“Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ – 2 Timothy 2:3 (KJV)
Beloved, we are the redeemed of the Lord, and we have a worldwide mandate by our Commander in Chief, Jesus Christ, to spread the Gospel. Satan will not stand idly by and watch us infiltrate the kingdom of darkness to rescue those that are bound by sin and iniquity and will employ every diabolical strategy to stymie our mission which we have been commissioned to perform according to Matthew 28:19-20 and Acts 1:8.
Be informed, saints, that when apostle Paul told Timothy to “endure hardness,” he meant that he should not allow himself to be easily discouraged, and likewise, we should not. It means we must be prepared for conflict at all times of the day: in the wee hours of the morning or late in the night. No retreat, no surrender! We must never back down from the threats of the enemy. We must draw confidence that whenever we are in spiritual warfare, the battle is the Lord’s, and the victory is ours (Deuteronomy 20:4 – ESV).
Soldiers of the cross, be reminded that hardships come with your profession, and it is not a question of if but when you go through. There is purpose in the pain, and there are treasures of experience that you obtain during the process that prepares you for the next level of anointing. Stress and hardship, although not enjoyable, do pass, and as time moves on, solutions come.
It is only through a tremendous amount of patience that we are able to turn our terrors into triumphs. Like clay in the hands of the potter, let us allow God to mold us into the warriors He wants us to be. Remember, our enemies come to push us into our purpose; without Goliath, there would be no King David. A double anointing of blessings came upon Job after he was sorely tested by the devil.
Brethren, in order for us to endure to the end, we must always maintain faith and hope in Christ, and among the many ways we do this are by praying, fasting, and reading the Holy Scriptures. These practices will fortify us against the evil subtle schemes and fiery darts of the adversary. Soldier on!
Read: Psalm 66:16; Mark 9:41
Bible Reading Guide: Psalm 95; I Corinthians 7:36-40; I Corinthians 8; Ecclesiastes 7; Ecclesiastes 8; Ecclesiastes 9:1-12
