The Good Fight of Faith
Fight (agonizomai: to struggle, to compete for a prize, to contend with an adversary, to endeavor to accomplish something: fight, labor fervently, strive) the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed (homologeo: to assent, to covenant, to acknowledge, to confess, to give thanks) a good profession before many witnesses. I Tim 6:12.
The Christian walk is warfare. It is a spiritual battle and it is fought with spiritual weapons. The Apostle Paul calls this warfare the “good fight of faith.”
Fight the good fight of faith… 1Tim 6:12
Sometimes this fight does not seem very “good.” In fact, most of the time we think of this fight as terrible, extremely difficult and painfully stressful.
We do not have to wait long following our conversion to find out that the devil hates Christians. Most of us have had little experience concerning real spiritual battles until after we become believers. However, the victory is always worth the fight. Without the fight, there is no victory. Without warfare, there are no spoils. Without conflict, there is no crown. Without a test, there is no testimony.
Joshua and David were fighters. Jesus was a fighter. Paul was a fighter. The Apostles were fighters. All Bible heroes were courageous warriors.
The essence of New Testament Christianity is conflict and conquering. Believers who win are believers who know about spiritual warfare and who are aggressive in the pursuit of victory. This is the main theme of this study. Fighting the Good Fight of faith is being aggressive, active and offensive. We will not win if we are passive, neutral or defensive.
Since we are aware that the time is short and Jesus will soon return, what must we do in the mean time? We must fight the good fight of faith! This is the hour for a militant Church. This is the hour for boldness and bravery.
For centuries, the church has been passively licking her wounds. We have been quiet, calm and cool. We have been silent and permissive. We have been ignored and ridiculed. We have been submissive and neutral. Through this study, I am calling all saints to come to Attention! I am sounding the battle cry. It is time to fight and it is time to win. The victory is ours!
The only fight we are called on to fight is the good fight of faith. It is a good fight because we win and it is good because it is the kind of warfare that pleases God.
Without faith it is impossible to please Him… Heb 11:6
If it pleases God, it is good. It pleases God because the faith fight is always a winning fight. We never lose when we successfully fight the faith fight. If we fight the worry fight or the fear fight we will lose. If we fight the reasoning fight, we will lose. If we fight the works fight we will lose. If we fight the feelings fight we will lose. If we fight the sight fight, we will lose. But, if we fight the FAITH FIGHT we will win! And this is good because it pleases God.
The Reason for the War
Satan is the reason for the war
He has always opposed God, God’s work and God’s people. He hates God, he hates the Bible, he hates God’s children and He really hates the Church. His purpose is to kill, steal and destroy. He is a murderer, a liar, a deceiver, a destroyer, a thief, a tormentor and He is the source of all sickness, disease, death, poverty and bondage.
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10:10
Satan is the head of a kingdom called the kingdom of darkness. He is the prince and power over all demons. His kingdom is the reason for the war. He was expelled from heaven and now is the god of this present world-system. He plotted the betrayal and crucifixion of Jesus and attempted to steal humanity away from God the Father. Satan and his kingdom are the reasons for the war.
This present age is the reason for the war
As time approaches for the return of Jesus for His Church, the powers of darkness will intensify their opposition and warfare. Never in the history of mankind has there been such an increase in opposition to the Kingdom of God. War has been declared by the devil and no one is immune from his attack. He is desperate because he knows that his time is short. He is especially targeting those who are the champions of God. He attempts to discourage, disappoint, cause doubt, exhaust and wear out all Believers. This present age and the nearness of the return of Jesus are the reasons for the war.
The phenomenal growth of the New Testament Church is the reason for the war
There are more Believers today than at any time in history. The Word is covering this earth as the waters cover the sea. There is a “going forth” of the Gospel to all nations and kindreds and tongues and peoples. The Islands of the sea and the nations of the world are all being exposed to the life-changing, sin-forgiving, soul-saving Gospel of Jesus Christ. In a time when many denominations are experiencing declines in membership and conversions, churches that honor God, preach and teach the Word and embrace the Power of the Holy Spirit, are experiencing phenomenal growth.
With more than 580 million adherents (growing by 19 million per year and 54,000 per day), the Pentecostal/charismatic movement has become, in just 100 years, the fastest growing and most globally diverse expression of worldwide Christianity. At the current rate of growth, some researchers predict there will be 1 billion Pentecostals by 2025, most located in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.[1]
According to the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, in 2010 there were 2.18 billion Christians in the world, nearly a third of the global population. In 1958 it was estimated that there were 12 million Pentecostals in the world. By 1977 this number had grown to 60 million. Today this number has grown to an astonishing 600 million Pentecostals and Charismatics world-wide!
The fact that God is “pouring out His Spirit” on all flesh and birthing new believers and churches is the reason for the war. As God increases His Kingdom, Satan intensifies his warfare. But remember, where sin abounded, Grace did much more abound (Rom 5:20).
The nearness of your Victory is the reason for the war.
As your break-through gets close, the battle increases. The approaching victory that is coming to you is the reason for the war. In more than a half-century of preaching, I have never seen so many in the Body of Christ so savagely and viciously attacked.
The war has not abated and the attacks have not slackened. Your conflict is proof that victory is close. In the life of Jesus, the nearer He came to victory, the greater was His opposition.
Just before He began His miracle-working public ministry, He was violently opposed by the devil. At the conclusion of a 40 day fast, Satan came personally to Him and tempted Him. He was opposed by His race, His family, His friends and His followers. He was betrayed and forsaken and crucified just before His resurrection. The closeness of your victory is the reason for the war.
Be encouraged!
[1] Grant McClung, “Pentecostals: The Sequal.” Christianity Today, April, 2006
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