"But Jesus said to him, 'Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.'" (Matthew 26:52)
Satan's kingdom of evil will do things to make it look bad to do what Jesus says to do.
So, if He says to do something, first it is good to make sure with Him about what He means . . . plus
how to do it
You can't be a good soldier unless you first become a good citizen.
You need to know what you stand for and so what you are fighting for. And you need to know how to live in love and peace so you can bring love and peace and joy with your victory.
But there are plenty of people who do not know how to love; but they can fight and win battles. Their families are breaking up, partly because they are not strong and so they are broken by what they do and go through. God's love makes us strong so we can bear doing whatsoever He has us doing.
But we see how things have gone when a nation of sin has tried to fight a war right > if you can't take care of your own people right, surely you will not be able to fight right and bring peace.
We see how sin ruined things for the Jews when they fought with Ai > Joshua chapter seven. Also, see what happened when the Jews made a bad military choice because "they did not ask counsel of the LORD" > Joshua 9.
Jesus says, "'He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.'" (Luke 16:10)
So, if you are unjust in how you take care of your family, how can you be right for taking care of your country or another country?
The main battle to win, then, is first in our own character and personality, so that we can do God's will and all He really means by His word > this includes being "swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath" (in James 1:19) so we are able to rightly understand.
Our character can effect how well we can understand God's word. There are people who can pride themselves in force, and who can depend on "the sword" as their way to get what they desire and want to protect; and this depending on less than God can get us in trouble. And, of course, if God's word says something, then surely Satan will use very dirty things to make it look bad to do what God says to do.
So, I would say do not let Satan's threats decide if you do what Jesus says to do.
If we read something in God's word, it is wise not to be swift to first think of problems we have about what God's word says to do
But Romans 13:4 does say . . . about someone in secular power, I understand >
"For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil."
So, I see that God does use secular authority people to "bear the sword" against evil doers. But how are these people in authority becoming, themselves, while they do this? I notice how some number of people of law enforcement and the military are not deeply sound and strong enough to handle what they are doing > even before they go into traumatic situations, already they can be too weak to control just a glass of booze or a cigarette, never mind control themselves for war and law enforcement and the interpersonal problems that can be in military and enforcement chains of command; so ones are weak, to begin with, so then they can suffer so much the more in war and other conflicts. You need to be ready to relate with other personalities > "Let all that you do be done with love." (1 Corinthians 16:14)
Paul says, "Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation," in Philippians 2:14-16. If we do not have love's self-control against arguing and complaining, we also "might" not be strong enough to bear very hard things in this world. In God's love making us strong against arguing and complaining, we have His almighty strength to also keep us safe emotionally and spiritually during hard things of this life. A soldier needs to be ready, in love's strength > "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might." (Ephesians 6:10)
"And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good?" (1 Peter 3:13)
So - - for doing what really is God's will, we have grace almighty so we can bear well in love whatever we go through > love "bears all things", we have in 1 Corinthians 13:7.
Paul was so tortured and stoned, and had so many people against him; yet in God's grace almighty
of God's love he took "pleasure" in all he went through > 2 Corinthians 12:7-10. So, he was a ready soldier, but also he fought for what brings peace with God. Helping this world's people with their causes "might" not be the same thing. This world is very evil; and it can do nasty things to keep our attention away from the real fight which we need to fight.
If a nation is ok with attacking and killing unborn people, how can this nation have the character to stand against the attacks of terrorism? So many are weak in fear, but "Perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment; but he who fears has not been made perfect in love." (1 John 4:18) So, while ones are in weakness so they can kill their unborn and fight and argue in their marriages, their weakness of this makes them available to being controlled by fear. Their fighting can be because of pride making sure they do not see how they themselves are into murder and using people instead of loving any and all people like Jesus wants (Matthew 5:46).
But we Christians love our enemies, even as ourselves . . . like Jesus did, on the cross > "And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, and offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma." (Ephesians 5:2) So, if we are not able and ready to love like this, we are not ready to fight right. And yes Satan will bring things to excuse us and distract us from this. It is not our "job" to fight this selfish world's battles! We are specialists in love and compassion and forgiveness
So, I consider that if God calls people to be police and soldiers, this is so they can be examples of how to win in love and enforce good by our example of how to love >
"nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock." (1 Peter 5:3)
