02 February 24, 2013, 2 Timothy 2:3-4 How To Be A Good Soldier In God's Army

HOW TO BE A
GOOD SOLDIER
IN GOD’S ARMY
2 Timothy 2:3-4
February 24, 2013
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI

TWELVE STEP
PROGRAM ON
ENTERING THE
US MILITARY

1. Recruited
2. It’s your decision
3. Enlisted (I’m all in)
4. Hurry up and wait
5. Separated from family
6. Transported
7. Transformation begins

8. Ground is level
9. Instant obedience
10. Willingness to suffer
11. Desire to please
12. Graduation –
What banner flies over
my head?

I pledge allegiance to the
Christian Flag and to the
Savior for whose Kingdom
it stands. One Savior,
crucified, risen, and
coming again with life and
liberty to all who believe.

I pledge allegiance to the
Bible, God's Holy Word, I
will make it a lamp unto
my feet and a light unto
my path and will hide its
words in my heart that I
might not sin against God.

CODE OF CONDUCT
FOR THE U. S.
FIGHTING MAN

1. I am an American
fighting man. I serve in
the forces which guard
my country and our way
of life. I am prepared to
give my life in their
defense.

6. I will never forget that I
am an American fighting
man, responsible for my
actions, and dedicated to
the principles which made
my country free.

I will trust in my God and
in the United States of
America. (There are no
atheists in foxholes!)
CODE OF CONDUCT
FOR THE U. S.
FIGHTING MAN

After Paul wrote the
prison letters of
Colossians and Ephesians,
he wrote 2 Timothy from
prison in Rome around
63 A.D. under very
difficult circumstances.

*2 Timothy was the last
letter written by Paul that
appears in the Bible.

*Paul's outlook for his
earthly life had darkened
considerably from his
earlier prison letters.
*By this time he didn't
expect to live much
longer. See 2 Tim 4:6-8

2 Timothy 4:6-8

6 “For I am already
being poured out as a
drink offering, and the
time of my departure has
come.

7 I have fought the good
fight, I have finished the
course, I have kept the
faith;
8 in the future there is laid
up for me the crown of
righteousness, which the

Lord, the righteous Judge,
will award to me on that
day; and not only to me,
but also to all who have
loved His appearing.”

2 Timothy 4:6-8

Today’s text:
2 Timothy 2:3-4 NASB

2 Timothy 2:1-4 NASB
3 “Suffer hardship with
me, as a good soldier
of Christ Jesus.
4 No soldier in active
service entangles himself
in the affairs of everyday

life, so that he may please
the One Who enlisted him
as a soldier.”

In his letter to the church
at Ephesus (62A.D.), Paul
had already encouraged
them to “be strong in the
Lord, and in the strength
of His might”(Eph6:10).
Now listen to the military

language as Paul says to:
"Put on the full armor of
God, that you may be able
to stand firm against the
schemes of the devil. For
our struggle is not against
flesh and blood,

but against the rulers,
against the powers,
against the world forces of
this darkness, against the
spiritual forces of
wickedness in the
heavenly places.

Therefore, take up the full
armor of God, that you
may be able to resist in
the evil day, and having
done everything, to stand
firm".
Ephesians 6:11-13

Paul also admonished the
believers at Corinth about
the offensive side of that
battle, saying, "Though
we walk in the flesh, we
do not war according to
the flesh, for the weapons

of our warfare are not of
the flesh, but divinely
powerful for the
destruction of fortresses.”
2 Corinthians 10:3-4
Our weapons are the
Word of God and prayer!

Six talking points of
interest in today’s lesson
concerning what it takes
to be a good soldier in
God’s army:

1. Pray!
2. Ground is level.
3. Instant obedience.
4. Willingness to suffer.
5. Desire to please Him.
6. What banner flies over
your head?

PRAY
In order to be a good
soldier of Christ Jesus, we
need to be
praying
soldiers!

Ephesians 6:17-20 NASB
17 “And take the helmet
of salvation, and
the sword of the Spirit,
which is the word of God.
18 With all prayer and
petition pray at all times

in the Spirit, and with this
in view, be on the alert
(Gideon’s soldiers) with
all perseverance
and petition (tell folks that
your are an intercessor)
for all the saints,

19 and pray on my behalf,
that utterance may be
given to me in the
opening of my mouth, to
make known with
boldness the mystery of
the Gospel,

20 for which I am an
ambassador (about the
King’s business) in chains;
that in proclaiming it I
may speak boldly, as I
ought to speak.”

