I believe not only America but the earth is entering it’s darkest hour. It will be the hour of the greatest spiritual warfare the earth has ever seen. We must arise and shine no matter how dark it gets on the earth.
Isaiah 60:1–3 says, “Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the people; But the Lord will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you. The Gentiles shall come to your light, And kings to the brightness of your rising.”
Few are ready for what is coming! Many are playing games with God and they are not ready for the spiritual warfare that is upon us. The church must become battle- ready. If you have not read my book “Battle-Ready Remnant: Called To Contend” or taken my e-course called “Spiritual Warfare: Dressed for Battle in the Invisible Realm then visit CalebCooperMinistries.com. These two powerful resources will empower you in the face of spiritual warfare that is upon the earth.
As you read this verse allow me to give you 7 commands in the Word of God that will empower you to be a battle-ready believer.
2 Timothy 2:1-8 says, “You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops. Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things. 8 Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel.”
7 COMMANDS TO THE BATTLE READY BELIEVER
I need everyone who is reading this article to be able to discern which means to examine the current state of the church in America and not be in denial of the real spiritual battle that is at hand. We must obey these 7 commands in the coming days of spiritual warfare that is revealed in 2 Timothy. I am going to list these quickly and I want to encourage you to be sure to watch the video podcast as I elaborate on each of these.
1. CHILDREN OF GOD MUST BE STRONG IN THE GRACE THAT IS IN CHRIST JESUS
God is calling His people to be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. The word grace means to be strong in the power of God’s favor. Notice it does not say to be weakened by what is happening or discouraged by the news. To be strong in Greek means to be filled with power. God wants you full of the power of His favor in the last days.
Psalm 5:12 says, “For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield.”
2. COMMIT THE TRUTH TO FAITHFUL MEN
Some people will spend their lifetime being mad and frustrated with people who do not want the truth. The truth is the truth until the truth applies to them. Then they are mad, offended, and walk away. You are not called on the battlefield to chase people who are determined to ignore the truth, argue about the truth, and compromise the truth. Right next to the one who does not want anything to do with God is a desperate person who does want to hear the truth of the Gospel! Invest in their lives so that we might get as many people saved as possible before the trumpet blast.
2 Timothy 4:3-4 says, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.”
3. ENDURE HARDSHIP AS A TRUE SOLDIER
God is raising soldiers, not sissies, warriors, not wimps, and might not flighty people. You are going to go through some things in this life! You must keep pressing into Jesus!
Luke 17:1 says, “Then He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come!”
To endure hardship in Greek means to bear evil treatment. To suffer hardships as an army together. There are many Christians who have walked away from God because of what they said people did to them. You must be able to endure hardship if you plan on continuing to serve Jesus Christ until the end.
Matthew 5:44 says, “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”
Matthew 6:15 says, “But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
4. NO ONE ENGAGED IN WARFARE ENTANGLES HIMSELF WITH THE AFFAIRS OF THIS LIFE
No one engaged in warfare means one who is serving as a soldier in Christ Jesus will not entangle himself in the affairs of this life. You are serving the Master in battle. You have a Commander-in-Chief on the battlefield named Jesus Christ who desires to give you the marching orders. This battle-ready believer will not entangle himself with the affairs of this life. The word entangle means that a real soldier will not weave in, entwine, or involve themselves with the affairs of this life. Nobody who is fighting in spiritual warfare lets the things of this life push them to negotiate or even compromise what God said to do! In this world, there is going to be trouble you must continue to contend for the cause of Christ.
John 16:33 says, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
2 Peter 2:20 says, “For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened
to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.”
5. COMPETE FOR THE CROWN
True soldiers are going to keep their eyes on the prize. There is something bigger coming that is greater than anything on this earth and it is the return of Jesus Christ. You must fight the good fight and finish the race because there is a crown laid up for you.
1 Timothy 6:12 says, “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”
1 Corinthians 9:25 says, “And everyone who competes for the prize [a]is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.”
The word compete in Greek means to contend, wrestle, and engage in the war to win. Revelation 3:11 says, “Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.”
6. CONSIDER THE WORD OF GOD AND GAIN UNDERSTANDING
Paul tells Timothy to consider what I am saying and get understanding. I would say that every soldier who desires to be battle-ready must consider what the Word of God says in all aspects of life. We cannot make decisions based on what feels good to the flesh but we must be led by the Holy Spirit.
Proverbs 2:6 says, “For the Lord gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.”
Proverbs 4:7 says, “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.”
7. REMEMBER JESUS CHRIST ROSE FROM THE DEAD ACCORDING TO THE GOSPEL
This resurrection revelation has kept many in the battle and staying faithful to Jesus. We must never forget the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Through His death He conquered sin and through the resurrection, He defeated the powers of death. The reality is that the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives inside of you.
1 Corinthians 15:13-15 says, “But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise.”
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