Romans 10:9: If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Militaries across history have used powerful weapons, innovative technology, and excellent tactics to wage war and earn victory on the battlefield. No matter how impressive these elements are, it is useless without an army of soldiers. Armies need soldiers to fight and win wars. That is why American television is always full of recruiting commercials, and there are so many advertisements on the Internet for recruitment into the armed forces.
The Army of God is no different. For Christians to wage spiritual battle against the evil of this world, and to spread the message of Jesus Christ to all corners of the globe, we need soldiers. To do this, we need to continually recruit new Christians into our army. The Bible verses known as the Great Commission state:
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28: 16-20
In the armed forces, recruitment can be difficult. Potential soldiers need to pass aptitude assessments, physical fitness tests, medical checks, and legal checks. If a potential soldier fails one of these, there is a chance that he/she will not become a member of the armed forces.
Recruitment in the Army of God is blissfully easy. God does not care how many push-ups you can do, he does not care how smart you are, he does not care if you have a medical condition, and he is ready to forgive you of any sin or crime you have committed in your past. The opening verse is the only “test” a potential soldier needs to pass to enter the Christian army. A person can fail to enter the world’s armed forces for various reasons, but if that person states that Jesus is Lord, and believes that God raised Jesus from death, then that person is immediately a cherished member of the Lord’s army.
Recruiting soldiers for Jesus is easy. You just need to tell people about Him. Not everyone you tell about Christ will become Christians, but do not lose hope. Keep telling others about Jesus and the love He has for them. The more soldiers you recruit for God, the bigger and stronger our army becomes, and the more we can show His love to this hurting world.
This week go into your school or job ready to make a positive change. Spread the love and message of Jesus to the people around you and help to bring in new recruits to the wonderful loving Army of God.