Our earth is a great battle ground. Some political party, some sin, some vice, insects, disease. Some make it a business to fight-the soldier. We have to fight for our daily bread. When we become a Christian we do not stop fighting, but fight harder than ever, along different lines. We fight the good fight of faith. Many enlist; the Scriptures give comfort and encouragement for such. Nineteen hundred years ago the first enlistment office was opened in Palestine; since thousands and thousands have enlisted.

There are many points of similarity between being a soldier in the natural army and being a soldier in the spiritual army. One may enlist in the natural army for five years or ten years only, but one enlists in the spiritual army for eternity. Everyone and anyone cannot enlist in the natural army; they must be so tall, must have a certain degree of health, etc. Even though one might be able to fight better, if they cannot stand the tests they won't have them. To enlist in the Lord's army certain qualifications are necessary. They must first have accepted the Lord as their Savior and Redeemer. No matter how many good works you may have done, how intellectual you are, you will not be accepted unless you have fulfilled this first requirement.

What does enlistment mean? What is required in any army? You have to go to the recruiting office, sign certain papers, surrender your right to yourself, have no will of your own. Your will must be your Captain's will, you must go where he orders.

When you join the Lord's army consecration is enlistment. You must give up the fight for self and fight for the Lord-whether it is honor or dishonor. When you have taken this step you are in the Lord's army (Rom. 12:1). Some fight once in a while, suffer a little, but how many are so wholly given up that they make it their chief aim?

What prompts us to enlist in the Lord's army? Five things:

1. Love and gratitude for what He has done for us. How strange if we were not willing to suffer a little! If we had the proper love and gratitude no one could keep us from enlisting. [PE102]

2. Because it is in harmony with nobility of character. There is nothing grander nor better than to fight for our Heavenly Father and His Son.

3. Because we realize the reward at the end is grander and greater than in any other fight. See what the world gives! See what we get (2 Cor. 4:17,18).

4. Because we realize that present wages are higher and more to be desired than wages in other armies. We get a hundred-fold. Nor could any say it is all trials. We have much joy and many blessings.

5. Because those who become good soldiers will have opportunity for blessing the world and helping those around them more than any other way of living.

Don't think everything is to be easy, it would be the wrong way to compare it to a soldier if we didn't have hardness to endure. Hardness offset by joys outweigh the longest battle. The words fighting and striving show it will cost something. "Fight" (agonize) indicate there is agony in the Christian life, nevertheless we have no reason to fear the trials because of the help of Christ. Who are our enemies? If we are soldiers we must be fighting. Where is the enemy to fight? The principal one is Satan himself (Eph 6:12). We are small and weak in comparison with this great enemy. But "Fear not, they that be with us are more than they that be with them."-2 Kings 6:16.

"Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you," 1 John 3:13. Shows the world is against us. "Know ye not that he that is a friend of the world is an enemy of God."-Jas 4:14.

The worst enemy is in ourselves. We want to keep the spirit of bitterness, malice, envy, from getting a hold on our hearts. Anything which has a tendency to draw us away from our Lord is our enemy, no matter in what line.

We need instructions how to fight (Psa. 144:1). Our Heavenly Father is our teacher; He shows us what to do, how to act toward our enemy that we may gain the victory. Various things we have to learn to be good soldiers. One essential is temperance (1 Cor. 9:25). If athletes will go through so much to get their desire, how much a Christian should be willing to sacrifice. Soldiers endure much to get away from the enemy, sometimes throw away guns and blankets even though needed for their comfort; what should we be willing to sacrifice that we might escape the clutches of Satan?

If our religion is worth anything, it is worth everything-business, society, affections, etc. How temperate we should be, we should use self-control in respect to appetites, desire for good things to eat, wealth, ambition. "No man that warreth entangleth himself with the things of this life." They are generally careful to select soldiers who are single, not [PE103] entangled; if their mind is not on their business they will not make a good soldier. It isn't wrong for a Christian to marry, the Apostle and our Lord show it is right; we have no right to judge anyone, it may be right in their case; but if it is possible to remain single, how much more we can do for His service. "He that marrieth doeth well, but he that marrieth not doeth better." It is necessary for us to keep our eyes open lest the enemy entangle us and keep us from being good soldiers. Are we ordering our affairs so as to give the Lord more of our time? Are we giving more of our affection? Is our mind reverting to how we can do more for the Lord? (1 Thess. 5:5-8.) Be sober, soldiers who carouse and drink at night are not fit for the battle in the morning. If we take our fill of pleasure and the good things of this life, we will be unable to battle and will fail to get the victory. Therefore are other things needed, courage, earnestness and faithfulness.

Song of Solomon 6:4, "Terrible as an army with banners." This seems puzzling, army with banners, why terrible? I asked a soldier, When men are at the point of giving up, the enemy strong, everything about to be lost, if a couple men run to the front and wave their banners, it renews the army's earnestness and zeal; they rally and fight like demons; there is nothing so terrible as an army with banners. What are our banners? Song of Solomon 2:4.

