The Soldier’s Will Is the Key

Posted on March 2, 2020 by Catey Stover in Freedom Fighters

“Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 2:3).

Good morning and welcome to another week of Freedom Fighter blogs. We don’t take it lightly that you even click on a day to read our blogs. We appreciate your reading, and as you can, even writing your comments.

I shared with you earlier in the month that in this new year with our theme, Destination Holiness, I would share devotionals from time to time from some of the great devotional writers.

Rev. Glyn Evans was a faithful pastor, seminary professor, and author of nine books. He wrote a classic devotional published by Moody, Daily With the King: A Devotional for Self-Discipleship. It is a classic and has touched my heart so often. I actually shared this devotion in 2010 on our Freedom Fighter blog:

 I will be soldierly at all times. The chief requirement of the soldier is the surrender of his will. Other things are irrelevant. The disposition of his time, his duties, and his responsibilities are entirely in the hands of his commander, and they are not his business.

If Christ has my will, He will also have my body, my mind, my strength, my ambitions, my inclinations, my attitudes, in short, my all. The will is the key. When I am tempted it is in the will that the victory will be won or lost.

Temptation gives me alternatives: I can submit and lose or resist and win. There is ample power for either. Christ gives me power to resist; my old nature gives me power to submit. But the key is the will. If I will to resist, Christ will empower me as He has promised; if I will to submit, I only need to let the old nature take over. Whoever has my will is my master. I therefore must decide daily, hourly: shall Christ have my will, or shall it be some other master?

The decision is instantaneous; the results are eternal. My hope is based on the twofold action of God: “God … is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13).

While God does not make up my mind, He strengthens my resolve. Even more, He brings my resolution to a finished product “for His good pleasure.” Thus, I can honor the Lord’s intent and say, “It can be done.” “Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 2:3).

 

Evans, W. Glyn. Daily With the King: A Devotional for Self-Discipleship. Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition.

Go back and read the highlighted paragraph. That jumped off the page, and I have posted that in my daily journal to be reminded of that truth.

What kind of soldier will you be today? Who has control of your will?

Thanks for joining me on the journey.

Set apart for more,

Bill Welte, President/CEO
America’s Keswick

Written by Bill Welte, President/CEO of America’s Keswick: Bill has been married to his childhood sweetheart for 40+ years and has four married kids and 11 amazing grandkids. He loves music and is an avid reader.

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Think About This: “A church should be a camp of soldiers, not a hospital of invalids. But there is exceedingly much difference between what ought to be and what is, and consequently, many of God’s people are in so sad a state that the very fittest prayer for them is for revival.” -Charles Haddon Spurgeon

The Daily Bible Reading: Judges 5-9 | You can download our 2020 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here. 

This Week’s Verse to Memorize: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my ^[h]strength and my Redeemer. –Psalm 19:14

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the doctrinal and theological views held by America’s Keswick.