The Good Fight

Twice in 1 Timothy Paul tells Timothy to "fight the good fight." Then at the end of his life in 2 Timothy Paul acknowledges to Timothy, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." God expects us to be "fighters."

In 2 Corinthians Paul says, "For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 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."

It's important that we understand that, "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." (Eph. 6:12)

Are you a fighter? I believe that our fight centers around 5 areas:



Anything that rivals my supreme love & devotion to Jesus
Anything that rivals my personal holiness & moral purity
Anything that rivals my commitment to love, protect, & provide for my family
Anything that rivals my attention & commitment to Christ's mission for my life
Anything that rivals my practice of living in community with other Christ-followers



These fights take place in the mind, emotions, body, and ultimately the will. The outcomes affect my passion/ambitions, attitudes, affections, and behavior (particularly related to time, money, and relationships.) These outcomes lead to habits, character, and a lifestyle.

posted by: Will Ravelob at the PHIAA e-group