What it Means to Be a Christian - 4

The Christian is…

A Soldier

We Are At War!

• Spiritual warfare – John 18:36 (18:10-11)•Ephesians 6:12•2 Corinthians 10:3-6

We Are At War!

• A battle for the mind

• A battle for the souls of others

• A battle truth

• A battle for purity and unity

The Christian Soldier

• We are soldiers•2 Timothy 2:3•Philippians 2:25, Philemon 2, “fellow soldier”

The Christian Soldier• We need to fight•1 Timothy 6:12•Jude 3, “contend”•James 4:7, “resist the

devil and he will flee from you”•1 Cor. 16:13, “stand fast”

The Christian Soldier

• Know your enemy•2 Corinthians 2:11,

“we are not ignorant of his devices”•1 Peter 5:8,9, Beware of

him!

The Christian Soldier• Put on the gospel armor•Ephesians 6:10-18• Truth

RighteousnessPeaceFaithHope of salvation,…

The Christian Soldier• Put on the gospel armor•Ephesians 6:11, 13• “Put on the whole armor of

God”“Take up the whole armor”

• To leave off any piece leaves us vulnerable

The Christian Soldier

• Our Weapon•Ephesians 6:17, “The

sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God”•2 Corinthians 10:4-5•Hebrews 4:12

The Christian Soldier• Our Communication •Ephesians 6:18, “praying

always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit”

•Philippians 4:6Matt. 5:44

•1 Peter 5:7, Rom. 12:17-21

The Christian Soldier• Our Devotion•2 Timothy 2:3-4,

“endure hardship as a good soldier…”

• You are a soldier FIRST!•Matthew 6:33, 10:34-39, Luke 14:26-33

The Final Battle

•Revelation 19:11-21 God wins!•2 Timothy 4:6-8, “I

have fought the good fight…”•Romans 8:31-39, we

are more than conquerors

• As Christians we need to know whose side we are fighting for

• We must first enlist – 2 Tim. 2:3-4

• As a soldier, don’t be a deserter!

ARE you a soldier of Christ?