*No one is better than
anyone else.

*No one is loved more or
loved less by Christ.

*We are all equal in
importance when we are
fully obedient to
becoming and doing as
God desires.
*No one is greater than
any other.

We are called by no merit
of our own,
gifted by no merit of our
own and talented by no
merit of our own to be
integral but not
indispensable to His will.

*We are to be the body of
Christ which gives God
glory together.
*Each one needs every
other one.
*We must hold all other
believers in high esteem.

*The only greatness I can
ever achieve is being the
servant of everyone.
*Simple obedience is
God's measure.

*It makes us all equal.

17 “If the whole body
were an eye, where would
the hearing be? If the
whole were hearing,
where would the sense of
smell be?

18 But now God
has placed the members,
each one of them, in the
body, just as He desired.”


Romans 12:3-5 NIV 1984
3 “For by the grace given
me I say to every one of
you: Do not think of
yourself more highly than
you ought, but rather
think of yourself with

sober judgment, in
accordance with the
measure of faith God has
given you.
4 Just as each of us has
one body with many
members, and these

members do not all have
the same function,
5 so in Christ we who are
many form one body, and
each member belongs to
all the others.”
Romans 12:3-5 NIV 1984

*Salvation is the great
equalizer.

*It makes the ground level
at the foot of the cross.

*Paul calls on Timothy to
serve the Lord as a good
soldier of Christ Jesus.
*A spiritual Christian does
not simply do minimum
duty for his Lord but
serves Him with all that

he is and all that he has.
The soldier is conditioned
to obedience. The early
training of a soldier is
designed to make him
unquestioningly obey the
word of command.

*There may come a time
when such instinctive
obedience will save his
life and the lives of others.
*There is a sense in which
it is no part of the soldier's
duty "to know the reason

why.”
“Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die.”

*The Charge of the Light
Brigade by
Alfred Lord Tennyson

*Involved as a soldier is in
the midst of the battle, he
cannot see the over-all
picture.
*Those decisions he must
leave to the Commander
Who sees the whole field.

*The Battle of the Bulge…

*The first Christian duty is
obedience to the voice of
God, and acceptance even
of that which he cannot
understand.

Another mark of a good
soldier that Paul mentions
is the willingness to suffer
hardship.
*One scholar translates
the phrase, "take one's
share of rough treatment."

By adding “with me”,
Paul gives assurance that
he would not ask
anything of Timothy that
he himself was not doing
or willing to do.

*Sunkakopatheo (suffer
hardship with) is a
compound verb that
means to suffer evil or
pain along with someone
else.

It is difficult for Christians
in the USA to understand
what serious spiritual
warfare and suffering for
Christ really means in
other parts of the world.

However, the secular
environment in our
society is becoming more
and more hostile to
Christianity.

We are not yet faced with
loss of job, imprisonment,
and execution because of
our faith.

With few exceptions,
being a Christian today in
the US will not keep a
student out of college or a
worker from getting a
good job.

But the more faithful a
Christian becomes and the
more the Lord blesses his
work, the more Satan will
put roadblocks, rejection,
and hardships in the way.

In the near future, the
more evident the spiritual
warfare becomes, the
more frequent and
obvious the hardships
will become.

*A soldier in active
service does not have a 9
to 5 job, or even a long 80-
hour work week.
*He is a soldier 24 hours a
day, every day of the year.
*His body, his health, his

skills, his time — all that
he is — belong to the
military in which he
serves.
*Even when on leave, he
is subject to recall at any
time, without notice and

for any reason.
*Whenever ordered into
dangerous duty, a good
soldier is expected to put
his very life on the line
without question or
hesitation.

Consequently, he is
separated from his normal
environment, so that he
will not entangle himself
in the affairs of everyday
life.

Entangle himself
translates a passive form
of empleko, which
literally means to weave.
Paul is not speaking about
things that necessarily are
wrong in themselves.

It is not that a soldier
should have no contact at
all with his former friends
and surroundings, but
that he is not to become
caught up and enmeshed
in them.

Those things that attempt
to weave themselves into
his life are irrelevant to
his soldiering and are
always subject to being
relinquished.

