We Are an Army, Part 1

When you've got slaves you came into a spiritual army you came into a spiritual warfare you might not know that when you first got saved, but you better hurry up and find out because you have a real enemy who was a later date you went against everything that God has ordained for your life and for others lives and we have to learn how to ward together. If you are a believer in Christ. You are in the Army now, but that alone doesn't make you a soldier hello and welcome to this Monday edition of Destin for victory with pastor Paul Sheppard were so glad you stopped by the biggest battles you face in this life will come against an unseen enemy an invisible army led by Satan himself today and for the next few days. Pastor Paul will explain what it takes for you to be a faithful well trained soldier in the Army of God. Stay with us now or visit Pastor Paul.net to listen anytime on demand. That's Pastor Paul.net you can also subscribe to our podcast at the podcast.

It's modified or wherever you get yours now is Pastor Paul.

Today's Destin for victory message. We are an army second Timothy chapter your two well read the first four verses, Paul says to his spiritual son Timothy, 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 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 I come to let you know that we are not only soldiers in the army of the Lord. I don't know some of y'all maybe broken black churches or Pentecostal type churches. One of the courses they would sing Obama soldier in the Army of the Lord. Oh, I see somebody all been singing it got close all in the Army of the Lord.

If you had the right lead singer up there they would ship in the some other stuff if I die let me die in the me of the Lord. I would start it now but I'll never get the servers back. I got the fit is the theory that was some good thing and I'm a soldier in the Army of the Lord in the fact of the matter is that's what we are told about ourselves as New Testament believers that we have been called to be in God's Army because you know there is a war going on not just out here in this physical world, but there is a war in a virtual world and we've got to be prepared to fight the good fight of faith. So what I want to do in this message and the next one to conclude this series of the just make sure we understand why it is God has made us soldiers not just say by grace through faith. When you got saved you came into a spiritual army you came into a spiritual warfare you might not have known that when you first got saved, but you better hurry up and find out because you have a real enemy who was a later date you went against everything that God has ordained for your life and for others lives and we have to learn how to ward together as the people of God's all I want to do in these messages is walk you through a few key points that you need to get in your mind as you go through life. Here's the first thing I want to step consider together. One is not a soldier merely because he or she is a skilled fighter.

Think about that for a moment, so you'll learn how to fight before you ever entered into the armed services. If you are a service man or woman. Many y'all learn how to fight just growing up. Let me see some growing up fighters you learn how to fight pretty good yes just growing up.

Maybe because you had a sibling who picked on your lot you learn how to give them a ball for you. Or maybe you grew up in an environment where you had the deal with bullies in your neighborhood or at your school. Reason some y'all learn how to fight well and fight early on, I can see the fight still in some real places I can.

I know you say something else that look like you could take somebody down if it was because the show but just because one can fight well doesn't mean he or she is a soldier they don't ask you how well you fight when you get to the place where VR recruiting takes place. They don't care what your background is with regard to hand-to-hand combat or anything like that.

They just want to know you signed up and you are here ready to learn what it is to be a soldier and just because one can fight well doesn't mean he or she is already a soldier. Soldiers already listed the Lord's wrath that for specific service.

I want you to know what Jesus said in John chapter 15 verse 16 he said to his disciples. You have not chosen me, I have chosen you and I ordained you. I have appointed you that you should bear fruit and that your fruit should remain. That whatever you ask the father in my name he will give you what Jesus said to them now here are people were chosen as the early disciples buddies and I want you to be clear, you said yes to my call but that doesn't mean you chose me. You said yes to the call because I had already chosen you and I came to tell somebody you think you got because one day I decided to make Jesus much is our number one songs growing up, I decided to make Jesus.

My choice will bless your heart. I know that's what you think when you decide to make Jesus your choice. He decided he would be in your life. So keep your theology straight.

Yes, I know we have a role to play in terms of responding to the gospel message.

We certainly have that role to play, but don't get it twisted. The Lord made the charge before you made the choice and so I want to understand you are in this army that I'm going to be talking about.

Not because you're skilled fighter fact of the matter is that I don't think people because while you make a good Sir I think I go to really be a great subject that wasn't what went into it in eternity past, God said going to make you mine.

I'm going to do such a work in your life that anybody who knew you before I came in your life will wonder what happened to you because I took you from whatever background I decided to take out and I made you, Arlene, mean fighting machine for the Army of the Lord. So were chosen and they didn't even know with others feel like they are choosing and they didn't know that God was at work.

