10
Jun '18
The Good Fight
10
Jun '18
What is the Good Fight? How do we go about fighting the good fight of faith daily in our spiritual lives? Here are four very important Bible verses about fighting the good fight of faith and how we should conduct our lives to reflect them.
1. 2 Timothy 4:7 says “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” This was Paul talking when he knew he was about to die. This well-known and oft-quoted passage is quite significant in that this epistle was Paul’s last before his martyrdom in A.D. 67. It is a deeply moving affirmation of his unwavering faith and unyielding love for the gospel of Jesus Christ. We know that God has called all of us to eternal life through the death and resurrection of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. His suffering on the cross and resurrection from the dead paved the way for us to be forgiven of our sins, escape God’s death penalty, and be accepted as sons and daughters. And this is what we should be fighting for: to live a life worthy of the call we have received.
2. 1 Timothy 6:12 says “Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” Fighting the good fight of faith and living a life worthy of our calling doesn’t mean that we should strive for our salvation and attempt to earn it. No, we’ll never ever earn it. Only Christ’s atoning sacrifice can provide salvation for us and satisfy the requirements for our forgiveness.
3. Ephesians 6:12 says “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” This famous verse describes the spiritual battle that exists in the lives of believers. It does so perhaps better than any other words in scripture. First, Paul affirms our battle is indeed spiritual, not physical. The enemies we face, ultimately, are not people or objects. The Devil may use those as part of his attack, but our true opponent is not other people…it is SIN.
4. James 1:12 says “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” James echoes the thought begun in verse 2 where he called on believers to categorize hard times as joyful things. Why? Because our faith only grows stronger when tested by trials. Trusting God through our trials pushes us toward the Christ-like maturity of trusting God more, and more deeply, and with greater endurance. That choice to keep trusting God even in the midst of the trial brings His blessing. Our circumstances may be hard, but we have His approval. God is on the side of those who trust Him through Life’s most difficult moments. Those who maintain trust in God during hardships will receive “the crown of life.
We all should fight the good fight of faith because everyday we wake up with breath in our bodies, we have been given another day to show our faith to the Lord as he has shown to us by giving us life, and life more abundantly. I’m a living witness of keeping the faith, even amid several storms, but I held on and it certainly was a much brighter day after all the dust settled! The things I prayed for that I needed in my life to continue to grow as a Christian, He gave them to me. There were days where I did not see any light at the end of the tunnel. Some days I felt like there was not even a tunnel, but I persevered despite of it all. Christians! Fight the good fight of faith in all that you do, and He will give it to you in more ways than you ever expected!