Fight The Good Fight Of Faith Part 2
“But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.” (1 Timothy 6:11)
Flee and Pursue
- Similar statement in 2 Tim. 2:22, “Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”
- 1 Corinthians 6:18, “Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.”
- Summary: Flee, turn away and run from the darkness for this world, from the devil’s influence. (Don’t let the cares, riches, and pleasures of life, destroy your hope)
- James 4:7, “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”
- Submitting to God causes the devil to leave you –
- Flee from music that promotes drunkenness, sexuality, divorce – pursue acapella songs, hymns, and spiritual songs, or music without impurity—that is submitting to God’s way.
- Flee from movies and shows that “you must make excuses for”, and pursue find family friendly movies and shows – that is submitting to God’s way.
Fight the good fight of faith!
- Call to Arms
- Cost of Discipleship – Luke 9:57-62, “…No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” (v.62)
- Remember that we’re in a battle against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of [b]the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Eph. 6:10-20)
- Turn off your favorite radio station and gird your waist with truth…
- Take off your favorite comfy resting shirt, and those plush slippers—and put on the breastplate of righteousness, and shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace…
- Put away your favorite fishing pole and take up the shield of faith which will protect you from the fiery darts of the wicked one…
- Toss the old “Cleveland Indians Cap”, and take the helmet of salvation…
- Drop the golf club and pick up the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God
- Stop telling your favorite jokes, surfing the internet, sending selfies, and start praying with all perseverance for all the saints—that along with you all will open their mouths boldly making known the mystery of the gospel…
Lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses…