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Many\nof us sometimes feel as if we\u2019re living in a combat zone. It\u2019s as if a\nbattle is raging on all sides and we can\u2019t seem to get focused. In\ncombat, a critical factor for every soldier is whether he/she can\noutlast the battle in order to secure the victory. Therefore, surviving\n(coming through the struggle) means one of two things: (a) either you\nhave gained the victory, or (b) you have escaped to fight again. But\nkeep in mind, in spiritual warfare there may be spiritual captives!\xa0\nMany believers do not come through and end up defeated, bitter,\nbackslidden and blaming God for what\u2019s happened.

2 Timothy\n2:3,4 says, "You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of\nJesus Christ.\xa0 For no one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the\naffairs of this life, that he may please Him who enlisted him as a\nsoldier (his commanding officer)."\xa0 Enduring hardship as a good soldier\nis \u2018militaristic commitment\u2019, and this is essential in all spiritual\nwarfare.\xa0 God is looking for good soldiers,\xa0 and the Greek word for\n"good" implies 'one who is fit, excellent and capable'. Therefore, a\ngood soldier must possess all the correct virtues - he must be\ncommitted, skilled, disciplined, fierce in battle, driven and\nhardworking. You cannot live in the combat zone, and survive, without\nthese characteristics.