Soldiers in the Battlefield

You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. - 2 Timothy 2:3

            When I read this scripture today, I froze like a deer in front of headlights. Something about this scripture reaffirmed who I am and what I am to do. I am a soldier in the Army of the Living God. A soldier doesn’t quit in battle. A soldier definitely doesn’t lie down and die in the battlefield. They continue to fight. Many times, we think God has left us because of the battles we face in life. However, I’m reminded that we will have hardships in this life. That’s the truth of the matter. We will always have battles that we must fight. That’s life. Nevertheless, a good soldier fights to the death, armed, and ready for war. When we watch war movies, we see soldiers being bruised and injured in the battlefield. I never saw a soldier run underneath a tree and say, “I can’t take this anymore. Just let me die here!” We see soldiers bandage up their wounds, take a sip of water out of the canteen, and keep moving on the battlefield. The same is true for us that have been called by God.

 

            When life bruises us, we are to 1. Bandage up our wounds by getting in the presence of God so that He may bring forth healing. The best way to bandage those wounds is to bring them to Jesus. Only His touch can heal. 2. Take a sip of water, the Living Water called Jesus. Since Jesus is the Word of God (Revelation 19:13- He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God), then we must immerse ourselves in the Word of God, especially on the battlefield. We need the Word of God to refresh and revive us. They say about 60% of the human body is water so obviously, we can’t live without water or we’ll die. Furthermore, we CANNOT live without the Word of God, or we will die, spiritually. 3. We must keep moving on the battlefield. Staying away from church, prayer & devotion, and your responsibilities in ministry won’t help you, but further hurt you. Another scripture that gripped me today was 2 Timothy 4:2, “Preach the word; be instant in season, and out of season.” Here Paul is telling Timothy to continue in His work for the Lord whether the situation is good or bad. The Message Bible says this, “Keep your sense of urgency [stand by, be at hand and ready], whether the opportunity seems to be favorable or unfavorable. [Whether it is convenient or inconvenient, whether it is welcome or unwelcome].”  

            It’s easy to get distracted from the things of God when things don’t go our way and the battle seems too much to endure. If I allow them, the cares of this life can burden me so much that I don’t want to be in the trenches anymore with Jesus. Honestly, sometimes I feel like I don’t want to be in battle any longer. However, the Bible says in 2 Timothy 2:4, “No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please Him who enlisted him as a soldier.” God called and equipped us with everything we need for the battles we face in life. He is the One who called us. We shouldn’t be consumed with the problems we face but consumed by the power and ability of the Living God. We should focus on what He wants, what His purpose is, and He will take care of everything else.  I’m not saying it’s easy to stay focused on the things of God when your problems are staring you in your face every day. But we are to keep our minds stayed on Him that we may have perfect and constant peace (Isaiah 26:3).

For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him.
If we endure,
We shall also reign with Him.
If we deny Him,
He also will deny us.
If we are faithless,
He remains faithful;
He cannot deny Himself.
(2 Timothy 2: 11-12)
  

Whether the flowers are blooming and everything is as we desire or if we are on the front lines being attacked by the enemy on every side, we must be consistent and remain in battle. For God is on our side.

 

           

Purpose in Every Season

Ecclesiastes 3:1 - To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.

            Every season has its purpose. In other words, every stage of your life has its purpose. There is purpose in your waiting season, there is purpose in your lonely season, and there is purpose in your sowing season. The waiting season is a tough one. It’s that season when God has promised you something and you continue to wait for it in faith. It’s then that God stretches our faith. Without faith, you won’t receive a thing from God. The Message Bible says in James 1:7-8, “Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who “worry their prayers” are like wind-whipped waves. Don’t think you’re going to get anything from the Master that way…” The lonely season is another common season. We all go through seasons of loneliness. At times God will isolate you from familiar people. Sometimes we just need to be alone with the Father to hear what He’s saying, not what your “bestie” or your “boo” is saying. It’s in those times God wants to develop us and deposit in us gifts and revelation. On the other hand, you may be surrounded by people and it seems no one can empathize with your situation. It’s ok, God is teaching you to depend and lean on Him, not people. Now, the sowing season is for a harvest. You must plant seeds to reap a harvest. There may be times you find yourself lending to almost everybody. Or you may be broke and still giving all you have; tithing your bill money but still trusting God. This may also be a season where you need to sow into the lives of other people. Just know and believe that your season of harvest is coming.

            When we look at the changing of the natural seasons, we see activity taking place. The weather changes, birds migrate, leaves fall, and flowers bloom. The same is true for the seasons in our lives. Different activities begin to take place when seasons change: division from friends, a shift in your inner circle, a divorce, the loss of a job, a new job, or a move to a new area. My friend this means two things: God is moving and your season is changing. **Sometimes there may not be any activity at all that you can see with your natural eyes. But that doesnt mean that God isnt moving.** 
Some people are in the winter season where life seems cold and no one understands. Then there is the spring and summer seasons where we coast through life and all is well. Let us not despise any season that we find ourselves in. But we must have a Job-like response to God’s seasons and say, “We take the good days from God—why not also the bad days?” (Job 12:10, MSG)
 

            You’ll know when God has changed a season in your life because much like the weather, there is nothing you can do to change it. For instance, when its winter time, its winter time. As much as you want it to be summer, all you can do is wait it out. You can go outside with shorts and a tank top on if you want to; but you will freeze to death. You might as well dress warm and make the most of the winter season. There is a purpose for your winter season. It doesn’t have to be a waste of time. What I’m saying is some of the circumstances in our lives are beyond our control. All we can do is trust our Faithful Creator to see us through that season. As people of God, we need to start acting like people of God and seek His face about our seasons. We need to seek God about everything, especially our seasons. We need to ask God, “What season am I in? What do you want me to produce in this season? What are you trying to teach me in this time in my life?” It was Bishop T.D. Jakes that said, “You can’t pray away God’s seasons.” We try to bargain with God or tell God to “move” on our behalf when the fact is we should be asking God for the strength and wisdom to endure that season. “Even the birds in the sky know the right times to do things. The storks, doves, swifts, and thrushes know when it is time to migrate. But my people don’t know what the Lord wants them to do,” God says in Jeremiah 8:7.

            For [it is] better to suffer [unjustly] for doing right, if that should be God’s will, than to suffer [justly] for doing wrong (1 Peter 3:17, Amplified Bible). Let me say this, sometimes we create our own winter seasons by being disobedient. By living in disobedience to God’s word and His will we welcome frustration, heartache, and pain in our own lives. If your season has changed due to disobedience and sin, ask God for forgiveness and help. He’s ever gracious and can turn it around for your good. The infamous Romans 8:28 says we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

        The Bible says, “…those who suffer as God wants should trust their souls to the faithful Creator as they continue to do what is right (1 Peter 4:17-19, NCV). Continue to do right in the eyes of God. You have purpose. Your seasons have purpose. Don’t waste your God given time wishing and praying for another season. Be fruitful in this season. Don’t jump ahead of God and do things out of season, but listen to Him. Discover what God wants for you during this particular time in your life. Enduring the challenging seasons of life is not easy. But we have the Holy Spirit to help us. God will help us. He will answer us. He will keep us. David said, “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living” (Psalm 27:13). We will see His goodness.

            We can trust God no matter what it looks like, how long we’ve been waiting, or how many tears fall. He is trustworthy. He is a God of purpose and order. Trust that He has given your life purpose and He will do everything according to His divine order. Don’t miss your purpose in this season!

But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord; I say, "You are my God. My times are in Your hand..." Psalms 31:14-15