Army Generals

1st AUGUST, 2021

One popular Sunday school song has the following lyrics:

I am a soldier in the army of the Lord. I am a soldier in the army. (3X)

The song turns our attention to the fact that we belong to the army of God. Yes, we are not civilians; we are soldiers, and not soldiers in just any ordinary army. We belong to and serve in the army of the LORD Most High.

Anyone who knows anything about becoming a soldier will immediately tell you how discipline and endurance are non-negotiable qualities. These two things are very key in overcoming the biggest obstacle we face in our walk with Christ; ourselves. More specifically our flesh and its desires.

Today, we want to focus not on any soldier in the army, but soldiers in positions; army generals as an example. There are several ranks in the army and anytime you see a group of soldiers gathered, you can be certain that they all acknowledge the leadership of one amongst them. Generals are leaders of squadrons of varying talents and numbers and have many responsibilities. As leaders in the army of the Lord, we mirror these generals.

Paul, a leader in his own right and a great general, used a different analogy in his letter to the Corinthians. He said that we are in a race, and as such must train ourselves as athletes do. Again, Paul is calling us to focus on the two key attributes; discipline and endurance.

The Bible says in 2 Timothy 2:4 “No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.” As leaders, we must discipline our flesh, and curb its desires, while enduring the temporary pain it is likely to cause us. Because we are running for greater glory, discipline and endurance must be our allies. We are soldiers in the army of the Lord!

Further Reading: 2 Tim. 2:1-16

Bible In One Year: Jeremiah [36–39]

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