Heaven is not for cowards!

I've been receiving emails from "Worthy News" for many years.  The devotion before the list of news events around the world always catches my eye.   This one is from today's email:

Revelation 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
In light of today's headlines with both revival and the spiritual warfare taking place within the U.S. military, I thought I'd share this story from Moody's Anecdotes, a must read. 

"A young man enlisted and was sent to his regiment. The first night he was in the barracks with about fifteen other young men, who passed the time playing cards and gambling. Before retiring, he fell on his knees and prayed, and they began to curse him and jeer at him and throw boots at him. So it went on the next night and the next, and finally, the young man went and told the chaplain what had taken place, and asked what he should do.

'Well,' said the chaplain, 'you are not at home now, and the other men have just as much right to the barracks as you have. It makes them mad to hear you pray, and the Lord will hear you just as well if you say your prayers in bed and don't provoke them.'

For weeks after the chaplain did not see the young man again, but one day he met him, and asked - 
'By the way, did you take my advice?' 
'I did, for two or three nights,' [the soldier answered.] 
'How did it work?' 
'Well,' said the young man, 'I felt like a whipped hound and the third night I got out of bed, knelt down and prayed.' 
'Well,' asked the chaplain, 'How did that work?' 
The young soldier answered: 'We have a prayer meeting there now every night, three have been converted, and we are praying for the rest.'

There are rewards for standing firm in your Christian walk.  Rewards in this life and the hereafter.  How can we stand strong as Christians?

Ephesians 3:16  That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;

ILLUSTRATION:

As a young man Philip was kidnapped and held as a hostage in Greece.  There he remained for several years.  During this time he received a military education.  Then he returned to his homeland, which had conceded many defeats and had lost much land.  Within five years he had become king.

Philip II of Macedon desperately needed his army to stand firm.  He is remembered for two major innovations.  First is the sarissa, a very long spear.  Second is the re-development of a rectangular military formation used by ancient armies (known as a phalanx).  A core of highly-trained infantrymen armed with Philip’s longer spears stood shoulder to shoulder in files normally eight men deep. 

As long as they stood firm and did not break rank they were virtually invincible and struck fear into the hearts of their enemies.  Using this tactic, Philip united the city-states of Greece and took the city of Philippi (which is named after him) in 356 BC.

PRAYER:

Father in heaven, in the Name of Your Son, Jesus, give us the courage and strength to stand strong and faithful as Your Children in a world of turmoil.  Allow us to experience the Peace that Passes all Understanding which only comes from Your presence.  Give us a heart for the lost.  Burn within us a desire to minister to all within our reach.  Let us not become slack, complacent, or lazy ... Lord, help us to keep the fire of the Holy Spirit burning within our spirit.  Grant us wisdom to maintain unity as soldiers of the Cross.  May we stand before your judgment seat one day and hear you say to each of us, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.