1 Timothy 1:18 (NIV)
18 Timothy, my son, I am giving you this command
in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by recalling
them you may fight the battle well,
Paul writes in his letter to Timothy to fight the good
fight. He tells him to do this by loving from a pure heart, a good conscience,
and a sincere faith. (ITimothy 1:5) Love is one of the keys to fighting the
good fight. It is a powerful weapon against all evil. Brennan Manning says, “In
every encounter we either give life (love) or we drain it. There is no neutral
exchange.” Love is a way to fight the good fight. It helps us to resist the
evil one who plants seeds of destruction. Another way to be strong in power and
resist the “devil’s schemes” is to put on the full armor of God daily.
(Ephesians 6:10-18) The disciples of Christ had to fight hard to hold on to
their faith amidst the persecution and trials of being a Christian. Paul,
however, describes the fight as a “good fight” – one worth fighting for, one
worth giving your life for.
Are you tired of the “good fight”? Have you sought to live a
godly life but feel like a failure? Remember that Jesus never came to make us
perfect. He came as the perfect sacrifice to draw us to Himself and make us
holy. Swimming against the tide of society in a post-Christian world can be
tiring, but the fight is worthwhile and the rewards are great. Jesus puts it
this way: In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome
the world.
(John 16:33)
Thought for today:
How do you know you’re fighting the good fight?
No comments:
Post a Comment