It Is A Fight
Good Morning,
The Christian life is a battlefield. We are attacked by our own flesh, by the godlessness around us, and by the world in general. To stay right will always be a fight.
1 Corinthians 16:13 “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.”
Philippians 4:1 “Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.”
Passages urging us to fight, to wrestle, and to stand firm are common in Scripture. To coast, relax, and “go with the flow” is far from the road to a successful Christian life.
This world is not Christian, and it is quickly becoming more contrary to the things of God. For a man to stand strong for his faith, to stay clean in his thinking, and to focus on family, God, job, and children will be a battle. If ministry is added to the list, you will find someone who goes to war every day just to maintain his Christian life.
Ephesians 6:12 “For we wrestle 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.”
When a lady desires to be a good wife and mother and to stay near to the Lord, she will have to fight every day. For a lady to make a decision to live in a modest, feminine way is going to entail a great deal of work. Styles of dress are masculine or immodest and attitudes on the job or in media are constantly suppressing anything feminine. To maintain a Christ-honoring lifestyle is a constant battle.
The world will push our children every direction but right. Neighbors, friends, and media are against any child gaining character, discipline, godliness, or a good education. A parent’s job is non-stop; prayer and planning are necessary, and this is a job without a break. The blessed life is a fight!
For the pastor to keep his church separate, pure, and useful is a never-ending battle. Satan will constantly bring in one form of goofball idea after another. Pastors will always have to work to keep soul winning alive, standards right, holiness uplifted, marriages growing, and young people learning. Paul told Timothy that the pulpit would need to be filled with instruction and correction.
2 Timothy 4:2 “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”
Paul shares his brief testimony by saying that he has fought all the way to the end:
vs. 7 “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:”
I have found that people want to get good results from little effort. If that were possible, everyone would be enjoying a great life; the fact remains that the labor to achieve good results is constant. Everyone wants a diet which allows you to eat all you want and not exercise to lose weight; that simply will not work. To desire a life without struggle is vain. Searching out the way to gain peace and strength for the battle is best — these are only available from the Lord.
John 16:33 “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
Peace comes from time with the Lord.
Peace comes from the Word of God; He will SPEAK peace to His people.
Psalm 85:8 “I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.”
We need to spend time in our Bibles and time with the Lord. The formula for gaining peace is found in Philippians 4:
Philippians 4:5 “Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.”
First, be moderate in life. Be careful about extremes in anything. Always think about the Lord’s coming again. Where would I want to be when He comes? What would I want to be doing at His return?
The formula continues:
vs. 6 “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”
The word careful indicates fearfulness, over-concern, and worry — similar to walking barefooted in the dark. That is no way to go through life; we need to go confidently. Be careful for nothing; do not worry all the time. Relax and go do that which you know is right. Next, he says, pray about everything. So rather than being worried all the time, pray all the time.
We are instructed to make our requests to God; stop worrying, and go get things done. We should spend time in our Bible, be moderate, always consider the Lord’s coming, pray about each decision, and then run into life believing that God will guide and bless. At that point, the next verse promises peace.
vs. 7 “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
The fight is on! The battle rages! Do not fret over pressure and conflict; read your Bible, live moderately, keep your mind on the Lord, pray over each decision and do not fret. Although the battle rages, God will bring peace into your heart.
We have much to do; may we run into the battle prepared to fight with the peace of God.
Pastor