Imagine a soldier in the
midst of battle going to
his sergeant or his
lieutenant and saying,
"Sir, I'm sorry to have to
leave, but I have to go
over into the city to see

about some business; and
then I have a date with a
local girl, and I just won't
be able to be here for the
battle tonight!"

*A great many Christians
are trying to fight like that
today!

*In our culture it is all
about our convenience
and our comfort.

A good soldier of Christ
Jesus refuses to allow
earthly matters to
interfere with the
fulfillment of his duty to
his Lord.

Don’t allow concerns and
activities that are innocent
in themselves to crowd
out the primary purpose
of serving Jesus Christ in
the advancement of His
kingdom.

The contemporary church
in the US seems to have
missed the reality of
spiritual warfare.
Many have heard only the
gospel of easy believism
and cheap grace.

They have an inadequate
concept of the spiritual
struggle involved in
loving the Lord Jesus
Christ.

Such people often
magnify the petty
temporal annoyances of
everyday life until they
seem like trials of epic
proportions!
*First world problems.

That is as absurd as a
soldier in the midst of a
raging firefight
complaining about the
food in the mess hall.

Jesus recognized that such
disconnection and call to
duty required of His
faithful disciple, a soldier
in His active service, is
not easy.

As He and His disciples
were going along the
road, someone said to
Him, "I will follow You
wherever You go."

And Jesus said to him,
"The foxes have holes, and
the birds of the air have
nests, but the Son of Man
has nowhere to lay His
head."

And He said to another,
"Follow Me." But he said,
"Permit me first to go and
bury my father." But He
said to him, "Allow the
dead to bury their own
dead; but as for you,

go and proclaim
everywhere the kingdom
of God." And another also
said, "I will follow You,
Lord; but first permit me
to say good-bye to those
at home."

But Jesus said to him, "No
one, after putting his hand
to the plow and looking
back, is fit for the
kingdom of God."

Luke 9:57-62

In the parable of the soils,
"the one on whom seed
was sown among the
thorns, this is the man
who hears the word, and
the worry of the world,
and the deceitfulness of

riches choke the word,
and it becomes unfruitful"
(Matthew 13:22).

Those are the kind of
professing Christians of
whom Peter speaks:
"If after they have escaped
the defilements of the
world by the knowledge
of the Lord and Savior

Jesus Christ, they are
again entangled in them
and are overcome, the last
state has become worse
for them than the first"
(2 Peter 2:20).

"The worry of the world,
and the deceitfulness of
riches" of which Jesus
spoke are among the
affairs of everyday life
that can keep one from
faithfully serving Him.

Just as the dutiful soldier
places his life willingly on
the line in service of his
country, so the faithful
Christian will willingly
"deny himself, and take
up his cross, and follow

Christ" (Matt 16:24).
*He will say with Paul,
"I do not consider my life
of any account as dear to
myself, in order that I
may finish my course, and
the ministry which I

received from the Lord
Jesus" (Acts 20:24).
*The good soldier in God’s
army is willing to suffer
hardship for the One Who
paid the ultimate price for
his salvation.

The next mark of a good
soldier is a genuine desire
to please the One Who
enlisted him as a soldier.

A Christian's deepest
desire is to please the
Lord Jesus Christ, his
Commander in Chief, the
One Who enlisted him.

It is impossible to serve
two commanders in chief,
just as it is impossible to
serve two masters
(Matthew 6:24).

The faithful Christian's
fondest hope is to be
rewarded for loyal service
and to hear his Master
say, "Well done, good and
faithful servant; you were
faithful with a few things,

I will put you in charge of
many things, enter into
the joy of your master"
(Matthew 25:21).

Triangle:
Love of God
Fear of God
Desire for God

The strong desire to
please other people
instead of pleasing God is
an integral characteristic
of fallen man.

Because of the continued
influence of the old self
(Ephesians 4:22), even
Christians are tempted to
be men-pleasers rather
than God-pleasers.

22 “In reference to your
former manner of life,
you lay aside the old self,
which is being corrupted
in accordance with
the lusts of deceit,

23 and that you be
renewed in the spirit of
your mind,
24 and put on the new self,
which in the likeness of
God has been created in
righteousness and

holiness of the truth.”


