Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.I am so glad I've been enlisted in this army. It is the most powerful fighting force on the face of the earth. Nowhere else can you find such rewards for your labors and benefits for your future.
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.
(2 Tim. 2:1-4)
You and I, friend, are soldiers of the most elite army in the world.
I remember very clearly my days as a U.S. Marine. I served two tours in the Vietnam conflict. I started tours as a private first-class and found myself a sergeant in a matter of just a few months.
That promotion came so fast, and I was overwhelmed with all the new responsibilities that came with it. Those in charge over me were stretching me constantly to the maximum level. Many times I felt I would burst. Many times I felt like crying and quitting.
One of my leaders would say, "Where you gonna go, boy? What do ya think you're gonna do?" I always had a silent answer to those questions but never dared say it aloud. Besides, I knew on the inside of me that I had no choice. If I wanted to survive, I had to fight with all my strength.
I learned as a marine sergeant just how far I could go—physically and emotionally—without "losing it." I learned just how far I could push others without losing them. As I recall, many men found they could go a lot further than they ever dreamed.
An element was being built into my character. "I do not quit! No! Never!" I began to walk around saying, "I never quit! I never lose. I fight to the end!" I was convinced that I could outlast any enemy—regardless of his size or strength—just through having real backbone.
Well, not everyone has had Marine Corps training, and I guess not all of those who have, received what I received from it.
Other Tough Individuals
Let me share this with you. When I became a Christian, I realized it wasn't only the U.S. Marines that were tough. As I began to read about Jesus, Paul, Stephen, and other war heroes, I became convinced to transfer my enlistment. Transfer I did, and now I'm serving as a soldier of the Light.
As a member of this new army, I found that a lot of the principles I had been taught were the same. I was still a soldier and still had to be separated from involvement in civilian life. I still had to refuse to be entangled with the affairs of this life. Like never before, I must "endure hardness as a good soldier."
Oh yes, there is still a chain of command, marching order, job description, and job specialists. In fact, this new army is one superb outfit in comparison to others.
My Commander in Chief is God, the Owner of the Universe! My Commander General is Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church! The Officer in charge of me is the Holy Spirit!
This army even has joint chiefs of staff—apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers—of whom I, too, belong. I used to call the U.S Marines "the Green Machine." This army is called "Christ's Redeemed!"
The great Apostle Paul told Timothy to endure hardness. As an experienced follower of Christ, Paul knew that Timothy would have plenty of opportunities to quit. The instruction was to endure hardness, not to "flake out from it."
Jesus didn't pray and ask the Father to rapture His disciple but rather that they would by strengthened to endure the opposition of this world. In fact, He told His disciples "...in the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).
I recall a family who has helped me greatly in the Kingdom. They gave up all they had to relocate with my wife and me to do the work of the Lord. In fact, they even helped Vickie and me financially.
As we relocated and went to work in the city that God had given us, the war was on. These friends of ours seemed to decrease as we increased. They soon were facing very crucial financial problems. Believe me, they had plenty of opportunities to quit.
I watched them both fast and pray, and labor at any job they could find. Their joy in Christ was a stronger compelling force than the need that they faced.
I put him on staff at the church for a while, but soon after, the Lord instructed differently. This brother set down his church salary with a smile and found a job to support his family. It made no difference in his attitude or his performance level.
He ended up learning a building trade, and she found her way into a very unique business of her own.
Such great rewards belong to those who diligently seek Him and who will endure hardness as a good soldier.
You can do it too—you are a winner!
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Mark T. Barclay is known as a Preacher of Righteousness. He is a proven, precise leader among ministers worldwide. God has anointed him with a severely accurate prophetic ministry.
