R1174 Fight Like A Soldier

Paul is saying three things.

I want you to write this down. Never forget it. Let me give you the three things that he's saying concerning what it means to fight like a soldier. Number one, don't ever quit.

That's what he's saying to us. Don't ever quit. Number two, don't ever take a detour.

Number three, don't ever be distracted. That's what it means to fight like a soldier. That unique and distinctive voice you've been listening to is the voice of Dr. Don Wilson, our teacher here on The Encouraging Word. And just as Paul was challenging us to never quit, never take detours, and don't be distracted, there's so much more to come. And the message today from Dr. Don Wilson called Strong in Grace, Fight Like a Soldier. As we roll up our sleeves to be the men and women of God that we're called to be, know that we're here with you and for you. We'd love to encourage you with great resources. You can find it at our website, theencouragingword.org. Or perhaps you need some personal encouragement right now. We'd love to talk, to pray with you, and connect you with resources at 866-899-WORD. That's 866-899-9673.

Now, Dr. Wilson. The Encouraging Word This is not just about those that we serve. It's about those who serve.

It's about you and me. It's about a church. This is being the church. God never told us to come to church.

He commanded us to be the church. And I'm very proud of you. I'm extremely humbly proud of my church family. Don't stop. I want to ask all of you to give financially like you've never given before.

Write out the biggest checks you've ever written. If you're not tithing, start now. I want to ask you to be faithful like you've never been before.

If you have to choose between the lake and the church, choose church. I'm asking you to join with me in going like never before. Some of us are senders. Some of us are givers.

Some of us are goers. We all have our part to play, don't we? And I love you for that.

And I'm very moved by this to the point at which I almost find it that I'm interfering with God to even try to preach. This is what it's all about. It's not a ritual and it's not a membership.

It's not a bylaw. Those are important. It's got everything to do with Jesus. And can you imagine on a celebration like this? Open your Bibles to 2 Timothy chapter 2. 2 Timothy chapter 2. Perhaps one of the most powerful passages of scripture in all of the Bible. Paul speaking to Timothy. Timothy, this young man about to embark into the battlefield of life.

Two different people, two different age, two different things. But I see our pilgrim fathers arriving on the shores of no man's land, don't you? I've often read with such deep interest how that our founding fathers made so much of so much nothing. What they went through the shores of New England was something most of us in today's day and age cannot even begin to imagine. But they were a people who were determined. They knew who they were. They knew why they had come. They didn't run away from what they were facing. They stood their ground. They endured hardship.

They battled against disease. So many of them died and yet look at where we are today. Paul said to Timothy in chapter 2 of his second letter, you then my son be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus and the things which you've heard me say in the presence of many witnesses in trust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. Can I just say something?

There is a relay here. What our founding fathers did back in 1776, we do today because they passed it on to us. It's the foundation upon which we stand. I'm a Christian man. I want you to know today that God loves you and I want to invite you to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ. But he goes on in verse 3 and he says something here that's remarkable. He says endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus for no one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs, but rather a soldier wants always at all times to please his commanding officer. Paul here invokes an incredible symbolic metaphor that I think we understand today, perhaps like none other, don't you suppose? You see, he's talking about being strong in grace and as we discovered, we discovered that when it comes to the grace of God, our strength lies in the fact that in Christ Jesus by his Spirit, God invites us to gain access into all that God is.

Much like adoptive parents bring a child into their home or natural parents bring their child into their home and by virtue of that adoption into that home, that child is invited to become a participant and a full beneficiary of all that those parents have to offer. So it is when you become part of the family of God, God by his Spirit according to Romans 5 gives us access into his grace. He invites us to become full participants in all that God is in the sphere of God's sovereignty, in the zone of God's attributes, in the galaxy of God's holiness. All of the power and sovereign grace of God is made available to us.

All the attributes of God are made available to us and the definitive holiness of God is given to us in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. What a heritage. Then he tells us how to do it and he makes a statement says, fight like a soldier, fight like a soldier. I'm so proud of our men and women in uniform. I'll tell you on the occasions that I travel when I pass by someone in a military uniform, it's a very hard thing for me not to stop them and to thank them. I do it all the time. I know you do too.

Just a little simple. I'll turn to someone they don't even know them. I don't know them from a bar of soap and I'll say, hey man, thanks for your service. I just appreciate you so much. Another one of my favorite sayings I picked up from a friend of mine was, you coming or going?

You better not ask that if you're not ready for a conversation. I said that to someone a couple of weeks ago, two servicemen walked by and I said, you coming or going? They both stopped. They said, gee, thanks for asking. We're coming.

