A follower of the Lord can be identified by many different names.  A disciple of the Lord is a Christian (Acts 11:26 and I Peter 4:16).  A disciple of the Lord is a saint (Romans 1:7, Romans 15:25, I Corinthians 1:2, and Ephesians 1:1).  A disciple of the Lord is a son or daughter of God (II Corinthians 6:18).  A disciple of the Lord is one of the elect (Colossians 3:12 and I Peter 1:1-2).  A disciple of the Lord is a peculiar person who has been redeemed (Titus 2:14).  On and on we could go from more to less familiar terms that identify God’s people.  One that is often overlooked or at less is less emphasized is the fact that disciples of the Lord are soldiers.

     When Paul wrote identifying Epaphroditus he described him as a brother, companion in labor, a messenger, and also as a fellow soldier: “Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants” (Philippians 2:25).  The kind of soldiers we are can be best described in what Paul wrote to Timothy.  Paul said we are soldiers of Jesus Christ: “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (II Timothy 2:3).  As soldiers for Christ we are to fight the good fight of faith (I Timothy 6:12).  Our battle is not a battle after the flesh (II Corinthians 10:3).  We prepare and fight a fight against what Paul describes so eloquently through inspiration for us: “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:11-12).  It certainly is a great day to be a soldier for many reasons (some of which we will not have space to examine in this article).  One of those reasons is because we are on the side of God fighting in His army.

     The armor Christians wear is the armor of God (Ephesians 6:11).  The armor of God is identified through spiritual terms, because our battle is a spiritual battle (Ephesians 6:13-17).  Because we are in the Lord’s army, the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds (II Corinthians 10:4).  When the Lord is the commander and chief of an army, the enemy is truly at a disadvantage.  When David heard the challenge that Goliath made to the army of Israel he correctly questioned: “… who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God” (I Samuel 17:26)?

     In the battle that we face against the wiles of the devil we are promised that if we submit to God and resist the devil he will flee (James 4:7).  In this battle we should have confidence because God is the almighty.  We should know, as David said: “And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hands” (I Samuel 17:47).  The Lord will always deliver evil into the hands of His army (I Samuel 17:46).  Whose army could claim what the army of Christians can while battling against the wiles of the devil?  The answer is – none!  Victory is defeating sin and evil.  God supplies us with all that is necessary to do so.

     It is no secret that many are on the path that leads to destruction (Matthew 7:13-14, Matthew 22:14, and Luke 13:23).  The laborers in the Lord’s army are few (Luke 10:2).  Does this matter?  Any student of the Bible that has ever thought about this subject matter should recall at least one obvious example that shows the odds of God’s armies are not based on being in the majority.  In fact, if you recall what the Lord said to Gideon you will have a different outlook on numbers: “And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me” (Judges 7:2).  The Lord then worked out the army from thirty-two thousand down to three hundred men that were then divided into three companies (Judges 7:3-16).

     The number of the true army of God is even fewer than many may realize.  There are those that claim to be Christians, meet with Christians, but truly have no desire to do the work of a soldier in the Lord’s army.  They are just as Satan, pretending to be of righteousness but desiring to destroy from within the walls of the heavenly Jerusalem (II Corinthians 11:12-15; cf. Hebrews 12:22-23).  We should not be amazed since we are also described in the New Testament as sheep (John 10:1ff.).  We are sheep who need to be aware of wolves among us wearing sheep’s clothing (Matthew 7:15).  Our battle is without and at times, is also within the encampment.  Thus, we who will fight the good fight of faith need to realize how much the world depends on us to rescue them out of the camp of Satan.

     Paul wrote saying: “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:  In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them” (II Corinthians 4:3-4).  There are many within the grasp of Satan that have no idea they’re blind to the saving power of the Gospel.  They need us, soldiers in the Lord’s army, to go into this world to save them through preaching the Gospel to them (Mark 16:15-16).  That is just like any army that has to go behind enemy lines to rescue hostages.  These folks have been taken captive by the will of Satan (II Timothy 2:26).  That does not mean they are innocent.  Those outside of Christ are looked at as being enemies of Christ (Matthew 12:30).  It is their choices to do wrong that have made them servants of Satan.  Yet, we are so desperately needed to take the Gospel to them and help them save themselves (Acts 2:40).

     As soldiers in the Lord’s army we must never get tired of doing the good work we do (Galatians 6:9).  We must strive to defeat evil while at the same time not becoming the enemy ourselves (I Corinthians 9:27).  We must maintain humility in our battles to know where there are victories, they belong to the Lord.  It is our work to plant and water, the increase comes from God (I Corinthians 3:6).  To a similar point, we know that the Lord’s word never returns void of results (Isaiah 55:11).  Our work is to take that saving Gospel to those lost, but it is their responsibility to follow the word of God out of the captivity of sin wherein they find themselves.  The fight is ours, but the result is not in our control.  In the end, all who want to be saved will be saved and those who reject the word of the Lord will be rejected by the Lord (John 12:48).

     Any day wherein we get to strap on the spiritual armor God has supplied and fight against the ways of evil is a good day.  In the end of our physical lives we should all want to say what Paul was able to express: “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.  I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing” (II Timothy 4:6-8).  If you’re not a Christian you’re not a soldier in the army of the Lord.  Find out now how to be part of the Lord’s army and to join the winning side (I Corinthians 15:26)!