Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. —1 Timothy 6:12
There are some things in this life that are worth fighting for. Our families and our freedom are two that come to mind for the average person. But did you know that there is something worth fighting for that outweighs these two? What could be worth more than our families and our freedom? It is the very thing that maintains our freedom, provides for our families and protects those we love—our faith.
There is a battle that is being waged every day in the realm of our faith. This war and struggle isn’t against things we can see. It’s not a matter of fighting against other people or flesh and blood. It’s a battle against demonic rulers and powers that Satan controls. Sure, these cohorts of Lucifer may manifest through people here on earth, but we have to remind ourselves that we aren’t fighting the person, but rather we are warring against the evil spirit that is influencing them.
Although demon possession is a reality, it is very seldom that Satan or his minions will manifest their power through superhuman strength. Most often, these evil servants of the devil war with something that’s not as tangible. Many times, they introduce arguments through a false wisdom and try to recruit others to do the same. They skillfully utilize the weapons of worry, doubt and fear against the knowledge of God and His Word.
We don’t fight against the devil the way men fight against each other. Our battle isn’t that simple. It’s not a matter of the stronger one prevailing; it’s a matter of upholding the truth. These battles take place in heavenly realms and in the hearts and minds of men. Satan’s not an unskilled opponent. If he can get you to worry, then he can keep you busy and ineffective. If he can get you to doubt, then he knows that you’ll have less ability to believe. He knows if he can get you to fear, your faith has already gone out the window and, in that state, he’ll always win.
So how do you prepare for the fight of faith? You get yourself ready by spending time in God’s Word. Get to know His promises and His faithfulness through studying, which renews your mind to think the way God thinks. Then, when the devil introduces an idea to you that is contrary to the Bible, you’ll recognize it right away and deal with it by casting it out of your thought life.
Secondly, you prepare by praying in the Holy Ghost. The Word of God instructs us that praying in the Holy Ghost builds up our inner man. It fortifies his very nature with the life and nature of God Himself. And when one of the devil’s counterparts comes to deceive you or to introduce a lie, you won’t have to flex a muscle. You’ll simply release the spiritual power that’s in you by declaring, “I know who you are and what you’re up to. Take your lying tongue and be gone from me.” There won’t be a struggle or any great effort on your part because the power that raised Christ from the dead will flow out of you, driving the evil one far from you. When you live a life in the Word of God and stay prayed up in the Holy Ghost, it’s easy to fight the good fight of faith.
Scriptural Context 1 Timothy 6:1-12
Concept Reinforcement For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. —Ephesians 6:12
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. —2 Corinthians 10:5
Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.
—Jude 1:3
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