; but the more we know him, the more we shall love him. Knowledge also strengthens hope. How can we hope for a thing if we do not know of its existence? Hope may be the telescope, but till we receive instruction, our ignorance stands in the front of the glass, and we can see nothing whatever; knowledge removes the interposing object, and when we look through the bright optic glass we discern the glory to be revealed, and anticipate it with joyous confidence. Knowledge supplies us reasons for patience. How shall we have patience unless we know something of the sympathy of Christ, and understand the good which is to come out of the correction which our heavenly Father sends us? Nor is there one single grace of the Christian which, under God, will not be fostered and brought to perfection by holy knowledge. How important, then, is it that we should grow not only in grace, but in the “knowledge” of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Psalms 119: 81-88

“All thy commandments are faithful: they persecute me wrongfully; help thou me.” (v. 86)

Yes, all His commandments are faithful, and we can count on them through all trials, at all times. God never changes, and His Word never changes, so why do we doubt? If we can’t rely on the Word of God, we are of “all men most miserable.” David seems to be crying out to the Lord and asking for His help against those who “persecute” him wrongfully. The proud have digged pits for him, they have sought to destroy him, but he retained his integrity, and trusted in the Lord. This is what the Word of God does for us, it protects us, and gives us favor with God.

We are as a bottle in the smoke (v.83), hidden and blending in with our environment, and very hard to find. The psalmist realizes his place before the Lord, and it humbles him greatly. Humility gets God’s attention, and is a rare thing for a noble warrior to acquire. David, who slew Goliath, and many Philistines, had a humble heart. How hard it is for us, when the battle is over and the victory is won, to remain humble; in fact, humility is a rare thing among any man! A humble man will truly rely on the Lord, because he knows his own frailty.

David knew his frailty. He knew that his victory over Goliath, the champion of the Philistines, was actually a God-given victory, and not his own doing. Paul was teaching us this in 1 Corinthians 1:27-29, and topped it off with the last verse in the chapter, “That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” That is our goal, and God’s goal for us, that we might glorify Him, and ourselves “glory in the Lord.” God indeed chooses the weak things to confound the wise, the problem is that we get all puffed up, and think ourselves strong! We then become weak, in a useless way.

Psalms 119:65-72

“It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.” (v. 71)

Strength often comes through adversity. When a man lifts weights to increase his strength, he puts his body under much pressure and stress, but in the end, he is made stronger. Such is the way of adversity. We tend to not welcome adversity but we can see the long range affect of it, and how much we need it to mature us, and teach us patience. (Rom. 5:3). For this reason, we can “glory” in tribulation. Yes, when we are afflicted, and endure it, especially on Christ’s behalf, with patience, the “Spirit of glory and of God” are upon us (1 Peter 4:14).

Here though we see something even more special, and more peculiar. We see that affliction teaches us! The psalmist learns more about the things of God, especially the Word of God, through affliction. It is, therefore, good for us to have been, and to continue to be, afflicted. We see also the affliction can set us on the right path, “Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.” (v. 67). Yes chastisement teaches us to do right. God uses affliction for His purposes, as we have seen, therefore, we can rejoice in our afflictions.

Perhaps a part of the affliction was that others had lied against him, and caused him much trouble, (v. 69), and in v. 70, it is clear that he is going to do right in spite of what others do. We too need this kind of tenacity; we need to determine to do right, no matter what. I used to tell my kids, “No matter what anyone else does, you do what’s right” I said it so much that they often finished the quote with me, but they got the point. Folks, we need to do right, and stay in the Word, no matter what comes our way. Afflictions will come, but God can make the most of them for His glory. We need to see them through, and realize that, somehow we will be made better through the trials.