Please our Commander

II Timothy - 2:3-4
"You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier."

     Consciously, subconsciously or both, we all  have a natural desire to please.  For many it is service to others while most it is pleasing themselves.  As Soldiers of Christ, we need to focus first on pleasing the One that enlisted us in the fight.  This is our Commander, Lord Jesus. 

     We are in His army, and He has bought and paid for our lives with His own blood.  As such, our lives should be dedicated to serving and following Him.  

     Many times soldiers are given orders that they do not understand, like or agree with.  The order may place the soldier in a position that he or she does not feel capable of doing.  Soldiers may also feel as though their commander has made a logistical mistake in his decision.

     Soldiers in Christ’s army should not worry about these types of things.  Once we are assured of the authenticity of the instructions as coming from our Commander, we can rest assured that they will lead to His glory in some way, even if we cannot understand how at the time.

     All military outfits have a method of communicating orders from the commanders to the soldiers in the field. Many times there are even safety mechanisms built in to verify that the orders are authentic.

     Likewise, we as Soldiers of Christ need to understand how we receive our instructions from our Commander.  Otherwise, how can we follow His orders if we do not receive the orders?  Is it possible to please our Commander without following His instructions?  What do you think?!

     First, we need to be certain that we know our Commander and have a personal relationship with Him.  Secondly, we need to understand how to know when we are truly receiving His directions for us.  Last, we need to have the strength, determination and the courage to carry out these instructions in a manner worthy of service to Him.  This is how we will please Him.

     This will be another area of study in the future.  We will discuss how to make sure that the call and direction on your life is from God and not from your flesh or from the enemy.  All directions and instructions must be tested to keep us on the right path.

(1)   Endure hardship
(2)   Soldier of Jesus Christ
(3)   Engaged in Warfare
(4)   Entangles himself
(5) Please our Commander