“Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses” 1 Timothy 6:12 (KJV)
There is a fight that we are encouraged and admonished to fight. It is the good fight of faith. It is contending for the faith, it is a fight to uphold the Christian faith. This fight is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
We are to fight doubt, distraction, unbelief, fear, deception and the lies of the devil. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through Christ to the pulling down of strong holds, casting down imaginations and everything that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.
There are forces to contend with as we practice our faith in life. These opposing forces are aimed at discrediting and frustrating our walk with God. They are deception and lies of the devil; they are the satanic oppositions and wicked devices. Carnal fight is not a good fight. It is a bad fight. Our weapon for the fight of faith is the word of God and prayer. Tempted to turn stone to bread, Jesus used the word “it is written”. God’s word is our weapon of war – it is the sword of the spirit. All other armour is defensive armours. The word is the offensive weapon against the devices of the devil.
In fighting the good fight of faith, we must recognize that we have a common enemy the devil. People he uses are not our targets. When we focus on human beings, we miss the fight. While Satan may use people which he does, we must recognize that Satan, not human beings is our enemy. His mission is to steal, to kill and to destroy (John 10:10). We are called to resist the devil and he will flee from us. Every attempt to resist sin, resist compromise, to resist temptation is a fight of faith. A fight to advance the gospel through preaching of the gospel is a good fight of faith. Every fight to resist the encroachment or advancement of sin and satan is a fight of faith. Every fight to extend our dominion and enforce the defeat of satan is a good fight of faith. Every fight to enforce the benefits of redemption and the victory of the cross is a fight of faith. “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith” 2 Timothy 4:7 (KJV).
Preaching the gospel and taking clear and bold stand for righteousness is a good fight of faith. Christianity is not apathy; it is a fight of faith. There are redemptive benefits we cannot lay hold on except we fight the fight of faith.
PRAYER:Lord, help me to fight the good fight of faith.
Rev. Vincent Diolu