Many Christians succumb
to that temptation and
become more concerned
about pleasing their
fellow workers, their
neighbors, and their
friends than about

pleasing the Lord.
*That desire inevitably
leads to moral and
spiritual decline, because
pleasing the world,
including worldly
Christians, demands

compromise of God's
truth, God's standards,
and personal godliness.
*Pleasing people more
than God demands
forsaking Christ as our
first love.

“that he may please the
One Who enlisted him as
a soldier.” 2 Timothy 2:4b
*The believer has to
establish his priorities –
the fellowship of His
sufferings over comfort.

10 “that I may know Him
(personally) and the
power of His resurrection
(powerfully) and the
fellowship of His
sufferings (passionately),”
Philippians 3:10 NASB

Paul is talking about
being so entangled in
worldliness that one is not
able to live the Christian
life that is pleasing to the
Father.

We are to recognize that
the Christian life is not a
playground; it is a
battleground.

It is a battlefield where
battles are being won, and
where battles are being
lost also.

From the situation of the
Ephesian church some
years after Paul wrote this
letter to Timothy (who
was pastoring in
Ephesus), we know that
forsaking Christ as our

first love is possible even
when our doctrine is
sound and we toil and
persevere for Him
(see Revelation 2:2-4).

When that happens, we
must "remember therefore
from where we have
fallen, and repent" (v. 5).

We must remind
ourselves of Paul's
sobering testimony:
"If I were still trying to
please men, I would not
be a bond-servant of
Christ" (Galatians 1:10).

When Christ is our first
love, we will "have as our
ambition, whether at
home or absent, to be
pleasing to Him"
(2 Corinthians 5:9).

4 “but just as we have
been approved by God to
be entrusted with the
Gospel, so we speak, not
as pleasing men, but God
Who examines our
hearts.” 1 Thess 2:4

*Instant obedience.

*Moses, Aaron and Hur.

*What banner flies over
your camp?
See Exodus 17:9-15:

Exodus 17:9-15 NASB
9 “Moses said to Joshua,
‘Choose men for us and
go out, fight against
Amalek. Tomorrow I will
station myself on the top
of the hill with the staff of

God in my hand.’
10 Joshua did as Moses
told him, and fought
against Amalek; and
Moses, Aaron, and Hur
went up to the top of the
hill.

11 So it came about when
Moses held his hand up,
that Israel prevailed, and
when he let his hand
down, Amalek prevailed.

12 But Moses’ hands were
heavy. Then they took a
stone and put it under
him, and he sat on it; and
Aaron and Hur supported
his hands, one on one side
and one on the other.

Thus his hands were
steady until the sun set.

13 So Joshua
overwhelmed Amalek
and his people with the
edge of the sword.

14 Then the Lord said to
Moses, “Write this in a
book as a memorial
and recite it to Joshua,
that I will utterly blot out
the memory of Amalek
from under heaven.”

15 Moses built an altar
and named it:
“The Lord is My Banner”.

(Jehovah Nissi)

Exodus 17:9-15 NASB

This battle was all about God, the battle itself was
orchestrated by God. Moses knew this and wanted
to make certain the Israelites knew it and
remembered it. Nothing that he or they did in the
physical realm brought about victory. God’s
presence and power took them into the battle and
assured the victory when the battle was done.
What battles are you fighting today?
Is the battle you are in one that the Lord has chosen
for you? Strange question, isn’t it? Scripture is very
clear in this particular passage that the Lord, in fact,
chooses certain battles for us to fight. Does He lead
the way as Jehovah Nissi in your current battles?

Perhaps the battle you are in is a battle that you have
chosen, one that is outside the will of God? Are you
fighting in your own strength? Are you struggling to
be victorious in the battle? If Jehovah Nissi is leading
the way in your struggle, then you are assured
success, but if you are fighting your battle in your
own strength, your defeat is imminent.
Where in your life do you need God to show
Himself strong as Jehovah Nissi – the Lord my
Banner – and go before you so that you may know
victory?

The "banner" would be the battle-standard, a pole,
perhaps with an eye-catching cloth upon it. The Bronze
Serpent was raised on this sort of pole. The altar is built
to commemorate the battle, and what this episode
reveals about the nature and character of Jehovah.

The Lord is our "battle-standard" because we look to
him. Moses had stood above the fray, and his hands
rose and fell (presumably holding the Rod of God), until
Aaron and Hur sat Moses, and upheld his arms to keep
them up. The dry stick wasn't so impressive, but what it
represented to the men fighting in the dells below was
glorious. This was God's battle, not theirs. Moses, and
his rod were pointing the fighters (in his Mediatorial role)
to the Cloud that ever accompanied them.

