If Christians Were Soldiers

The 4th of July 2012 was another celebration of the birth of this great nation, The United States of  America. As we are all aware, many have fought and died to start this great nation and many have given their lives so that it would continue to be the great nation that it is. It is an honor to be an American! There is no other country in the world whose citizens have enjoyed the freedoms and privileges that we have as Americans


America has been blessed to have been founded on biblical principles and that is what has made it the greatest nation in existence. Many have tried to deny the principles on which this nation was founded but one need only take an honest look at its history to see the influence the Holy Bible had in the lives of our founding fathers. God's blessings on this country are what has made this the greatest nation on the face of the earth. For the Holy Bible itself states, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom He hath chosen for His own inheritance." Psalm 33:12 God has proven His promises true again and again because this nation has honored Him.


As I awoke this morning at about 3:40 a.m., while the house was still dark, and went to the kitchen for a drink of water, the Lord spoke to me in His still, small voice. He only said one thing but God doesn't have to say much for it to be profound. He said, "If Christians were soldiers how great this country would be!" That still rings through my mind like an echo down an empty canyon. Well, let's face it we are all a little empty-headed at times. In this case, I am glad I am empty-headed because it gives the Lord's words a chance to ring through over and over again. "If Christians were soldiers how great this country would be! If Christians were soldiers how great this country would be!"


Let's look at the life of a soldier for a brief moment. To my regret, I have never served in the military but I have known a few soldiers as have we all and we have all seen the documentaries about those who have served and have counted, and still count, it a privilege and an honor to do so. Many of them have paid with life and limb to keep this great nation free. What makes someone a soldier?


Belief in a cause is one thing that makes one a great soldier. Though many enlist in the armed forces for various reasons most of them come to believe in the cause of defending this great nation and protecting the freedoms and privileges we enjoy. They come to realize the camaraderie they have with those who are like-minded in defense of a cause. We have all heard the stories of soldiers who were wounded on the battlefield only to desire a quick recovery so they would be able to return to fight with their fellow soldiers again.


Being well-trained is another attribute of being a good soldier. The training is not easy but is necessary for them to learn to endure the rigors of the battle in which they may find themselves. They learn how to follow their leader, how to discipline their bodies, how to march with full pack, how to obey orders.They learn how to protect those placed under their care and those who march with them into battle. They learn how to master their weapon, how to take it apart, and how to put it back together, how to shoot it and at what range it is most accurate. A soldier learns when to polish his boots, when to wear his fatigues and when to wear his dress uniform. In other words, he learns what is appropriate and when.


A soldier learns he has an enemy, who the enemy is, what he looks like and his strategies. He studies the enemy, discovers as much as he can about his moves, his motives, and his methods. He plans ways to outsmart and out-maneuver him. He learns to engage in hand to hand combat if necessary. He learns where the enemy's pressure points are and how to render him helpless. He knows and studies his movements, his philosophy, and his cause. 


These are just some of the aspects of being a good soldier. There are many others about which I do not know. I know that a soldier endures until he can endure no longer either because victory has been
won, his tour of duty is over, or because another has taken his place.


I really know nothing of the life of a soldier having never been in the military but I know that God admonishes Christians to be good soldiers. In II Timothy 2:3 God says, "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." Verse 4.


We must be like those in Thessalonica and search "the Scriptures daily whether those things were so." Acts 17:11. We must realize we have an enemy the devil and that he, "as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour." I Peter 5:8. We need to realize that if we were a dedicated soldier that we could turn this country upside down with our doctrine as the disciples did to Jerusalem in Acts 5:28. You see, as a soldier studies his enemy, we can study our enemy through the Scriptures God has laid down for us. We know that he is cunning, a liar, deceptive, rebellious, and the tempter, to name a few. Like the enemies of the United States, he tries to find the weak points in our lives and use them to get a foothold and to take advantage of us. Just as the soldier is always on guard in battle, we, too, are in a battle and must be always on guard.


We have mentioned how the apostles turned Jerusalem upside down with their doctrine but there is another place in the Bible that says "and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus." Acts 4:13.


Here is what the Lord said to me in His still, small voice the morning of July 4th. "If Christians were like soldiers we could turn this country upside down."


So, why aren't we? Why aren't I? Why aren't you turning this nation the greatest nation in all the world upside down with the gospel of Jesus Christ and His doctrine? Soldiers believe in something and they are willing to fight for it even to the point of sacrificing life and limb if necessary. We have a greater cause for which to fight, a greater Master to serve, a greater cause for which to die. Are we willing? We MUST turn this nation "upside down" for the sake of future generations and for the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.


It is a challenge to which I cannot attain on my own, I need His help. But Phillipians 4:13 is still in the Holy Bible, " I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." It is not about me, it is about Him and He is capable! Will we be His hands, feet, mouth, and heart?


I remember once in my church there was a very accomplished pianist playing a hymn and she had a little girl there with her and as the pianist played the little girl was turning the pages of the song book for her. I thought to myself that, surely, that pianist did not need that little girl to turn the pages for her. Then God spoke to me and said, "I don't need you either but I choose to use you." I thought, I just want to be a page-turner for God.


Well, after July 4th, I just want to be a good soldier of Jesus Christ. I'm not, yet, but I want to be. I want to be part of turning this nation upside down for God. How about you?