The moment we become Christians, we become soldiers. 
        We are in an all-out war with our adversary. 
        It is not our choice as to whether or not we become soldiers. It is our choice as to what kind of soldiers we are going to be -- effective or cowering.
        The devil is not cowering. He is threatening. He is relentless. He is ruthless.
        He calls evil good, and he calls good evil. 
        The Bible calls him 'the father of lies' and 'the accuser.'
        In the day of judgment, however, it will be unprofitable for Satan and those who do his bidding to have come against God’s children, to have fought against truth and righteousness. 
        We are to fight the good fight of faith. 
        As Christian soldiers, we are to be, as the song says, "marching as to war, with the cross of Jesus, going on before.”
        The late Dr. Adrian Rogers said that the warfare we face is “a form of guerilla warfare, sabotage, subversion, innuendo, sniping.
        “It is a deadly war,” he said. “It is a war between light and darkness, good and evil, heaven and hell, Christ and Satan. And, whether you realize it or not, you are a part of that war. 
        “You cannot afford to be ignorant, and you cannot possibly be neutral. You dare not, I say, be ignorant. You must not endeavor to be neutral.”
        The more sold out to God we are, the more intense the battle will be.
        But we must not feel threatened by the devil. We must be a threat to the devil.
        When the enemy threatens, we must be ready to fight, and we must be bold.
        Ephesians 6:10-20:  "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;  And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak."
        “The church is not a showboat,” said Dr. Rogers. “It is a battleship. We are at war. When you were born again, you were born for battle. But you were born to win.
        “I hope you believe in the devil. If you don’t believe the devil exists, you are in a very precarious situation. It’s important to understand who the devil is, in our warfare, because, if there is no enemy, there is going to be no preparation for war. 
        “Not only is he a decided fact; he is a destructive foe. In Satan’s warfare, he is very strategic. He is wily. He is subtle. He is sinister. 
        “We need to not only recognize our enemy; we need to prepare for the battle.”
        The Christian soldier, he said, is to wear the belt of truth, because “Satan is a liar, and Satan will come against you with lies.” Other parts of the Christian soldier’s armor are the breastplate of righteousness: to be pure, the shoes of peace: for when Satan casts doubt and discouragement, the shield of faith: which is certainty, for when Satan shoots his arrows, and the helmet of salvation: to have our minds under the control of God.
        “We must join the battle,” he said. “We’ve got to get into the fight.
        “What will guarantee our victory in the battle? 
        "Number one is the place of our stance. 
        "Next is the power of our sword. “The Bible says in Hebrews 4:12, 'For the word of God is quick and powerful and is sharper than a two-edged sword.' Three times, Jesus ran Satan through with that blessed blade.
        “Then, there is the provision of the Spirit. We have a commander who knows what is going on. He knows what the enemy is doing. Therefore, we stay in contact, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit.
        “The three things that assure you of victory: the place of your stance, the power of your sword, and the provision of the Spirit. 
        “This is a battle. This is a fight to the finish.”