STANDING
FIRM AS A SINGLE-MINDED SOLDIER
I FELT LED TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE IN OUR SPIRITUAL FIGHT
AS WELL AS OUR DAILY STRUGGLES. I HAVE SPOKEN A COUPLE TIMES ON OUR RACE FOR
THE HIGH CALLING AND OUR FAITH WALK, THIS TIME I WANT TO ENCOURAGE ALL OF US TO
REMAIN FAITHFUL TO THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AS A SINGLE-MINDED SOLDIER FOR CHRIST.
IE: JOSHUA AND CALEB, I FEEL WE CAN EASILY FORGET THAT WE ARE ENLISTED SOLDIERS
FOR CHRIST JESUS, AND THAT AS SOLDIERS FOR CHRIST WE ALSO CAN FORGET THAT WE
NEED TO ENDURE HARDSHIPS AND BATTTLES, DURING OUR RACE FOR THE HIGH CALLING FOR
THE BRIDE OF CHRIST, AND THAT THESE ARE REQUIRED OF US, AND FOR THE BELIEVER,
THESE TRIALS ARE TO US A REFINER’S FIRE {MALACHI 3:3} IT IS THIS PROCESS THAT
HELPS US GROW, AND IT IS A DAILY FIGHT TO STAY A SINGLE-MINDED SOLDIER FOR
CHRIST. AND WE SHOULD ALWAYS BE PREPARED.
NOW THERE ARE THREE THINGS A SOLDIER FOR CHRIST NEEDS TO
BE AWARE OF AND ACKNOWLEDGE:
1. ADMIT YOU HAVE A SPIRITUAL ADVERSARY & WE ARE AT
WAR;
a. 1 PETER CHAPTER 5:8-9. “BE OF SOBER SPIRIT AND ON
THE ALERT YOUR ADVERSARY THE DEVIL PROWLS AROUND LIKE A ROARING LION SEEKING
SOMEONE TO DEVOUR BUT RESIST HIM FIRM IN YOUR FAITH KNOWING THAT THE SAME
EXPERIENCES OF SUFFERING ARE BEING EXPERIENCED BY YOUR BRETHREN WHO ARE IN THE
WORLD.”
b. REVELATION CHAPTER 12:17 “SO THE DRAGON WAS ENRAGED WITH THE WOMAN AND
WENT OFF TO MAKE WAR WITH THE REST OF HER CHILDREN WHO KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF
GOD AND HOLD THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS.”
2. DON'T BE AN IGNORANT CHRISTIAN.
(Il COR. 2:11) “SO THAT NO ADVANTAGE WOULD BE TAKEN OF
US BY SATAN FOR WE ARE NOT IGNORANT OF HIS SCHEMES.”
WE ARE AT WAR AGAINST THE FLESH, THE WORLD AND THE ENEMY,
A NON-STOP ASSAULT ON OUR FAITH, TRYING ALL THINGS TO CONVINCE US THAT WE ARE
NOT GOOD ENOUGH, I AM FIGHTING TO REMAIN THAT SINGLE-MINDED SOLDIER FOR CHRIST,
REMINDING MYSELF DAILY THAT MY TRUE VALUE IS FOUND IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD AND
NOTHING ELSE, AS WE ALL NEED TO DO.
(2 Timothy 2:1-4)
“You
therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the
things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to
faithful men who will be able to teach others also. You therefore must endure
hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles
himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him
as a soldier.”
WE ARE ENGAGED IN WARFARE! AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE
ARE TRAINED UP IN OUR FAITH AND CLOTHED FOR WARFARE AND THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY
TO ACOMPLISH THIS, AND THAT IS TO PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD.
3. PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD
(Ephesians 6:11-19) “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the
Lord and in the power of His might. Put
on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of
the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against
principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age,
against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take
up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day,
and having done all, to stand. Stand
therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate
of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel
of peace. Above all, taking the shield of faith with which, you will be able to
quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation,
and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying always with all
prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all
perseverance and supplication for all the saints, and for me, that utterance
may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery
of the gospel.”