So often in those stories in the wilderness, it seems as though the
children of Israel are oblivious to the Presence, the Angel of the
Lord, until Moses gets them to look, to focus, to see Who it is that
is with them, Who has helped them, Who is for them when their
enemies attack them.

The explanation that follows the Name is significant. "A hand on
the throne of the Lord!" is either an exclamation of outrage (if the
hand is the presumptuous hand of Amalek), or it is an exclamation
of his own oath (upon the seat of his power and authority). But in
any case, the oath is that of The Lord swears to never step back
from this conflict until it is utterly complete, until he has
exterminated Amalek to the last man, woman, and child. He so
identifies himself with this warfare so as to BE what the flag
stands for. "I am the flag, rally to me, and in my strength and by
my will I, and you, will overcome our foes--these in particular,
Amalek and all he stands for."

We are weak, but he is strong.

We are a wilderness people. The Promised Land is future.
Our Amalek is the world, the flesh, and the devil. The battle
is the Lord's, but we fight it in his strength, by faith, looking to
our Mediator, keeping our eyes on him. And in his might we
prevail. It's a miracle.

But the focus of the verses is on Moses, the mediator of the
Old Covenant, and what he stands for. He is a type of Christ.
He's literally pointing to the Christ who is with the people in
the Pillar of Cloud. But he's human and has his own sinful
limits. But he is strengthened by the others, who all three
form a kind of "prophet-priest-king" stand. Israel is victorious
ultimately because her mediator is victorious.

In other words, I find that the passage is more to the
purpose of teaching me about God, rather than teaching
me about me. But in the process I understand how his
victory means I will have victory over all my enemies,
because God isn't going to rest until he has obliterated
the very memory of his, and our, foes--those who dared
to prey on his little ones trudging through this dangerous
place. So, while in principle I know that ALL my enemies
are defeated, in practice I don't know the manner that
God may use (or the amount of time it will take) to beat a
certain temptation. The story doesn't descend to that
level of detail. Amalek wasn't wiped out that day. The
focus is on the nature of the battle, which helps us
soldier on each day, facing the temptations of that day.

Holman Christian Standard
Bible (©2009)
“On that day the root of Jesse
will stand as a banner for the
peoples. The nations will
seek Him, and His resting
place will be glorious.”
Isa 11:10

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
And Moses built an altar,.... On Horeb, as
Aben Ezra; on the top of the hill, as Ben
Gersom, where sacrifices of thanksgiving
were offered up for the victory obtained, or
however a monument erected in memory of
it:

and he called the name of it Jehovahnissi; which signifies either "the
Lord is my miracle" who wrought a miracle for them in giving them the
victory over Amalek, as well as, through smiting the rock with the rod,
brought out water from thence for the refreshment of the people, their
children and cattle; or "the Lord is my banner": alluding to the hands of
Moses being lifted up with the rod therein, as a banner displayed, under
which Joshua and Israel fought, and got the victory. This may fitly be
applied to Christ, who is both altar, sacrifice, and priest, and who is the
true Jehovah, and after so called; and who is lifted up as a banner,
standard, or ensign in the everlasting Gospel, in order to gather souls
unto him, and enlist them under him, and to prepare them for war, and
encourage them in it against their spiritual enemies; and as a token of
their victory over them, and a direction to them where they shall stand,
when to march, and whom they shall follow; and to distinguish them
from all other bands and companies, and for the protection of them from
all their enemies, see Isaiah 11:10. These words were inscribed upon
the altar, or the altar was called the altar of Jehovahnissi, in memory of
what was here done; from hence it has been thought (a), that Baachus,
among the Heathens, had his name of Dionysius, as if it was
Jehovahnyssaeus.