With that in mind I will assess a couple of my military personnel, just come on up my brother. I want you to, just master couple questions for us about what branch of the armed services Army army by the name James Myers.

All right, this is brother James. He is an amendment now Jane going to ask you when did you become a soldier 1987, 1987 became a soldier in 1982, 87, and often on between then to know okay so you started NAD yes all right, all right. The millennial morning morning you will find form and they had been here, but thank God you're listening to Destin for victory with pastor Paul Sheppard, senior pastor of destiny Christian Fellowship in Fremont California be right back with the second half of today's message. This teaching is part of a nine message series called the power of we and you can order this series or listen online@pastorpaul.net you can also listen to Destin for victory anytime right in the palm of her hand by downloading our free mobile app. The app allows you to contact us for prayer make a safe and secure donation order books and CDs even take notes on the daily messages and have them available the next time you tune in. Just search Destin for victory in your app store and downloaded today absolutely free.

We left off.

Moments ago pastor Paul was talking to James who joined the Army is 18 years old, catch the rest of the interview next. As we continue today's Destin for victory message. We are in Army. Once again, here's pastor Paul Sheppard all right now under what circumstances did you come to be in the in the Army act I came from a long line of people in the military as far back to the Civil War as well.

My grandfather was a merchant seamen during World War II. My father was near forest that I and many others. And that's that's was kind of a lineage of service to the country okay.

When did you know you were going to join the armed forces probably is, was, collide that, but probably during the 1960s of the kids still care about you and I do remember the Vietnam War and the tragedy of that particular conflict but even then my dad was near 43rd to twice in Vietnam and even though it was still a lot of hardship with them and coming home in Newton struggled with life difficulties I decided to I need to do my time.

Okay I know I need to do my service to the country so you were influenced by seeing him come back in the whole state of affairs at that absolutely in our country's history. Yes and that was when you said you know what I need to do my part actually okay and so was he. Army Air Force. He was, therefore, is how did you go to army.

It was the commercials. Yes, you guys are there a way with the commercials you know would be all you can be coming right out of high school.

All that mess around and freeze my yes no that that got me and I really had no plans to go to college so my dad told me is either work with some sort of military service, or go to college or something and I decided on the Army. I love it I love and by the way, I also joined during time. With the redoing what they call the delayed entry program so it's all I was a senior and I signed up as a senior wink when I graduated in May 1980 May 27. Three days later I was on way to Fort sill and so late entry program that I've never heard that language tell me what exactly they were gone and what they're going for because, right out of the division of conflict little difficult to start recruiting the lady into the Civil War in 1973 I believe and so they were encouraging young people that time living in Vietnam and on target. I'm sorry that my problem in the end he had to know more and are encouraging young people coming out of that inspire people to serve again and because it was so much issue with the whole conflict that it inspired me. I bet you it was commercial I saw the guys going to run you know with the tanks in the shooting weapons and it was it looked fun, but I found a real quick.

You move a lot more display. That's a good James that statement about my major for the next point my sister yes indeed all that some good stuff right there. He said those commercial got me that's good whatever it takes to grab the attention all right. Give everyone your name please Crystal Jordan crystal and what branch of the armed services are we talking made the Navy all right every body. All right, so you little bit of your story. How is it that you came to be part of the Navy.

So my father was an 80 Navy brat. My father served sent retired actually.

So that's all I knew. I'm a twin and she went to college and that was not my path by my parents were like you to do something. Either that or go to work or whatever so I thought I going to the military. It was against his point was not easy. I don't know if I let the commercials so that basically my back story okay so the mayor maybe Brett you grew up in that life and lifestyle.

What was your mom like my mother was the disciplinarian. My mother was the one who literally the matriarch of our family. See mostly held down on one of nine. My mother, I am the youngest of nine, we Are flat on our neck when my father he's out on the now but I'm running this one right here, so I grew up with a very beautiful woman who never lost faith in any of her children while good stuff is good stuff.

You remember the day you actually went to sign up.

I actually was living in Lompoc at the time, which is another Air Force community okay and I went down to LA I remember that there are distinct that's where my mom and it was a change case. That's when they leave you and you kinda have to figure it out so I packed what I could, which was their minimum and autonomous mix changes and it was like a foreign country literally what I do remember like it was yesterday was only 20, 21, while okay and so those first few days with it was a little traumatic to not have family around him to panic is an understatement that if I'm the youngest of nine, so I always had family acting as a heading with the comfort zones when you go into a scenario where it literally is being dropped in China where you don't speak any any of the language in your trying to manage figuring out how to drive, how to maneuver around and looking for commonality.

