COMMISSIONED TO CONQUER (Deuteronomy 1: 21)

The Christian Soldier as we have seen from the above text in Deuteronomy is commissioned to go and conquer and possess the land. There is no soldier without assignment.
Moses in the above text was commissioned to go and conquer and possess the promises of God to them. In addition, God exhorted him and said " Fear Not, neither be discouraged.".

From that text we can see that there are challenges that face and confront the commission that God has given unto every soldier of the cross especially in times like this.

CHALLENGES OF THE COMMISSION
Let me mention some challenges that a Soldier is confronted with.

(1). DISCOURAGEMENT.
( Deut 1.21.) from this text we can see that one major challenge a Christian faces is discouragement. When expectations are not met with fulfillment, one can easily get discouraged and may be tempted to cast in the towel or drop his weapon of war and run away from the Battle field.

2 Timothy 4: 10. In this text, Demas, a close associate and fellow worker with Paul abandoned him in the middle of the battle. Such abandonment could have weakened the morale of Paul if he wasn't determined to forge ahead.

(2) THE FLESH (Galatians 5: 16 - 17). The flesh, our body has its inclinations, desires and liking and such desires are always in variance and conflict with the Spirit. The flesh constantly challenges the soldier and pulls him in the opposite direction to the desires of the Spirit. Apostle Paul confessed in Romans 7 verses 19, that " the good that I would , I do not, but the evil which I would not, that I do."

1. HARDSHIPS/ CARES OF THIS LIFE

2 Timothy 2 verse 3, Matthew 4: 3- 7, 18- 19.

Hardships have the capacity to pose a great challenge to the Christian soldier. Apostle Paul identified it as one major threat to the commission. And so he warned Timothy to endure Hardships. Jesus earlier mentioned Hardships as a major obstacle to the commission as illustrated with the Parables of the Sower. Those seeds that fell on thorns died off because the cares of this life and the hardships it comes with, often challenges the soldier and if care is not taken, he will fall and give up or totally abandon the commission in pursuit of riches or life's endeavors.

1. IMPATIENCE ( Hebrews 10: 33-36).

Lack of patience on the way can cause a soldier to miss the mark and lose his reward. King Saul lost his kingship because of impatience and lack of endurance. Impatience made him disobey the instructions of Samuel and his Kingship was taken away from him.

1. WEARINESS/ FAINT HEARTEDNESS.
   (Galatians 6: 9, Proverbs 24: 10)

Hope postponed maketh the heart sick and leads to weariness and faint heartedness. Because of a lot of pressure and temptations baffling the Christian Soldier, he can get weary and drowsy in the faith. But God admonishes us not to be weary in well doing for we shall reap our reward in due time if we faint not.

1. EXCESS LOAD/LUGGAGE
   ( Hebrews 12: 1)

This can pose a serious threat to the Christian. A soldier in the combat doesn't carry excess load because the luggage can weigh him down and he wont be able to run with speed. Paul admonishes the Soldier of the cross to drop aside every weight, and entanglements like sin, unnecessary attachments to politics, sports, culture, material things and all worldy things that we don't need in our christian race and battle front.

1. SATAN. ( 1 Peter 5 : 8-9, Revelations 12: 9-10)

Satan is the Accuser of the Brethren, the Old Serpent that has vowed to thwart the kingdom of God and confront the soldier of the cross so that he wont be able to fulfill the commission.

1. THE WORLD ( 1 John 2:15-17)

This is one major challenge that a Soldier faces every minute that passes by. The world, with all its endearments and allures constantly seeks to derail the attention of the Believer to mundane and transient things that doesn't last. It seeks to constantly dis-focus the soldier so that he will abandon his God given commission. Therefore God instructs us not to love the world with its desires. Any soldier who is in love with the world, like Demas, will abandon his commission and eventually not get his reward..