BE LIKE A SOLDIER — ENDURE THE HARDNESS!
September Theme: STEADFASTNESS
Theme Scripture — 1 Corinthians 15:58 (KJV)
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”
Main Text — 2 Timothy 2:3–4 (KJV)
“Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
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.”
Supporting Scripture — Ephesians 6:10–11
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”
INTRODUCTION — THIS IS NOT A PLAYGROUND; IT'S A BATTLEFIELD
When a person joins the military, they quickly discover something:
The military was not designed around their comfort.
The soldier doesn't tell the commander:
“I don't feel like getting up this morning.”
“I don't like today's assignment.”
“It's too hot.”
“It's too cold.”
“I'm tired of training.”
“I don't like the food.”
“I don't get along with the other soldiers.”
A soldier understands:
I HAVE AN ASSIGNMENT.
And Paul tells Timothy:
“Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.”
Paul doesn't tell Timothy:
Avoid hardness.
He says:
ENDURE HARDNESS.
Some Christians have been taught that if they really love God, everything should be easy.
But Jesus never promised an easy journey.
There will be battles.
There will be opposition.
There will be temptation.
There will be disappointment.
There will be spiritual warfare.
There will be times when you get tired.
But our September theme says:
“Be ye stedfast, unmoveable…”
A good soldier doesn't abandon the battlefield because the battle becomes difficult.
Somebody needs to declare:
“I'M NOT LEAVING MY POST!”
BACKGROUND — PAUL WRITING TO A YOUNG SOLDIER
Second Timothy is one of Paul's final letters.
Paul is imprisoned and knows his earthly ministry is nearing its conclusion.
He is writing to Timothy, his younger son in the faith.
Timothy will have to continue the work.
Paul knows Timothy will face opposition.
He knows ministry will become difficult.
He knows Timothy may become discouraged.
So Paul essentially tells him:
“Timothy, don't expect everything to be easy.”
“Endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.”
Paul could say this because Paul had endured hardness himself.
2 Corinthians 11:25
“Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck…”
Paul had been beaten.
Paul had been imprisoned.
Paul had been stoned.
Paul had been rejected.
Paul had been persecuted.
Paul had been shipwrecked.
Yet Paul later declared:
2 Timothy 4:7
“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.”
Paul wasn't teaching Timothy something he hadn't lived.
He was saying:
“TIMOTHY, I SURVIVED MY BATTLES. NOW YOU'VE GOT TO STAND IN YOURS.”
1. A GOOD SOLDIER KNOWS WHO ENLISTED HIM
Paul says:
“…a good soldier of Jesus Christ.”
We belong to Jesus.
We didn't enlist ourselves.
Jesus chose us.
John 15:16
“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you…”
When the battle becomes difficult, remember:
WHO CALLED YOU.
People didn't call you.
Your critics didn't call you.
Your enemies didn't call you.
Jesus called you.
Therefore people don't have the authority to make you abandon what God called you to do.
ILLUSTRATION — THE SOLDIER'S ORDERS
A soldier on assignment doesn't abandon his post because a civilian walks by and says:
“I don't think you should be standing there.”
Why?
Because the civilian didn't give the orders.
The soldier answers to a higher authority.
Likewise, stop letting people who didn't call you talk you out of what God called you to do.
REMEMBER WHO GAVE YOU YOUR ORDERS!
2. A GOOD SOLDIER EXPECTS HARDSHIP
Paul didn't say:
“If hardship comes.”
He said:
“Endure hardness.”
Hardship comes with the territory.
John 16:33
Jesus said:
“In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
Christianity does not mean:
No trouble.
It means:
TROUBLE DOESN'T HAVE THE FINAL WORD.
JOB WAS A SOLDIER UNDER PRESSURE
Job lost his possessions.
His children died.
His health failed.
His wife told him:
“Curse God, and die.”
But Job held onto God.
Job 13:15
“Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him…”
That's soldier language!
“I don't understand what's happening, but I'm staying at my post.”
ILLUSTRATION — BOOT CAMP
Military training intentionally exposes recruits to difficult conditions.
Why?
Because you cannot wait until the battle starts to learn endurance.
Training prepares you for what you may face later.
Some things God has allowed you to survive were developing spiritual muscles you would need later.
You thought:
“Lord, why am I going through this?”
God may have been saying:
“I'M TRAINING YOU.”
3. A GOOD SOLDIER DOESN'T GET ENTANGLED
2 Timothy 2:4
“No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life…”
Notice the word:
ENTANGLED.
An entanglement is something that interferes with your ability to move effectively.
Everything isn't necessarily sinful, but everything isn't helpful to your assignment.
Christians can become entangled with:
Drama.
Gossip.
Unhealthy relationships.
Arguments.
Money.
Materialism.
Social media.
Popularity.
Bitterness.
Offenses.
Trying to please everybody.
ILLUSTRATION — RUNNING THROUGH VINES
Imagine a soldier trying to advance through thick vines wrapped around his legs.
The soldier may have strength.
He may have weapons.
He may know the mission.
But he's unable to move because he's entangled.
Some Christians aren't defeated.
THEY'RE ENTANGLED.
There's a difference.
Ask:
“WHAT HAS GOTTEN WRAPPED AROUND MY SPIRIT?”
Paul says:
Cut yourself loose and get back to your assignment!
4. A GOOD SOLDIER KNOWS HIS ENEMY
Ephesians 6:12
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood…”
This is extremely important.
Your husband isn't your enemy.
Your wife isn't your enemy.
Your children aren't your enemy.
The pastor isn't your enemy.
The members aren't your enemy.
The person sitting across the aisle isn't your enemy.
Paul says:
“We wrestle not against flesh and blood…”
Sometimes the enemy wins because he gets soldiers in the same army fighting each other.
ILLUSTRATION — FRIENDLY FIRE
One of the tragedies of warfare is friendly fire—when forces accidentally attack their own side.
That can happen spiritually.
We're all supposed to be fighting the enemy, but instead:
Choir fighting choir.
Minister fighting minister.
Deacon fighting deacon.
Family fighting family.
Church fighting church.
Saint fighting saint.
Meanwhile the enemy says:
“I don't have to fight them. They're fighting each other!”
Church:
STOP SHOOTING YOUR FELLOW SOLDIERS!
Know who the real enemy is.
5. A GOOD SOLDIER WEARS HIS ARMOR
You don't go into battle wearing pajamas!
Paul says:
Ephesians 6:11
“Put on the whole armour of God…”
And then he describes the equipment.
The belt of truth.
The breastplate of righteousness.
Feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.
The shield of faith.
The helmet of salvation.
The sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.
And prayer covering it all.
Why do you need armor?
Because:
YOU'RE IN A BATTLE.
ILLUSTRATION
Imagine a soldier saying:
“I don't need my helmet today.”
The commander says:
“Why?”
The soldier says:
“Because nobody attacked me yesterday.”
That doesn't make sense!
Yesterday's peace doesn't guarantee today's battle won't come.
Likewise:
Don't stop praying because everything is going well.
Don't stop reading Scripture because you're having a good week.
Don't stop worshiping because the enemy has been quiet.
KEEP YOUR ARMOR ON!
6. A GOOD SOLDIER STANDS HIS GROUND
This is where the message connects powerfully to 1 Corinthians 15:58.
“Be ye stedfast, unmoveable…”
Ephesians 6 repeatedly uses another word:
STAN
