FIGHT

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 – 1 Timothy 6:12

VICTORY seldom comes without a FIGHT. Faith is the Victory that overcomes the world (1Jh.5:4). And faith is a FIGHT: “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” (1Tim. 6:12). The word ‘fight’ is both a verb and a noun. Both parts of speech imply battle, conflict, struggle, tussle or wrestle. In ordinary usage, the word gives an impression of physical tussle; but the fight of faith is a spiritual fight, a holy fight. The fiercer the fight is; the greater the Victory. The stronger the battle is; the grander the victory. Praise God! Great confidence is inspired in us when we know that God, His angelic hosts, and all the resources of heaven are pledged to our victory. Fighting for what is good and right is a key part of the believer’s life.

People from the beginning of time and through the ages, have had to fight for destiny’s deliverables. Adam and Eve didn’t fight properly and lost the battle, such that the enemy took what belonged to them. They spent the rest of their lives trying to regain the dignified destiny that had been stolen from them. Abraham fought for Lot, his family and his friends. He fought for his faith in God and God’s promised covenant to him. Moses fought to deliver Israel from Egypt and to lead his people through the wilderness struggles. Joshua had to fight to possess the Promised Land. Gideon rallied an army to fight for freedom and overthrow the Midianites. David fought to overcome all of Israel’s enemies. Jesus had to fight the Pharisees, Sadducees, religious traditions, sin, sicknesses, demons, and poverty. He died and fought Satan in hell and triumphed: “having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it” (Col.2:15).

We are here today because of the centuries of fighting that have gone on before us. Faith is a fight; a good fight: one with a concluded victory! We already have the Victory (Eph.1: 19-23; Col.2: 15). The devil simply wants to wrestle it from our hands. We have been called to fight the good fight of faith; not the fight of fear, flesh, despair, desperation, ego, emotions, intellect, hatred or suspicion. It is not a fight for social status, acceptance or approval; or for worldly possessions and positions. The Fight of Faith is inevitable because life on earth is a battle-field – a succession of battles from the cradle to the grave! The world is warfare, but the single victory at Calvary answers to all battles of life! The Christian life is a warfare against the powers of darkness (Eph. 6:12). There is no vacuum in the spirit; no room for neutrality or “sitting on the fence” (Mt.11:12; Lk.16:16).

God Himself is a Fighter: “The LORD is a Man of War; the LORD is His name” (Exo.15:3). Sometimes, His will is for us to simply submit and have Him fight for us. He told Moses: “The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace” (Exo.14:14). Moses consistently assured Israel of God’s readiness to fight for them (Dt.1:30; 3:22; 20:4). With Joshua at the helm of affairs “the LORD fought for Israel” with a great slaughter at Gibeon (Jos.8-14). God assured Jehoshaphat, “You will not need to fight in this battle, Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, who is with you…” (2Chr.20:17a). In essence, God always leads His people in war; He never abandons His own. Essentially, we contend with three principal enemies: the world, the flesh, and the devil. There is the pull of the world from without (the prevailing secular culture), the persuasions of the flesh from within, and Satan, the devil behind both. Let’s be stirred up to fight for what is good, right and excellent; and for the will of God in our lives, families, churches, and nations.