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that power is to make experimental proof of the fact that in Him we are "more than
conquerors".
Are all the saved soldiers?
If we allow the typical history of Israel to influence us, we may conclude that only
those who have reached spiritual maturity are called upon to take up the armour:--
"From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel"
(Num. 1: 3).
It was no light matter to be "chosen as a soldier" as both II Tim. 2: and Num. 14:
will show:--
"Your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you,
according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which murmured
against Me" (Num. 14: 29).
The two exceptions to this statement are Caleb and Joshua. Of Caleb the Lord said:--
"He had another spirit with him, and hath followed Me fully, him will I bring into the
land" (Num. 14: 24).
Now the words "hath followed Me fully" are literally "hath filled after Me", and
Col. 1: 24 comes to mind as a close parallel:--
"And fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ."
To Joshua the Lord had said:--
"Moses . . . . . is dead . . . . . arise . . . . . be strong" (Joshua 1: 2-6).
Just as the inheritance of Israel was in possession of the "giants" who had to be
overcome in the strength of the Lord, so the inheritance of the church in the heavenlies is
held by spiritual foes of high rank and power. The soldier has something to win or to
lose:--
"Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus . . . . . endure
hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ" (II Tim. 2: 1-3).
A crown is in view and reigning with Christ (2: 4-12). This recurs in chapter 4:,
where Paul speaking of himself says:--
"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith;
henceforth there is laid up for me a crown" (II Tim. 4: 7, 8).
Yet, further, it is in the parallel epistle of the "Prize", namely Philippians, that Paul
calls Epaphroditus a "fellow-soldier". We feel therefore with these passages before us
that every believer is not necessarily numbered among the ranks of those able to go forth
to war.