What Kind of Soldier Are You?

When a person believes they are not at war that person is easily distracted.  The great falling away is the enemy's plan to deceive Christians.    
 
In Judges 7:2-7, Gideon’s soldiers were faced with a challenge to test their readiness for battle.  Within this passage, there are three types of soldiers: good, comfortable, and quitter. 
 
One type of soldier is a good soldier (in Judges 7:6) that does what is required to fulfill service to the commander.  The soldiers that lapped water like a dog do not reflect they shoved their faces into the water and used their tongues, but instead, this refers to the repeated motion of the hand to the mouth to sip the water from their hand similar to a dog using the tongue to drink.  These men kept their eyes on their surroundings in battle readiness for an enemy to arise at any time.  Christians should be ready for battle at all times against the spiritual enemies of the last days. 
 
2 Timothy 2:3-4 reflects the following traits of a good soldier.  A good soldier endures and fights during hard times.  A good soldier does not get wrapped up in the things of this life (civilian, non-war minded), but remembers there is a war to be won and aims to please the commander (God). 
 
The second type of soldier is a comfortable soldier.  A weekend warrior only participates in the things of God at the time they choose and only commits the minimum requirements of service.  This soldier seeks fire insurance (not going to hell), healing (receiving healing, but not continuing to be faithful in service to God), financial blessing (receiving finances, but not being faithful in tithe or service to God), and using the church to advance themselves.  The other soldiers (in Judges 7:6) kneeled beside the water in a more comfortable position to drink the water and were not ready for an enemy to attack.  These soldiers had more desire than to just quit, but their desire still allowed their comfort or habit to hinder their preparedness for battle.  Their bowing was a symbol of surrender and carelessness amid possible enemy territory.  God desires us to give our all for Him, not just occasions (Deuteronomy 10:12-13). 
 
The third type of soldier is the quitter.  An AWOL (absent without leave) soldier has been given the opportunity to be a first-class soldier, but that soldier has chosen to abandon their post (church) and pursue their own desires.  In Judges 7:3, the men were afraid to die.  For people today it is not a fear of dying, but a fear of giving up things of the flesh or comfort to battle for God (2 Chronicles 29:11).   
 
God calls us to do work for Him and His kingdom.  This call can be preaching, teaching, being a prayer deacon, or a faithful tither to assist your church, but every role is important.  Being AWOL affects your life and the church that God has called you to. 
 
Everyone has been given the call to become Christians in the army of God making them soldiers of God (Acts 1:8).  The Great Commission charges all believers to become soldiers in putting the Word of God and His witness across the world (Mark 16:15). 
 
May we examine to see which type of soldier we are.  If you have never given your life to God to be His soldier, He is calling you to come to Him to give you victory over the enemy, death, and hell (1 John 1:9; Romans 10:9).