Daily Devotional: BE!
Day 20: Be a Good Soldier of Jesus Christ
God is a Warrior
Zephaniah 3:17 [NIV]
“The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior Who saves. He will take great delight in you; in His love He will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”
1. A Good Soldier Obeys the Commands of His Superior Officer
John 13:34
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
John 15:12
“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
John 15:14
“You are My friends if you do what I command.”
John 15:17
“This is My command: Love each other.
Acts 1:4
“On one occasion, while He was eating with them, He gave them this command: ‘Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift My Father promised, which you have heard Me speak about.”
Galatians 5:14
“For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.”
2 Thessalonians 3:4
“We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command.”
1 Timothy 6:13-19
13 “In the sight of God, Who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, Who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession I charge you,
14 to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15 which God will bring about in His Own time — God, the Blessed and Only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords,
16 Who alone is Immortal, and Who lives in unapproachable light, Whom no one has seen or can see. To Him be honor and might forever, Amen.”
17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, Who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.
19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.”
2. A Good Soldier is Compensated for His Service
1 Corinthians 9:7 [New International Version]
Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink the milk?
3. Good Soldiers help their Fellow Soldiers in Need
Philippians 2:25
But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs.”
4. A Good soldier is Empathetic of others Circumstances
2 Timothy 2:3
3 “Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
5. Good Soldiers are Focused on the Mission
2 Timothy 2:4
4 No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer.”
6. Good Soldiers don’t Fraternize with the Enemy
1 Timothy 6:11
11 “But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.”
7. Good Soldiers have no other mind but Victory
1 Timothy 6:12
12 “Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you are called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
8. Good Soldiers Keep their Armor On
Ephesians 6:10-18
10 “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.
11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against rulers, against authorities, against powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
14Stand firm, then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,
15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this is mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”
9. Good soldiers Guard what has been Entrusted to Them
1 Corinthians 15:2
“By this Gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word preached to you. Otherwise you have believed in vain.”
1 Timothy 6:20
20 Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge.”
10. A Good Soldier Comforts Those Who Mourn
Isaiah 61:1-3
“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion — to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor.”
2 Corinthians 1:6-7
6 “If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer.
7And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.”
11: A Good Soldier doesn’t let His Fellow Soldiers Give Up
Isaiah 41:13-14
13 “For I am the Lord your God Who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, ‘Do not fear; I will help you.
14 Do not be afraid, you worm Jacob, little Israel, do not fear, for I Myself will help you,’ declares the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.”
Isaiah 49:8
“This is what the Lord says: ‘At the time of My favor I will answer you, and in the day of salvation I will help you; I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people, to restore the land and to reassign its desolate inheritances.
Isaiah 49:14-16
14 “But Zion said, ‘The Lord has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me.
15 ‘Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!
16 See, I have engraved you on the palms of My hands; your walls are ever before Me.”
John 10:28-29
28 “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of My hand.
29 My Father, Who has given them to Me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand.”
12. A Good Soldier Forgives Friendly Fire
Mark 11:25
“And when you stand praying, forgive, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
Matthew 6:14-15
14 “For idc you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
2 Corinthians 2:7
“Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.”
13. Good Soldiers Help Rebuild after the War
Isaiah 44:24-28
24 “This is what the Lord says — your Redeemer, Who formed you in the womb: I am the Lord, the Maker of all things, Who stretches out the heavens, Who spreads out the earth by Myself
25 Who foils the signs of false prophets and makes fools of diviners, Who overthrows the learning of the wise and turns it into nonsense,
26 Who carries out the words of His servant and fulfills the predictions of His messengers, Who says of Jerusalem, ‘It shall be inhabited’, of the towns of Judah, ‘They shall be rebuilt,’ and of their ruins, ‘I will restore them.’
27 Who says to the watery deep, ‘Be dry, and I will dry up your streams,’
28 Who says of Cyrus, ‘He is My Shepherd and will accomplish all that I please; he will say of Jerusalem ,’Let it be rebuilt,’ and of the temple, ‘Let sit’s foundations be laid.’”
Ephesians 2:22
“And in Him you are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit.”
1 Peter 2:5
“You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”
2 Peter 2:9
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him Who called you out of darkness into His wonderful Light.
Encouragement:
We have the victory because we live in Jesus Christ, our Warrior King.