VERSE 12 SAYS “…FOR WE DO NOT WRESTLE AGAINST FLESH
AND BLOOD BUT AGAINST PRINCIPALITIES, POWERS, AGAINST THE RULERS OF THE
DARKNESS OF THIS AGE,…” AND THIS IS
A SPIRITUAL BATTLE AGAINST THE WORLD AND OUR FLESH for KING DAVID TELLS US IN
PSALM 51:5, “BEHOLD I WAS BROUGHT FORTH IN INIQUITY AND IN SIN MY MOTHER
CONCEIVED ME.”
YOU SEE WE ALL
STRUGGLE AND FIGHT AGAINST EVERY ENTICEMENT UNDER THE SUN, AND WE ARE ALSO TOLD
HOW WE CAN OVER COME THEM ALL, AND THAT IS THROUGH THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
BY LISTENING AND DOING WHAT OUR LORD AND SAVIOR TELLS US TO DO, AND THAT
CAN ONLY BE DONE BY CHOOSING TO BE A SINGLE-MINDED SOLDIER FOR CHRIST.
I MENTIONED JOSHUA AND CALEB EARLIER. NUMBERS CHAPTER 13:
25-33, NUMBERS CHAPTER 14: 1-10, and vs. 30-31. JOSHUA CHAPTER 14:6-15. IT IS
NOT EASY, AND WE MUST ALWAYS BE ON GUARD AGAINST ANYTHING THAT MIGHT INTERFERE
WITH THAT GOAL.
(MATTHEW 18: 7-9) “Woe to the world because of offenses! For
offenses, [i.e. enticements] must come, but woe to that man by whom the
[enticement] comes! If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast
it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather
than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. And if
your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for
you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast
into hell fire.” (SIDE NOTE everlasting fire and hell fire
are referring to second death, GEHENNA FIRE WHICH IS TOTAL ANNIHILATION.
THIS VERSE FITS SO NICELY WITH 2 TIMOTHY 2:3-5 - WE ARE
NOT TO BE ENTANGLED WITH THE WAYS OF THIS WORLD, SO WHAT IS THE LORD SAYING
WHEN HE SAYS IF YOUR HAND OR FOOT CAUSES YOU TO SIN, CUT IT OFF, LETS LOOK AT
ITS MEANING FOR YOUR HAND... WHAT YOU TOUCH OR HANDLE OR CHOSE TO EMBRACE...
YOUR FOOT, WHERE AND WHO YOU WALK WITH, (I.E.) FRIENDS, FAMILY, CO-WORKERS, IF
YOU ARE BEING PULLED AWAY AND ENTICED IN THE WAYS OF SIN BY ANY OF THESE THINGS
ARE TO CUT THEM OFF AND REMOVE THEM FROM YOU AND CAST THEM FAR FROM YOU, THE
SAME WITH YOUR EYES, (FOR OUR EYES ARE CONSIDERED THE WINDOWS TO OUR SOUL) WHAT
YOU ARE LOOKING AT?? WHAT YOU ARE WATCHING?? WHAT THINGS YOU ARE YOU CHOOSING
TO OBSERVE?? IF IT IS UNGODLY BEHAVIOR, BE VERY CAREFUL, FOR YOU WILL FIND THAT
YOU ARE BEGINNING TO IMITATE THEM. SO, REMOVE AND PLUCK IT OUT AND CAST IT FROM
YOU. FOR IN THIS SPIRITUAL WARFARE THAT WE ARE FIGHTING, WE ARE TO SURROUND
OURSELVES WITH THOSE WHO ARE LIKE MINDED AND HAVE THE SAME DESIRE YOU DO IN
FOLLOWING CHRIST, FOR YOU DO NOT WANT BY YOUR SIDE ANY OF THOSE THINGS, OR
PEOPLE WHO SEEK THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT A SINGLE-MINDED SOLDIER FOR CHRIST AUGHT
TO BE SEEKING.
**REMEMBER** BAD COMPANY CORRUPTS GOOD CHARACTER
Bro.
Steve Hoffner