I said, from where? Well, it took the rest of the time until I got onto that plane. If they tell you they're going, they open up an incredible door. You're going, yeah, I'm going to serve here. I'm going to serve there.

Wow, man, thank you so much. You got a family? It's a tough part. I'm leaving my wife behind and they're out there in Missouri and I've got three little children. I bet it was hard to say goodbye to them when you got on that plane, wasn't it?

Yes, sir. Sandy, would you be offended, do you mind if I just had a little prayer with you? I've yet to have a serviceman turn me down when I offer to pray for them, right slap there in front of all the crowds.

And just for the record, folks, I'm not politically correct. I always pray in Jesus' name. There is no other prayer, always. Paul looks into their faces and into my face and into your face and says, be strong in grace and this is how you do it. Fight like a soldier. In this passage that if you were to unpack this, you very quickly come to a threefold understanding.

I mean, it's major. It's a beautiful picture that we've got here in scripture. Paul is saying three things. I want you to write this down, never forget it. Let me give you the three things that he's saying concerning what it means to fight like a soldier. Number one, don't ever quit.

That's what he's saying to us. Don't ever quit. Number two, don't ever take a detour. Number three, don't ever be distracted. That's what it means to fight like a soldier.

What a challenge. You're listening to Dr. Don Wilton, our teacher here on The Encouraging Word. Don't go away. He'll be back to complete this message, Fight Like a Soldier, with more of that great challenge not to quit. But Dr. Don wants me to remind you, we are here for you. You could be in the middle of a circumstance or a situation that you feel like you want to quit. Don't give up.

And know this, you are not alone. God promises us never to leave us or forsake us. And a part of our calling here at The Encouraging Word is to encourage you. Let us pray you through that season of being ready to give up.

Let us encourage you right now. Our phone number is 866-899-WORD. And that number will connect you not just during the broadcast, but 24 hours a day.

The many of us who are anxious to pray with you and for you. 866-899-9673 will connect you. Store it in your phone.

Jot it down. As Dr. Don says, we all need 2 a.m. friends. And we can start to be one of your friends right now at any time of day as you call 866-899-WORD. You can also meet us on our website at www.tewonline.org. Again, that's www.tewonline.org while you're there. You can not only hear today's message and other resources from Dr. Wilton, but you can also sign up for The Daily Encouraging Word email.

It comes out every morning with a powerful insight from God's Word, a way to apply it to our lives and lead us in a prayer. Again, it's absolutely free. You can sign up on our website right now at www.tewonline.org.

Again, that's www.tewonline.org. Now back to today's great message from Dr. Don Wilton called Fight Like a Soldier. Don't ever quit. Have you given up? Friends, today there are a lot of reasons why we want to give up on God.

God doesn't always answer us the way we want Him to answer us. We live in a tough world. Some are so beaten down.

Some of you have been so faithful and yet you find yourself in the worst circumstances. Just come and take a trip with me through the mountains of Kentucky and I'll show you every reason for people to want to give up. Go to the hospitals. Be faced with that relentless diagnosis. Continually find yourself in the doctor's office, never getting to the root of the problem. Wake up every day feeling poor and listless and bad. Just try a little bit dose of loneliness.

Live by yourself for a while. Have nobody else to talk to. Become unpopular on that campus because you're a Christian. Never be asked to do things. Be pushed out and rejected.

Try being bullied for a little while. A lot of reasons as believers that we want to quit. Paul says, fight like a soldier. Don't ever quit. Love what he said at the end of his life. He said, I fought the good fight of faith. Don't ever quit. Don't ever quit. You young people, 20 of you that were baptized in Genesis today, I'm speaking to you.

Don't step out and say, for me to live is Christ and to die is gain. Where are you going to be next week? What are we going to look like next year?

Is that same fire going to burn on that campus? Are we willing to bring Jesus home or are we going to leave him in the mountains of Kentucky? Don't ever quit. Second thing he says after telling them to endure hardship, don't ever take detours. This is an interesting thing when he talks about like a good soldier. If don't ever quit means that we need to be enduring.

We need to persevere. Don't ever take a detour means that we are called to a life of faithfulness. That's what a good soldier is. A good soldier is someone that God can count on. One of my pledges to you, my beloved congregation. Someone said to me just recently, what's it like to be pastor of a church, same church for nearly 20 years? I said the call to serve and the call to faithfulness hasn't changed not one bit.

