We have all heard this song at VBS. We would march in the infantry, ride in the cavalry, and shoot the artillery; but did we really think about what that song was saying? If we were to go to a local recruitment office and sign all the papers that they gave us, we would be a part of the United States military. We would no longer be our own person. We would belong to the government until our tour of duty was over. The same is true in the Lord’s army. When we were baptized into Christ, we put on Christ (Romans 6:4). It is no longer our name that matters, but Christ’s. We have surrendered our lives to Him.
If a soldier disobeys an order or argues with his superior, he is in danger of court-martial or severe punishment; but many times, we think that it is acceptable to tell God how things should be. We do not have that authority! The Lord’s ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:9). His knowledge is far above our knowledge (Romans 11:33). To try to debate God is to challenge His authority. Are we saying that we are superior to God? Clearly, no well-meaning Christian would ever say such a thing to God in person, but some do through their actions.
As Christians, we have been enlisted into the Lord’s army, and that means we are to fight for His kingdom. Our world is full of those who are ready to attack God and His Church. Much like in a physical war, we must be vigilant toward the enemy’s tactics. We cannot just ignore sin when it comes knocking at the door of our hearts; we must fight it with all our might. The Christian soldier has two offensive weapons: the sword of the Spirit (the Word of God) and prayer (Ephesians 6:17-18). These weapons give us the power to fight the devil and his minions and to defend our own faith. The Lord promised that if we resist the devil that he would flee from us (James 4:7). God has promised us that no matter how strong the devil may seem to be, God is still in control.
As the Lord’s soldiers, we must obey and we must fight, but we must also persevere. The life of a soldier is not easy (2 Timothy 2:3). It is a life of danger and vigilance; but as soldiers of Christ, we can have a peace that is beyond anything here on earth (Philippians 4:7). This peace allows us to face the day-to-day struggles with confidence. We do not have to fear this world because God has made us stronger than whatever we face here on earth (Romans 8:37). We can take courage and live in a state of hope because we have the promise of a crown of life (Revelation 2:10). Let us all stand with God and one another to boldly proclaim, “I’m in the Lord’s army.”