Like a Good Soldier

2 Timothy 2:4 - No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer.

Have you seen the intense battle scenes in Saving Private Ryan or Glory (or your favorite war movie)? Can you imagine, under those circumstances, having your mind on anything other than the battle? Would you be thinking about practicing for your piano lesson or making a phone call to your best friend? No. Your mind and every part of your being would be concerned with the task at hand and accomplishing the goal.

Paul writes to Timothy and tells him to be strong and then invites him to join him in his sufferings “like a good soldier of Christ Jesus”. He then pens the words we see here in chapter 2, verse 4. Paul is telling Timothy that he is in a battle! And like any good soldier, there is suffering but there is also an unwavering focus on the matter at hand.

As followers of Christ, we need to understand that we are in a daily battle against our enemy…

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12)

…and the enemy desires nothing less than our destruction…

The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. (John 10:10a)

…so we must be alert and prepared to engage in the battle. God has equipped us, so we need to focus our attention on pleasing our Commanding Officer.

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.  (1 Peter 5:8)

We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments.  (2 Corinthians 2:4)

Come on soldiers, let’s do this!