and being prepared for it are the following:
A. Resolving to do the Lord's will as the chief pursuit of our lives.
1. All Christians are called to be "soldiers of the Cross". All soldiers know that they can be called upon to pay the ultimate price for their cause. For this reason, the soldiers of the Cross are called to take up their crosses and commit to die daily to their own interests in order to serve the interests of Christ:
"If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his Cross daily, and follow Me." (Luke 9:23).
"For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it." (Luke 9:23,24)
"You therefore must suffer hardship as a good soldier of Christ Jesus." (2 Timothy 2:3)
"No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier." (2 Timothy 2:4)
"And he died for all, that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf." (2 Corinthians 5:15)
B. Beholding the glory of the Lord.
C. Finding and becoming a committed part of the body of Believers we are called to be with.
D. Receiving the ministry of the five equipping ministries listed in Ephesians chapter 4.