prepare to overcome

​In the military soldiers constantly train over and over, they are preparing for a day they hope will never come.  In a time of war there is confusion and chaos, if you’re not prepared for it, it will overtake you.  Training is all about repetition, it’s doing the right thing again and again despite all and any circumstance.  Men who have experienced war are the best instructors, a recruit will not soon forget the assertive voice of his sergeant.  When the bullets fly and bombs explode a recruit will still hear the commands of his sergeant at arms.
 
2 Timothy 2:15 Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth.
 
We must study the Word of God until we find out what pleases Him.  What pleases the Lord will displace the devil  in the day of adversity.  Sad to report but some believers don’t prepare for the devil until he shows up.  They do not hear the voice of the One who was sent to train them for warfare.  They get confused when adversity comes because they do not know how to divide the Word of truth.  Not everything the Lord has spoken applies to the New Testament child of God.  So, the Christian can be readily deceived because they didn’t study the program.
 
Romans 8:17 We are the children of God and joint heirs with Christ, if we suffer.
 
A lot of Christians think we must suffer with sickness, disease and lack in order to become children of God.  They have not been taught how to correctly divide the Word of God.  The suffering we must endure is the transition from flesh to Spirit, it’s enduring all the temptations of the devil.  Why should we suffer with sickness when Jesus has carried all our sickness and disease?  The devil has no problem manipulating ignorant people, they do not know how to resist him.  In bootcamp the first thing they do is issue you a uniform, but that does not make you a soldier, you just look like one.  You became a Christian in less than a minute but it takes a lifetime to learn to live like one.
 
Ephesians 4:15 Speaking the truth in love,  we may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.
 
When a drill instructor is yelling at his recruits, you would be hard pressed to believe he loves them.  But there has to be an element of love because he is dedicated to saving their lives.  Whatever the Lord speaks to us, it is in love because He wants us to live a victorious life.  We must grow up to be like Him, a man who is dedicated to pleasing his commanding officer.  Babies do not make good soldiers but grown men do, especially if they follow orders.  Those who are willing to be trained will see good days, they will see the enemy defeated before their eyes.  For those who don’t put in the time, the devil at times will appear to be too much for them.  It will be like the man who began to build his house in the middle of a storm.  He will have to put in more work and he will need help if he can find it.  Faith cometh and the devil cometh, thank God faith cometh first.

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