Love for Him, for the cause; there is no fear in love. Obedience is required, not only obedience but prompt obedience. Many are obedient but do not see the value of promptness to obey, don't hesitate-promptness in practice, prompt in battle. If we cultivate the spirit which instantly obeys it will be easy to gain the battle. If the Lord commands us to do some little thing, if we lack the promptness we will fail when a decision is required. Study 1 Cor. 9:26. We are not to fight in any kind of a way. When two men are fighting one might gain the victory though the weaker, because his blows were studied, not in the air. Look and see what blows the Lord wants us to strike. Don't think any kind of activity counts.-2 Tim. 2:5.

What are our weapons? (2 Cor. 10:4,5.) Our weapons are not carnal, we are not to fight with bitterness, malice, etc., we are not to hurt others. "Casting down imaginations" (Eph 6:11). "No weapon formed against thee shall prosper" (Psa. 149:6; Psa. 144:2). A fortress, who needs a fortress? Only a soldier and all others things our Heavenly Father will supply. A commissary department is run only for the soldier, all others will be turned away. Many want to know why it is they go to the Bible and can't see these wonderful things that others see. The Bible is food for the soldier and no other can enjoy it until he becomes a soldier (1 Cor. 9:7). Do they go at their own charges? Doesn't the government provide? [PE104] And will the Lord not provide for us? "My God shall supply all your need."

It would be a great blessing if we could realize what a fortress we have in our Heavenly Father. Many have trust, but do we have great trust? We should have. "If God be for us, who can be against us?" Why no one can. Is not Satan against us with all his forces? He means to be against us, but in reality is for us; he is trying to injury God's people, but he helps to develop us; his opposition stirs us up and when resisted we are strengthened and helped; he is really polishing us (Psa. 2:1-4). They might as well try to blow the sun out of existence; they can't hurt the sun, neither can they hurt the plan. He laughs when He thinks of puny man trying to overthrow His plan.

Soldiers are happy, light-hearted, with beautiful uniforms, but when hard work comes they don't look so happy. We are light-hearted, but when more severe experiences come we may not feel so happy, but we may be just as determined to do the Lord's will as ever. We don't have severe fighting at first, but must first practice before being sent out. It doesn't matter if he hit the mark then; but he is supposed to do his very best. The zeal with which he practiced will tell in the great battle. The way we gain the victory in little things shows if we are going to gain in the big battle; great victory is made up of little victories. What makes us gain the victory? Faith, faith in the promises, God has put in His Word.

The first victory gained is the victory gained at consecration. The Adversary and all our enemies will strive to prevent our making a consecration, and it is a question of how we are going to gain the victory. If we have faith in the Scriptures we see it is a reasonable service, we are not willing to do unreasonable service. If the Lord says it is reasonable we will do it. What gained the victory? Faith. It sometimes seems as if we can't do it, are we going to gain the victory over that discouragement? It depends on faith. How? If we have faith in it, it will gain the victory. If my Heavenly Father has made provision for covering my imperfections, He knows I need it. There are battles in other lines-Pride-"Pride goes before destruction." If we believe it we will try and put pride away. God gives us the victory. How? He gives us the promises. We want to understand what victory means. It does not mean to get the best of an argument. If I could get him to acknowledge he was wrong and I was right, would that be victory? No. We may have had to say some very unkind.things. The convincing of that man has lost the victory if we have been a little sarcastic, etc.; it wouldn't be Christ-like, and even at that expense he may not be convinced. Our greatest defeats are often our greatest victories. Does knowledge of the Bible gain the victory? No. If we come off victor we may not have known as much of the Bible. [PE105] as we might otherwise have known. Should we spend the time in studying if we have opportunity to go in the work? When have we any time to study; if I stayed at home that would have cost me the victory. I might have known more about the letter of the Word, where the verse was, etc.

Victory means in every case to put the Lord's will first; it is a secondary matter what the result is. The Adversary is very wise and crafty, he tries to attract us from some important attack to some minor attack. Pay tithe of mint, or anise, and cummin, and omit the weightier matters of the Law. They didn't know the first principles of what the Lord required of His followers. We should fear lest the Adversary defraud us out of the fruits of the fight. At the beginning of a war they were very strict in regard to desertion, in the latter part they gave men chances to desert. Why? All the men who deserted, though they fought all the four years lost an honorable discharge and a pension. If they fought only the last three months they got an honorable discharge and pension. The parallel is-At first the Lord hedges us in, though he doesn't interfere with our free will; He has special care over the babies, but in time the Lord withdraws barriers and gives us a chance to desert; but it means the loss of all. Remember, there are two things every soldier has to learn:

First-To attain the mark.

Second-To retain our position.

Lay hold on eternal life. Keep on faithful unto the end.