Paul compared our work as Christians to that of a soldier. Epaphroditus was a fellow soldier to Paul. Archippus was Paul’s fellow soldier. In Eph 6:10-18 Paul described the armor of a soldier in which we stand against the devil. A good soldier of Jesus Christ:

Endures Hardness

Your life will be hard if you enter the fight and stand for the Lord. 2 Tim 3:10, Paul endured persecutions. You can’t be weak. You can’t give up. Stay in the fight. Don’t give in to the enemy. Follow your commander, Jesus Christ, and speak well of him.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego endured when their lives were on the line, Dan 3:12-18. They would not bow. They stood when it would have been easier to bow. Remember 1 Cor 15:58.

Don’t Get Entangled With The Affairs Of This Life

We can’t allow the affairs of this life to entangle us. When you get entangled, you know it. It’s just like being caught in a spider web. Therefore, stay focused on God’s affairs. In 2 Sam 11:1-3 when David neglected to go forth to battle, he became entangled in an affair with Bathsheba. When you are entangled, you can’t fight.

Lk 9:62, keep going forward; don’t go back. Don’t be a Demas, 2 Tim 4:10. You’ve been saved out of the world; don’t get entangled with the world.

Please And Obey Your Commander

When you sign up for the American military, the government “owns” you. You serve out of duty, if nothing else. When you sign up as a soldier of Jesus Christ, he owns you, as well, 1 Cor 6:20. But you serve him with you whole heart out of love for him. Paul wanted to please the Lord with his body, with his speech, and with his walk. We should do the same.