In 2015, the movie, American Sniper, portrayed the life of Navy Seal Chris Kyle. Volunteering for service in the Iraq war, Chris became the most effective sniper in American history. He and a small team would be dropped behind enemy lines. They would position themselves in strategic areas and shoot those who posed a threat to American soldiers, thus protecting countless lives. Chris served with distinction and a deep sense of duty to his country and fellow soldiers. He also repeatedly put himself in harms way by volunteering for four tours of duty before returning home.

When Paul sought to encourage young Timothy as he ministered in Ephesus, he urged him to “…endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (II Timothy 2:3). Everyone around the Mediterranean in Paul’s day was acutely aware of Roman soldiers who conquered territories and enforced the tyranny of the Roman Empire. Roman soldiers were extremely tough individuals. They were expert fighters with swords, spears, shields, and more. They also had to carry over sixty pounds of equipment, plus three days of rations, while they frequently marched 15 to 20 miles per day. These soldiers were often in peril as they served at the pleasure of their Caesar. It was with this example in mind that Paul urged Timothy to be a good soldier of Jesus Christ. Neither Timothy, nor we, should expect the Christian walk to be one of ease nor one without sacrifice and dangers. Timothy was to see himself as a soldier of the greatest leader ever, the Lord Jesus Christ. He was to serve at His pleasure, fight for His cause, and seek to conquer others with His Gospel of Grace. This would mean vigilantly carrying the weight of ministry over the span of years, being burdened for lost souls, and helping believers to grow in their faith. Timothy needed a mindset to voluntarily endure hardships without ever deserting the battle. This would mean facing opposition with “the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17), and being careful to not unduly “entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please Him who hath chosen him to be a soldier” (I Timothy 2:4).

Dear believer, do you think of yourself as a soldier of Christ? Have you armed yourself with a mindset of toughness and sacrifice? The moment you trusted Christ as Savior, you were enlisted in His army. Serve with distinction and honor as a good soldier.

Some childhood memories are more vivid than others. As a child, I remember my father bringing home 500 rooster chicks. They grew quickly, and we began butchering those chickens to provide food for our family. It freaked me out every time but, the first time I saw my father remove the heads of several chickens, it scared me to death. Without a head, those chickens ran around frantically for several minutes, as if they were trying to find their heads. When I asked how that was possible, my brother told me: “They’re dead, they just don’t know it yet.”

In the spiritual realm, the same can be true even for a believer. We can be dead spiritually and not even know it. In I Timothy 5:6, the Apostle Paul explained the proper care for godly widows. Then he wrote about widows who are not dedicated believers, saying: “But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.” It is possible, perhaps even common, for believers to be running around like chickens with their heads cut off in a frantic effort to pursue the things of the world, to the neglect of their walk with the Lord. It’s a matter of focus and priority.

When each of us are saved, we are made “…a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (II Corinthians 5:17). Our hearts are filled with joy over receiving eternal life as an unmerited gift of grace. Our minds develop a sense of gratitude over having escaped eternal punishment. Our soul yearns to live apart from sin and “…unto Him which died for them and rose again” (II Corinthians 5:15). But the flesh is weak. It is easy for the cares of this world to dull our spiritual senses. It is natural to drift toward a focus on worldly things and away from a close walk with Christ. Particularly in America, where we have so much abundance, our affections for things often crowd out our love for the Lord. God tries to draw us back to Him every day. But if we are not diligent in our quiet time with Him and looking always for truth to transform our lives, we can become spiritually dead, and not even know it.

Take your spiritual heartbeat. If it’s not as strong as it once was, it’s time to “awake…and arise from the dead” (Ephesians 5:14).