Clarke's Commentary on the Bible
Jehovah-nissi - Jehovah is my ensign or banner. The
hands and rod of Moses were held up as soldiers are
wont to hold up their standards in the time of battle; and
as these standards bear the arms of the country, the
soldiers are said to fight under that banner, i.e., under
the direction and in the defense of that government.
Thus the Israelites fought under the direction of God,
and in the defense of his truth; and therefore the name
of Jehovah became the armorial bearing of the whole
congregation. By his direction they fought, and in his
name and strength they conquered; each one feeling
himself, not his own, but the Lord's soldier.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Jehovah-nissi - See the margin, "Jehovah my
banner." As a proper name the Hebrew word is
rightly preserved. The meaning is evidently that
the name of Yahweh is the true banner under
which victory is certain; so to speak, the motto or
inscription on the banners of the host. Inscriptions
on the royal standard were well known. Each of
the Pharaohs on his accession adopted one in
addition to his official name.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
17:8-16 Israel engaged with Amalek in their own necessary defence. God makes his
people able, and calls them to various services for the good of his church. Joshua fights,
Moses prays, both minister to Israel. The rod was held up, as the banner to encourage
the soldiers. Also to God, by way of appeal to him. Moses was tired. The strongest arm
will fail with being long held out; it is God only whose hand is stretched out still. We do
not find that Joshua's hands were heavy in fighting, but Moses' hands were heavy in
praying; the more spiritual any service is, the more apt we are to fail and flag in it. To
convince Israel that the hand of Moses, whom they had been chiding, did more for their
safety than their own hands, his rod than their sword, the success rises and falls as
Moses lifts up or lets down his hands. The church's cause is more or less successful, as
her friends are more or less strong in faith, and fervent in prayer. Moses, the man of
God, is glad of help. We should not be shy, either of asking help from others, or of giving
help to others. The hands of Moses being thus stayed, were steady till the going down of
the sun. It was great encouragement to the people to see Joshua before them in the field
of battle, and Moses above them on the hill. Christ is both to us; our Joshua, the Captain
of our salvation, who fights our battles, and our Moses, who ever lives, making
intercession above, that our faith fail not. Weapons formed against God's Israel cannot
prosper long, and shall be broken at last. Moses must write what had been done, what
Amalek had done against Israel; write their bitter hatred; write their cruel attempts; let
them never be forgotten, nor what God had done for Israel in saving them from Amalek.
Write what should be done; that in process of time Amalek should be totally ruined and
rooted out. Amalek's destruction was typical of the destruction of all the enemies of
Christ and his kingdom.

Isaiah 54:17

17 “No weapon that is
formed against you will
prosper”.

How does Moses respond in Ex 17:15?
Moses built altar
He named the altar Jehovah Nissi

Jehovah Nissi in the Greek (LXX) = "kurios
mou kataphuge" which in English =

"The Lord My Refuge"

For interesting parallel see this same word
kataphuge in (Ps 46:1)

Psalm 46:1 (NASB95)
1 God is our refuge and
strength,
A very present help in
trouble.

When "Amalek" comes...
Keep your eye on
Jesus Your Jehovah-Nissi
The LORD your Banner
Your Signal
Your Standard to rally under!

To be distracted > look around
To be distressed > look within
To be defeated > look back
To be discouraged > look down
To be delivered > look up
To be delighted > look to Christ

Who is Jehovah Nissi?
Isa 11:10 Then it will come about in that day
(what "Day"?) that the nations (who are
"nations" in Scripture?) will resort to the
root of Jesse (Who is this?) Who will stand
as a signal (Hebrew word = nec = banner)
(Isa 11:12) He (Who?) will lift up a standard
(nec) for the nations and will assemble the
banished ones of Israel and will gather the
dispersed of Judah from the four corners of
the earth.

Even today a banner is a standard that
bears the colors by which a military unit is
identified and behind which troops rally.
The "standard-bearer" carries the colors and
marching bands are often led by people
carrying a banner that identifies the band,
and after which the musicians fall in line. So
when Moses names the altar Jehovah Nissi,
The Lord is my Banner, he proclaims as a
memorial - "I rally behind Jehovah. It is He
to Whom I look. It is He Whom I will
follow."

A wonderful picture of God's protection &
deliverance under imagery of a banner >

Ps 60:4 Thou hast given a banner to those who
fear Thee, that it may be displayed because of the
truth. Selah. 5 That Thy beloved may be
delivered, Save with Thy right hand, and answer
us!

Ps 20:5 We will sing for joy over your victory,
And in the name of our God we will set up our
banners. May the LORD fulfill all your petitions.

