The Good Fight of Faith
Read these verses:
Matt 24:11-14 "And many false prophets will arise,
and mislead many. And because lawlessness is increased,
most people's love will grow cold. *But the one who endures
to the end, he shall be saved.* And this gospel of the
kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness
to all the nations, and then the end shall come."
1 Tim 1:18-19 "This command I entrust to you,
Timothy, my son, in accordance with the *prophecies
previously made concerning you, that by them you may fight
the good fight,* keeping faith and a good conscience, which
some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to
their faith."
1 Pet 5:8-10 "Be of sober [self-controlled, sane]
spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls
about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. *But
resist him, firm in your faith,* knowing that the same
experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your
brethren who are in the world. And after you have suffered
a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His
eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm,
strengthen and establish you."
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Our victory in life through Christ depends on our
faith. Living in Christ brings warfare in this world, and
we win by faith. Christ and the disciples teach us to
"endure to the end", "fight the good fight (of faith), and
to be "firm in your faith". Faith is the assurance of
things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. It is
trusting in God and His Word and acting accordingly.
When times get tough, do I cry out to God in
frustration and doubt, or do I cry out to God in trust,
thankfulness and faith? See 1 Pet 5:6-7, Phil 4:6-7, and
2 Cor 9:7-11. "... casting all your anxiety on Him,
because He cares for you.", "Be anxious for nothing, but in
everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving,
let you requests be made known to God, ...", and "... God
is able to make all grace abound to you, that always having
all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance
for every good deed; ...".
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How does the devil attack our faith?
1. Temptation and sin. The wages of sin is death.
A person enslaved to sin is powerless to
fight the good fight of faith. Repentance
(in action and attitude) and faith go
hand-in-hand.
2. Doubt and unbelief. This also is sin. They are
the very opposite of faith; the spirit of the
world is the messenger of doubt and unbelief.
3. Social and emotional anxieties. Grief and trials
are part of this life; but if we react to
them by worrying and anxiety, we remove
ourselves from God's grace and provision.
4. Sickness. Physical sickness is a trial to our
faith, a battle.
How do we fight the good fight of faith?
(James 4:7, Col 1:23, 1 Cor 2:all, 1 Tim 1:5)
1. Obey God and submit to His Word. This is the
perfection of faith. By submitting to God,
we can resist the devil and he will flee.
2. Grow strong in faith. We can grow in faith just
like exercise increases our physical
strength. We become more firmly established
and steadfast in faith toward God.
3. Rely on the Holy Spirit! Read 1 Cor 2, entire
chapter. We are led by the Spirit and trust
God for His supernatural power in our battle.
4. Stay close to the throne of God. Maintain a clear
conscience. In daily, true repentance, we
will have a clear conscience before our God,
instead of being fearful of judgement.
5. Fulfilling the Great Commission. Tearing down
worldly strongholds. Doing what God has
called me to do.
6. Prayer, Praise, and Worship.