Just because I told my wife that I loved her three weeks ago doesn't mean to say that I need to tell her that I love her today. All of us are in there. I'm challenging you as a congregation. Some of you are sitting here this morning and next week God won't smell you for dust. The turnaround ratio in the church is alarming and it is disgusting in the nostrils of a holy and a righteous God. I admonish fellow believers in Christ.

Be faithful, be faithful. Every time I see I don't, I'm just sharing from my heart, folks, it bothers me greatly when I see young people growing up in our church. I see all the ministries. I see deacons and people in Sunday school groups taking meals and loving and serving and fellowshipping, spending time worshiping together. And that son, that daughter, graduates from high school and all of a sudden the parents disappear.

Where are you? You mean you came to church just because of your children? Be faithful. We're suffering from a lack of faithfulness among the American people. We no longer stand true to our heritage. We no longer stand up on our counter because of those who have gone before us.

How much more so when it comes to the things of God? Fight like a soldier. Stand up for Jesus Christ. Don't ever quit. Don't ever take detours. God never sanctions.

Little sideline shows as far as he is concerned. Don't take time off from God. And the third thing that he says is don't ever be distracted. That little passage there where he says no one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs, he wants to please his commanding officer. I've always had such a deep affection for the military. When I began to read that, I just thought about our men and women in uniform.

A lot of things that you can teach a rookie. I've been in those boots before. Boot camp.

Many of you have. I think one of the things that we learn in boot camp is a multifaceted approach as to what it means to be a good soldier. There are a lot of things that come to mind, don't they?

Don't they? A good soldier. Listen to this. A good soldier enlists without reservation. You give me a reluctant soldier, I don't want him in that foxhole with me. In other words, he knows who he is. A good soldier understands his weapons is nothing better than going to the battlefront with a soldier who understands what he carries with him. A good soldier knows his men. They're not just numbers.

They're not just I am 69394989N. Not just a dog tag. I'm a person. A good soldier never takes his eyes off the enemy.

Never. Never takes his eyes off the enemy. That's a good soldier. But most importantly, a good soldier follows only the orders of his commanding officer.

That's what Paul is saying here. Paul is saying a good soldier doesn't get involved in civilian affairs. I often pray for our men and women in uniform because they are American citizens, we the people.

I tell you when that man and that lady dons the uniform of these United States of America, they have every right to express their right as Republicans and Democrats. But they are called to take orders only from their commanding officer. And so it is. You want to be strong in grace? We only take orders from Jesus Christ. You see, I've enlisted in God's army without reservation. I'm trying to know and to understand my weapons, the Holy Spirit in me, God's people around me, the word of God through me.

What a weapon. God's grace for me. As a member of God's army, I want to know who my fellow believers are. It gives me great joy to know you. The more I know you, the more my heart becomes warmed. Talking about being in a church for a long time, I said to a young pastor recently at the convention, I said to him, brother, you can never be in a church for two years and three years and get anywhere because you'll never know the preciousness of those people. The more I have gotten to know you and to love you and to be a part of you, the more my heart becomes warmed by you, the more I care for you, the more I want to be around you, the more I'm loved by you, the more I want to talk to you. And as a soldier in God's army, I want to take my orders from Jesus Christ.

Any questions? I'm so proud of this church. I'm so grateful that the word of God is the centerpiece on the mantelpiece. I'm so grateful that we've settled the issue of personal conviction and personal preference, and we've opted for absolute truth.

We believe in sharing God's truth with the searching world. I'm so glad to share with you the truth of God. I'm so glad to tell you from my commanding officer, whose name is God, who's none other than the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, that Jesus died for you at the express wish and command of our Heavenly Father. I'm so glad that my commander in chief has told me in his word that what he's done for me, he'll do exactly the same thing for you. I'm so glad that I've been given God's instruction to invite you to give your life to Jesus Christ. I'm so glad. I'm so glad to be a part of the family of God. Wow, what a wonderful privilege. Fight like a soldier.

Ladies and gentlemen, consider your verdict. Is there anyone within the sound of my voice who does not know Jesus? Lay your lives before the Lord. Say, I want to be strong in grace.

I'm willing to fight like a soldier. Are you ready to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ? Why don't you pray this prayer with me right now? Dear God, I know that I'm a sinner, and I know that Jesus died for me on the cross. Today, I repent of my sin, and by faith I receive you into my heart. In Jesus' name. My friend, I welcome you today into the family of God.

This is exciting news. And by the way, don't go away, because I'll be right back in just a minute. If the Lord is stirring your heart, don't hesitate. Respond to him today. Dr. Don's going to be back in just a moment, so please don't go away. But jot this number down. We're available 24 hours a day to talk, to listen, to pray, to connect with resources.