Even as Moses needed the assistance of Aaron and Hur, so
today those called to spiritual leadership need the
undergirding of the people to whom they minister. How can
you help your pastor, your Bible study leader, etc? Their
work is demanding, often discouraging, and fraught with
many attacks by the "Amalekites". Christian leaders need
your encouragement (word) and support (deed). When was
the last time you "took hold" of your pastor's hand and
verbally expressed your gratitude for his ministry (Psalm
20:5)? A word properly timed will be, in effect, "holding up
his hands," and will help to assure spiritual victory in your
church under the banner of Jehovah Nissi!
O "hold up the hands" of the worker for Christ,
Encourage his soul by your prayer;
A handclasp, a smile, or a word of good cheer,
Will help him life's burdens to bear. G. W.

What do we learn of warfare?
Staff of God ~ His "banner over" us
(Song 2:4) symbolizes His presence, His
power & His provision. Even as He
provided food & water He gives us
victory in spiritual warfare. When
confronted with "Amalekites" don't
depend on your zeal or ingenuity to
defeat them but on your rallying point,
Jehovah Nissi (Romans 8:26, 27;
Hebrews 7:25)

What some lessons for life?
Moses by the staff in his hand
looked for victory to God alone,
& did not trust the “arm of
flesh”
The Battle is the Lord's, but He
often fights thru His human
instruments like Joshua & the
chosen men.

Song of Solomon 2:4

4 “He has brought me to
his banquet hall,
And his banner over me
is love.”

The Septuagint translators
believed nis·si′ to be derived
from nus (flee for refuge) and
rendered it "the Lord My Refuge",
[3]while in the Vulgate it was
thought to be derived from na·sas
′ (hoist; lift up) and was rendered
"Jehovah Is My Exaltation".

Jehovah Nissi: The Lord Is My Banner

The Olympic Games always open with an awe inspiring procession of
athletes from all the participating countries of the world marching
around the field under their country's banner or flag. The flag is their
identification with the sponsoring country and a rallying point for the
athletes and fans. Great cheers go up from the citizens of each country
as their team goes by with the flag waving back and forth.

We rally 'round the flag each Fourth of July in the United States to
celebrate our freedom. We wave flags, bake flag cakes, display flags and
sing a song about our flag - the Star Spangled Banner, at the opening of
every baseball game.

The most important thing flags or banners do, however, is mark victory.
It is well understood that the conquering army in any battle has the
right to remove the defeated country's flag and replace it with their
own, usually in the highest spot possible for all to see. The country with
the conquering flag has won and now they are in control.

THE LORD IS MY BANNER

It was over a great battle in the Old Testament that God revealed himself as
Jehovah Nissi, THE LORD IS MY BANNER. It happened at the time when
Israel was wandering in the wilderness after miraculously crossing the Red Sea.
Amalek was the enemy who came against Israel in Rephidim. In Exodus 17:8-16
Moses called on his young apprentice, Joshua, to lead the Israelites into battle
while he stationed himself on top of a hill to pray. He had with him his brother
Aaron and his assistant, Hur. As Moses lifted his hands and prayed, the
Israelites prevailed in the battle but when he let his hands down, Amalek
prevailed. So Aaron and Hur set Moses on a rock and held his hands up for him
until the battle was totally won.

At the end of the day there was victory and God told Moses to write down
what had happened and read it in Joshua's hearing. God was thinking ahead to
the time when Moses would be gone and Joshua would be called upon to take
over leadership of God's chosen people. Joshua would be the one to cross the
Jordan River into Canaan (the Promised Land) and defeat Jericho. He would
have plenty of battles ahead of him and God wanted him to remember back to
this one and the victory God had given them.

Instead of raising a flag, Moses built an altar because in those times, an
altar was often used as a place of remembering or marking an important
event. This is where Moses called God Jehovah Nissi because he
understood the revelation that God himself is our banner, our victory.
He is the one who wins our battles. He still does that by the way. When
Moses wrote that story down for Joshua, he was also writing it down for
our benefit so that we will remember it as we go into battle. How do we
know that?

There is an interesting thing that God says when he tells Moses to write
down the story. God says that he "…will utterly blot out the
remembrance of Amalek from under heaven." (verse 14b) That means
that this enemy would not rise again - he was defeated UTTERLY. In
verse 16, however, Moses says; "…the Lord has sworn: the Lord will
have war with Amalek from generation to generation." How is it that
God is saying the enemy was completely defeated and yet that there
would be future wars with Amalek in future generations?

