Just as the apostle Paul said he fought the good fight of faith in 2 Timothy 4:7 ‘I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept firm in my faith’, so he also instructed his young disciple Timothy to ‘fight the good fight’ in 1 Timothy 6:12. In the same way, we are called to ‘The Fight of Faith’ as we come against spiritual oppositions in our own lives.

Scripture

1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of the faith; lay hold of the eternal life to which you were summoned and for which you confessed the good confession of faith before many witnesses.

Context: To fully understand the above verse’s message, we must first look at its biblical and historical context. From a Roman prison, Paul wrote this letter to Timothy, the young disciple in charge of the Ephesus Church. Ephesus was a thriving Roman metropolis. The strategic position of the city created a unique environment for trading to thrive. Because of the increased commercial activity in the busy port, many of the city’s residents became wealthy. A few wealthy individuals from this city converted to Christianity, and among them were some who trusted in their wealth and others who trusted in pagan influences. Paul tells Timothy to warn believers against putting their faith in “uncertain riches and pagan influences.” In the same way, scripture urges us to be people who will contend against spiritual opposition & influence and instead trust in the supernatural power of God to live a life of faith.

Contend meaning – hard work requiring time and effort, striving against opposition and difficulty; sometimes physically and sometimes spiritually.

To fight ‘The Fight of Faith’ we need to be people who are determined to live by faith and learn how to sustain the fight!

We need A RESIDENT GOD WORD

A part of fighting the good fight of faith is the ability to recognise our enemy. As long as we are passive (accepting or allowing what happens without active response or resistance), we allow the enemy to run lose in our lives and we find ourselves exhausted and in a space of survival mode. Nothing is going to change about our situation if all we do is wait around and wish things were different.

Often, we know God has asked us to do something and then a challenge comes, and we can find ourselves asking ‘Did I get it wrong?’. We can have a feeling of discouragement, fear, or doubt and can draw back and believe the lies of the enemy. But we need to learn to contend and to fight back with the truth of God’s Word – we need to each have A Resident God Word, not a Sunday last week word, but a word God is speaking directly to us. A word that becomes resident in our inner spirit, not just a visiting word that comes and goes with feelings and circumstance, but a solid resident word that builds a foundation for us to stand strong and to fight with when challenge comes.

We shouldn’t be surprised when we have a fight on our hands! In fact, it probably means we are accessing a new level of the supernatural. Are you able to recognise the enemy? How has this looked for you and what are some ways you fight back?
Share a resident word that God has directly spoken to you in this season.

We need A DAILY DETERMINATION

We have each been called, empowered, and equipped to get through anything that the world throws at us. But we need to have a daily determination and a dependence on God to live a life that is undeterred. Living undeterred means that we persevere despite setbacks. Throughout scripture we are encouraged by so many people of the faith that demonstrated daily determination despite setbacks. We see how despite opposition Noah built his ark Ref Genesis chapters 6–9, Sarah giving birth despite continual set back ref Genesis 17:16, the widow who persisted until she was given the result that was desired REF Luke 18:1–8. In fact, it is in the parable of the persistent widow that Jesus teaches us to live a life undeterred and to persevere with boldness. The Hebrew word Chutzpah (Chutz-pa) used in this parable is perhaps one of the most famous Jewish statements out there, Chutzpah means audacity but is also commonly used to describe admiration for an individual’s boldness. Jesus teaches through this parable that the disciples and us, should live with this widow’s chutzpah, with a daily determination to persist for God’s way to be outworked and fulfilled despite setbacks we face. It is in our persistence that we overcome resistance.

Our determination reflects the source of our dependence. Do we live a life that demonstrates we live from a place of natural ability or from faith in Gods supernatural ability?
Are there areas we have given up on? It could be from challenges within family, marriage, or work. What can we do to get back on track and with persistence fight with faith to see God’s way outworked in us and through us?

We need A SOLID SOLD OUT SUPPORT CREW

We need people who are willing to fight with us and for us when we can’t fight alone.

All of us need the strength of a faith filled people and environment around us because faith loses strength when we isolate ourselves. 1 Timothy 6:12 says ‘…our confession of faith before many witnesses’, our faith requires the fuel of many believers. There’s no doubt about it; our environment will shape our future, who we surround ourselves with influences the choices we make, directions we take and can build us up or tear us down. ref proverbs 13:20.

We need to be intentional to choose people who speak life, hope and faith into our situations and not isolate ourselves or be influenced by fear.

Faith can’t grow and build upon fear, we will at times feel fear in our lives, but we then need to decide to not live in that fear, we need to challenge it, fight it, and overcome it! And at times, a big part of being successful at that is by having a solid sold-out support crew who will fight with us and for us.

Likewise, we need to be a support to others, stand with others, and speak life and hope into their lives.

God created us to do life together, to build one another up and sharpen each other’s faith. Ref Proverbs 27:17.

Part of the role of our group is to be a support crew. Are there ways that we can be that to each other? Are there areas that we need to share with each other so we can be standing and praying for each other? One way we can all pray and believe together in this season for the miraculous is to leave a prayer request or praise report on the Miracle Prayer Wall. https://lifeau.org/miracles/
Have you noticed patterns in areas of your life where you get stuck in fear and don’t move forward? Who can you ask to support you to see breakthrough in that area?
How are you intentional about positioning yourself consistently in a faith filled environment? Why do you think this is important?

Sundays Message

Listen to Sunday’s message The Fight of FAITH –

Coming up at Life

Prayer

Men – 6am Tuesday at LIFE
Women – 6.30am Wednesday at LIFE

RESOURCE REF: NIV Bible, Bible Hub Definitions, Life message