That's 866-899-WORD, 866-899-9673. Now closing thoughts from our pastor, Dr. Don. You know, I want to say something to you personally.

Are you ready for this? Thank you. It's a powerful word, isn't it?

Small one, powerful. I want to thank you. You see, the sun hardly rises or sets in a day that we don't see people come to know Christ through this broadcast ministry every day. And you make that possible through your prayers most of all and through your financial giving. God is doing something great. And in our world today, this medium of television, very important, folks.

This is very, very important. God is allowing us to go into more and more homes across the United States of America. Thank you for helping us make this possible. And let's never stop praying that people would come to know Jesus. God bless you.

That's Dr. Don Wilton. And if the Lord has stirred your heart to respond, again, we would love to take your call at 866-899-WORD. That's 866-899-9673. Thank you for calling the encouraging word.

My name is Kristen. Did you call to receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? Yes, ma'am. Are you calling to receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior?

Yes, I did. What we're going to do, we're going to pray together, okay? Okay. Lord Jesus. Lord Jesus. I accept you as my Lord and Savior. I accept you as my Lord and Savior. Please forgive me of all my sins.

Please forgive me of all my sins. In your name I pray. Amen. In your name I pray.

Amen. Lord Jesus, I accept you as my Lord and Savior. Lord Jesus, I accept you as my Lord and Savior. Please forgive me of all of my sins. Please forgive me of all my sins. In your name I pray. In your name I pray. Amen. Amen.

I'm in the hospital. And I was watching Pastor Wilson's son just a few minutes ago, and I want to re-dedicate myself to you, Lord. Lord Jesus, I accept you as my Lord and Savior. Lord Jesus, I accept you as my Savior. Please forgive me of all my sins. Please forgive me of all my sins. In your name I pray, amen. In your name I pray, amen. God bless you, what a wonderful, wonderful decision you have made and the most important decision of the life you will ever make. Welcome to the family and I will keep going and pray at this, I promise you. If you just gave your life to Jesus, praying along with Dr. Wilton moments ago, maybe for the very first time or re-dedicating your life to Christ, you need to know Dr. Wilton is excited to pray with you and for you.

Would you let us know about your decision? You can call us at 866-899-WORD and let us know so we can send these resources to you. Again, the number is 866-899-9673. You can also let Dr. Wilton know about how God's working in the encouraging word by sharing your story. He would love to hear from you. His email is Don, D-O-N at T-E-W online dot O-R-G. Again, that's Don, D-O-N at T-E-W online dot O-R-G. Dr. Don would love to hear your story and he would love to pray for you. Just know that we're here to connect with you, again, online as well at T-E-W online dot O-R-G. That's our website.

That's T-E-W online dot O-R-G, a place to connect with us and also connect with great resources like this. Hello everybody. You know, my friends know me as Don Wilton, pastor, friend, neighbor, dad, husband, grandpa. But I'm going to tell you people all around the world just like you know and identify Dr. Billy Graham as that man that God used to reach so many people around the world for the Lord Jesus Christ. I had the privilege of knowing Mr. Graham in a very personal and intimate way, both as his friend and as his pastor. In fact, for many years, I drove up to his home in Montreat, North Carolina and visited with him every Saturday. Just like friends do everywhere, we sat together and ate together, walked, talked. We discussed politics, friends, places, people. We laughed our heads off. We did everything one could possibly imagine. That's why I wrote this wonderful book Saturdays with Billy.

It's all about a personal relationship. And I hope and pray that Saturdays with Billy will be a blessing to you, will inspire you and will encourage your heart, just as Mr. Graham encouraged my heart and changed my life. God bless you, my friends. That is such a powerful resource, Saturdays with Billy. I had the privilege of sitting in this very studio listening to him read that entire book on all what a blessing, whether you get it on that audio form or get a copy and read it and share it with other friends. It's all available on our website at www.tewonline.org. The fact that Dr. Wilton had the privilege of being the pastor of Dr. Billy Graham was one of those mutual privileges. Dr. Graham kept saying it was his privilege, Dr. Graham said it was his privilege. The reality is we both receive that privilege by understanding not only what comes out of that book, but some of the things that have anchored our ministry, the Encouraging Word Ministry with Dr. Don Wilton in a commitment to share Christ with any and everyone 24 hours a day. If you'd like to get involved, we would be blessed by your prayerful and financial support. Discover more online at tewonline.org.