That was my first no safe place in somebody who can relate so for me it wasn't. It was actually shellshocked so wasn't that you managing any fine commonality need to start building friendships and but it wasn't the first three weeks because when you start Boot Camp level like that's why I don't want to go to Fargo I'm coming back to boot camp. Hold on for a little while and I'm sure there are others. If time permitted.

You could tell your story, but we heard the fact that in order to become a soldier one just a matter of tenure fight. Well, nobody asked them that when a sonic and how good you see how you hold it started with a calling. My brother James said he sold so that said, you can be in the Army I came to tell somebody all that God is destined to be beautiful though spiritual Army Lord has called you to his service in the fact of the matter is both of these folks enlisted, but in the actual ward time I was a kid growing up in the days when the Vietnam War was underway and I saw people from Monday from my church drafted into the armed forces. They did not go in and saw a commercial I really like that because we got great soldiers swim listed. They went into the recruiting center and they actually are listed. I'm sure some of them didn't know what they were getting into, but others said no feeling that when the wasn't saying It Was Gonna Take Pl., America had gotten itself involved in.

You could talk endlessly with people about whether we should have involved ourselves or not. People love to have in these academic talks about things. When you get to talk and is not changing nothing. Whether we should never been in Vietnam. That's not some people there.

We were involved ourselves some joints Jesus and in the present and all got together and decided we, as a result we had to not only recruit soldiers. They had a provision whereby we don't have enough recruits. We are going to drive some people and a draft means you get a notice will appear at a certain price at a certain time being there because you are now in the Armed Forces and is aware well what if what if I just wouldn't want to do it you who are younger and you weren't in that drama.

I'm sorry I did you just came make me be some I don't want to be. A lot of folks feel that way, who have never been in the wartime America. That's how we get to talk like down care what data do the same thing with slavery. I wish I would've been nice lady. What do you notice now slaves sign up we saw what I was massively came out here to talk to me what you will do. I wish I would pick cotton no you don't understand so you have the thrill of ignorance working for you now only a break on the lives and when it comes to the forest is time you felt like being in services. If you are the right age group you were drafted as a lot of y'all essay and you know you will say to you dated before you knew that you were going to be drafted into the Army of the Lord and God has a way Jesus told us there in John 15 you didn't choose me I chose you and I appointed you, I ordained you, that you will bear fruit. I'm going to make your life give me glory when I get there with you people who would end up like this in this message. As you think about it-safe.

My plans would not have given any money for me ended up on signal p.m. show singing about the things of the Lord.

But God, who is rich in mercy, he had a plan for your life and that plan was that you were going to go when you were going to bear for his namesake and so you've been drafted into the Army of the Lord. And so I want to let you know we are hereby God's design being in the Army of God is a calling answer that calling and you're in.

You don't have to be a good soldier right away. Just be willing to learn to take the Lord's instruction in wisdom and begin to apply it, submit to him and let him fight the battle for you need prayer today. Stop by Pastor Paul.net and use the contact us feature to share your request for this anytime that's Pastor Paul.net while you're there, be sure to ask for your free copy of Pastor Paul's monthly letter of encouragement.

Yours, at no cost or obligation. While our mission at destined for victory is to lead people to faith in Christ and to help them grow and that faith because we know you feel the same way. Pastor Paul invite you to help by sending a generous gift to support his efforts when you do with the gift of her own to share with you.

Pastor Paul Shepard's booklet you're in God's Army now in his letters. The apostle Paul describes the church in various ways.

A flock of body and an army in this booklet.

Pastor Paul reminds us that we are continuously involved in spiritual warfare and explains what it takes for us to become good soldiers. That's your in God's Army now booklet from Pastor Paul in our gift to you by request for your generous gift to destined for victory call 855-339-5500 or visit Pastor Paul.net to make a safe and secure donation online. You can also mail your gift to destined for victory PO Box 1767, Fremont, CA 94538. Again, our address is destined for victory.

Box 1767, Fremont, CA 94538 God wants you to see what other people who got us what other people you gotta give your time, your talent, your trouser not only yourself but other people become all that you are destined to be. That's tomorrow. Would Pastor Paul Sheppard shares his message.

We are an army.

Until then, remember he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion. In Christ, you are destined for victory