Amalek in this story represents our enemy, Satan, who is active against God's
people in all generations. Even though the literal "Amalek" at that time was
completely defeated by Israel's army, other Amaleks would rise up against
Israel and on down to you and me in our own generation. When you gather
under Jehovah Nissi as your banner, trust him that the outcome of your battle
will be the same as it was for Moses and Joshua at Rephidim. God is saying
there will always be war; don't be surprised by it. He is also saying he is
always the winner.

What is your battle right now?

Drugs? Pornography? Bitterness? Loneliness? Cancer? Dissention? Depression?
Hopelessness? Bankruptcy? Injustice? The list goes on and on and if I haven't
named your battleground you can just fill in the blank. You know what you are
at war with and you know that in the heat of battle it is hard to see the victory
at the end. Remember Jehovah Nissi. Call upon Jehovah Nissi. Raise your
hands in prayer the way Moses did. Don't give up. Ask others to hold your
hands up if you get tired. God is faithful to fulfill his word. When your battle is
over you will have the right to replace your enemy's flag with your own. Set it
on high for all to see that Jehovah Nissi is your God who has secured your
victory.

Paul does not exhort Timothy to be a common, or ordinary soldier, but to be a
“good soldier of Jesus Christ”; for all soldiers, and all true soldiers, may not be
good soldiers. There are men who are only just soldiers and nothing more; they
only need sufficient temptation and they readily become cowardly, idle,
useless and worthless; but he is the good soldier who is the bravest of the
brave, courageous at all times, who is zealous, does his duty with heart and
earnestness. He is the good soldier of Jesus Christ who, through grace, plans to
make himself as able to serve his Lord as shall be possible, who tries to grow in
grace and to be perfected in every good word and work, so that he may be in
his Master’s battles fit for the roughest and most stern service, and ready to
bear the very brunt of the fray. David had many soldiers, and good soldiers
too, but you remember it was said of many, “These did not attain to the first
three.” Now Paul, if I read him correctly, would have Timothy try to be among
the first three, to be a good soldier. And surely I would this morning say to my
dear comrades in the little army of Christ meeting here, let each one of us try to
attain to the first three; let us ask to be numbered among the King’s mighties,
to do noble work for him and honourable service, so that we may bring to our
Master’s cause new glory. May it be ours to covet earnestly the best gifts, and
since we have had much forgiven, let us love much, and prove that love by our
actions.

Our part in the Kingdom of God
is dependent upon our
obedience to God's calling.

A good soldier is all about pleasing his commanding officer

He is fully committed and involved in his duty; not worried about
anything or anybody else.

In the secular field, people may “please” their superiors in various
ways; but God cannot be pleased by tricks or treats, nor is He a
respector of persons. God is serious about commitment. He is looking
for genuine people.

Today, we see two types of churches: performance oriented and
preference oriented. One is like “Cain” and the other, like “Abel”.

Performance-oriented churches focus on the outward things.

There you will see all the elements and programs that make it look
professional: music with or without meaning, programs without power
and dancing without joy. You may see people laughing, but not smiling.
Everything is from the head, not heart. It is more about using techniques
and technology, than tears.

On the other hand, in a Church where God is preferred, you will
experience the power and the presence of God; programs are
secondary.

There, you may see people crying and getting deliverance!

Driven by tears than techniques and a passion for God, you see
authentic people worshipping an awesome God, in the anointing
of the spirit. The word of God is delivered as it is, without any
twists, turns or modifications!

A good soldier does not make assumptions; instead, he/she keeps
communicating with the commanding officer (C. O.) and makes
sure that each move is made according to the directions from the
C. O.

When things are done with human wisdom instead of divine
guidance, all you get is some “performance”, not results.

Do you go to a Church that is simply focussed on performance, or
one that touches the lives of people with the power of God?

What about your own life? Is it about pleasing God or just a
“performance”?

God bless you and speak to you. Let “pleasing God” become your
priority!

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for speaking to me. Help me to be a
person pleasing you with all that I do-worship, work and in all
walks and ways of life. Let my life be spirit-lead and one that
makes sense to you. Amen.

“When you focus on pleasing God, you can’t focus on your
performance; it is one or the other”.

02 February 24, 2013, 2 Timothy 2:3-4 How To Be A Good Soldier In God's Army

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02 February 24, 2013, 2 Timothy 2:3-4 How To Be A Good Soldier In God's Army