Text: 2 Timothy 2:4 KJV
Further Reading: 2 Timothy 2:1-5
No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.
2 Timothy 2:4 NKJV
MESSAGE
The devil knows that it would be very difficult to get a person living for God to sin so he devices a more subtle way to gain a foothold into his life. Whenever the enemy finds you on fire for God, and you will not indulge in sin, he begins to smuggle some non-sinful habits into your life.
The whole idea is simple – to create a disconnect between you and God. When we are all out for God without any divided attention, we can do more for Him. But immediately we get distracted by other things, we will lose a grip on our spiritual stability.
The truth is that you are a soldier, and if you are correctly living the life of Christ, you become a menace to the devil and he sets a target on you. Therefore as a good soldier of Christ, you must be extremely disciplined and focused on winning the crown.
Paul the Apostle explained this principle in two ways, the first way was to describe us as one who is trying out to become a master in a particular art and also as an athlete who has to be disciplined in order to win the race which is temporal but ours he said, is eternal (1 Corinthians 9:24-25).
Beloved, we must be strong in the Lord and His mighty power to stop those habits that the enemy brings into our lives to drain us of vision and spiritual power.
Have you noticed some old habits creeping back into your life, or some new interest that is dominating your heart? Let me point your attention to that sport that is now eating into your prayer time, or the news now occupying your study time. Could it be a new digital skill that you are taking or some other sort of distraction or some so-called Christian entertainment?
Though these new habits are no sin on their own, but they are the little foxes that spoil the vine (Songs of Solomon 2:15). If you are honest, you will see how much spiritual power these habits have drained off your life.
Many are really struggling today not because they had sins in their lives but because TV and Smartphones have taken a foothold in their lives. Are you among those who need to recharge today? Don’t just recharge your battery, you must clean up your life and get rid of those toxic strangers in your life.
REFLECTION
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.
Hebrews 12:1 NKJV
Weights are no sins but they sure can cause great damage if they are not taken care of. Ask God to help you deal with this satanic invasion in our time. Also, guard your heart and mind against those you find tempting and can turn into habits.
PRAYER
Father, please let every habit draining me of spiritual life and energy be consumed with the fire of the Holy Ghost today. Amen.
