The Good Fight of Faith
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1 Timothy 6:11–12 (NKJV)
11 But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.
12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
As believers, as those who are called to eternal life.
There is a fight that we have to fight.
This fight is called the good fight of Faith. It is a good fight.
Every believers that has gone before us, the Apostles, The New testament believers all had to fight this fight inorder to make it to glory. Inorder to attain eternal life.
2 Timothy 4:6–8 (NKJV)
6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
we are not going to lay hold of eternal life without a fight.
There is a fight that you have to be enganged in.
This faith will call on you to fight certain things inorder for you to attain to glory, to attain eternal life.
What are the things that we have to fight in the good fight of faith
What are the things that we have to fight in the good fight of faith
1.Fight with self (that is your flesh)
1.Fight with self (that is your flesh)
1 Corinthians 9:24–27 (NKJV)
24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.
25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.
26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air.
27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.
The Apostle Paul describes the fight that he has with his body.
He describes it in a very strong way
The greek translated “descipline my body” NKJV and “keep under my body” in KJV, literal translation is “I bruise my body” and the greek translated “bring into subjection” is literarly “make it my slave”.
There are two things that is revealed here
The flesh is not going to willingly submit to your will, in fact its going to take alot of fighting to the point of bruising to subject it to your will.
The subjection is not mutual, it is one way, the body has to be your slave and you must be its master.
Why do we have to fight our flesh
If we do not subdue it, it has the power to disqualify us. keep us from the prize of eternal life.
16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.
The desires of the flesh is against the things of the Spirit. The flesh will and desire is to the things that is contrary to the flesh.
So if the spirit tells you to pray, your flesh will say don’t pray. Though your spirit may want to pray, if your flesh is not subdued it will have the upper hand and you will do what you do not wish to do.
24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
How do we subdue the flesh
Romans 8:12–14 (NKJV)
12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.
13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
The spirit of the Lord is what kills the deeds of the body.
Whenever you flesh becomes unrully, finding yourself living according to the desires of the flesh. You have to get to your knees in prayer and kill the flesh by being renewed with the Holy Ghost.
Let’s be honest, when we go for along period of time with the renewing of the Holy Ghost, our flesh will being to manifest itslelf. In anger, lazinness, unlceaness, worldliness.
31 I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
Concluding remarks
Fight the enemy within. Your flesh.
IF we cannot overcome the flesh, we will not be able to handle the other battles, the other things that we have to fight in the good fight of faith
2. Fight against sin
2. Fight against sin
Hebrews 12:1–4 (NKJV)
1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.
4 You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.
As we live in this world. Sin is an enemy that we have to fight against.
We have to strive with sin even unto bloodshed.
Jesus Christ has given us victory through his spirit and his flesh. We have what we need to resist sin and overcome it.
6 So the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?
7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”
God told cain the lurking of sin at his door seeking his life. seeking to overcome him but he was to rule over it, have dominion over it by resisting it. He did not.
Example of Jospeh
Potiphar’s wife would call to him everyday. Sin will call for you everyday. But you have to resist it.
Sin was offering temporary pleasure for the price of eterbal consequence.
Joseph for momentary pleasure of sin would have lost hsi destiny that God had purposed for his life.
Joseph ignored her and went about his way, finally when she tried to take hold of him, he left his cloth to her and run.
He refused to commit sin, irregardless of the consequence. As a result he was imprisoned. However God was with him.
35 Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.
36 Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment.
37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented—
38 of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.
They suffered because they refused to commit sin. The world was not worthy of them.
The world is not worthy of us. We are more valuable than the world so don’t sell yourself short .
Fight against Spiritual hosts
Fight against Spiritual hosts
Ephesians 6:10–20 (NKJV)
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—
19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel,
20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
The will be a day “the evul day’ where you will have to go head to head with the devil.
All the other battles are in preparation for this battle.
Notice in the above passages, the majority of the emphasis in this fight is withstanding.
The enemy will come to turn you away from God, from the path he has place you in. To move you by his attacks. You however, must stand firm in the way of God. You must refused to be moved, to waver at the promise of God.
Example of Job
The evil day came upon Job.
The enemy’s Goal was to turn Jacob from the way of Rigtheousness, to let go of is integrity and faith in the living Word of God.
Job 1:9-11 “9 So Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing? 10 Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!””
Job 2:3-6 “3 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil? And still he holds fast to his integrity, although you incited Me against him, to destroy him without cause.” 4 So Satan answered the Lord and said, “Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life. 5 But stretch out Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will surely curse You to Your face!” 6 And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand, but spare his life.””
Satan, attacked his possesion, his family, his body and then used his friend to attack his spirit with grevious words.
His goal was to turn Job from bhis steadfastness.. For Job to be moved by the tragedy that has taken place in his life, and disbelive God, and turn away from the way of rightheousness
Job 27:1–7 (NKJV)
1 Moreover Job continued his discourse, and said:
2 “As God lives, who has taken away my justice, And the Almighty, who has made my soul bitter,
3 As long as my breath is in me, And the breath of God in my nostrils,
4 My lips will not speak wickedness, Nor my tongue utter deceit.
5 Far be it from me That I should say you are right; [reffering to the devil] Till I die I will not put away my integrity from me.
6 My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go; My heart shall not reproach me as long as I live.
7 “May my enemy be like the wicked, And he who rises up against me like the unrighteous.
7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
The weapons of our warfare,
The word and prayer
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—
Paul biggest spiritual battle was in Ephesus
1 Corinthians 15:32 (NKJV)
32 If, in the manner of men, I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantage is it to me? If the dead do not rise, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!”
8 But I will tarry in Ephesus until Pentecost.
9 For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.
Paul chose to withand the enemy and tarry at ephesis until pentecost. He persisted in prayer and the preaching of the word until the day in which heavens were opened and the spirit was poured.
We have to anchor down and stay.
Conclusion
Withstand the enemy and keep your faith.
fight the Good fight of faith.
God will give you the victory