1 Timothy 6:6-12(KJV) But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
Do you remember a song that we used to sing in church?
Faith, Faith, Faith, Just a Little Bit of Faith
It don’t take a whole lot, just use what you got….
Faith, Faith, Faith, Just a little bit of Faith
Faith in one stretch of my insight is somewhat like a really good candy bar that I have enjoyed in the past, but cannot have any longer because of my teeth:
“Bit-O-Honey first appeared in 1924 and was made by the Schutter-Johnson Company of Chicago, Illinois, United States. Bit-O-Honey was a new kind of candy bar consisting of six pieces of candy wrapped in wax paper and then packaged in a wrapper. The candy consists of almond bits embedded in a honey-flavored taffy which makes for a long-chewing candy.” Thanks to Wikipedia.
Oh, if we would only liken our Faith to something so flavor-able!
- Paul is telling Timothy that the fight is for “the faith” – that persuasion of mind, that the thing you believe in to be true.
- We have taken the concept of “the Faith” and made it to be a challenge to our life, almost like a warring battle happening in our mind and spirit – the result which affects How We Live For God!
How does the Word of God describe Faith?
- Scripture describes Faith as Fruit (Galatians 5:22)
- Scripture defines Faith as a Gift (Eph 2:8)
- Scripture defines Faith as something we fight with, and for (1 Tim 6:12).
Faith! This is a triple born blessing from God!
Many times we have talked about Faith as a Fruit (something we enjoy as we ingest and grow) or as a Gift (something we get), but seldom do we talk about the concept of Faith being a part of our warfare as a Christian.
We need Faith to be in our Arsenal to keep us strong in the ways of God!
We need Faith is in MY toolbox and it is a Faith that fights FOR me, WITH me, and THROUGH me!
David said, “For by thee I have run through a Troop; and by my God I have Leaped over a wall”
The Troop represents the enemies at the outskirts of our lives
The Wall represents the Limitations we have placed on ourselves.
Yet, with God on his side, David was able to run and leap, possibly doing miraculous feats!
How did he do this? He had faith in God! Look at him as a younger lad when he stands before Goliath and defies the one who comes against the one true God!
Where is our faith that gives us the strength to charge the enemy when all others think it’s certain death to even be in your shoes?
We need to examine Faith and how it works for us.
Faith is ambitious!
Perhaps faith will not stay with the person who cannot use it! I see faith as that element of life that causes me to look at challenges as opportunities to Prove God!
John the Baptist, while in prison, sends his disciples to find out if Jesus was the Messiah. If He is the Messiah, then John can face the challenge knowing that he has accomplished his mission. If He is not the Messiah then there is still work to do. Jesus simply sends back words to him that expresses His ministry and John can rest that he has done all he was called to do!
Faith is like the white blood cells!
Faith is that portion of our life that attack the enemies of the body! It fights Foreign Matter! We may be able to hide the reality of who we are from everyone else, but Jesus knows the very intent and thought of the heart and out of that heart proceeds words. These words represent who I am.
Am I speaking words of Faith, or Fear and doubt.
Let my faith be words that I speak that are Positive to the Victory!
Faith fights fear!
Look at Noah. Faced by things he could not even comprehend, Noah takes on the challenge of being ridiculed by everyone to abide by the instructions of God.
By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. Hebrews 11:7
Faith is not the friend of Fear because Faith fights against the things that you fear!
Faith fights feelings!
If I always do what I’ve always done, then the adage states that I’ll always get what I’ve always gotten!
If I continually live my life on my feelings, then I’ll get a life ruled by my feelings. Feelings change on the flight of emotion. Feelings are blown about by every wind of doctrine, scare tactic and sad story. Feelings are like a falling leaf in the fall it is a victim to the wind that moves it hither and yon.
Do not come to church based on your feelings, come to church regardless of your feelings!
- Job, sitting in his crisis, does not respond to God on what he FEELS God can do, but rather on what he KNOWS God can do – Job 42:2
- Ezekiel responds to God at the valley of dry bones – Thou Knowest. Ezekiel 37:1-11
- Peter looks to the lame man at the Gate called Beautiful and says “Silver and Gold have I none, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth – Rise and Walk” – Acts 3
- Paul and Silas worship God in the dungeon when everyone else is moaning about their lot in life.
Faith fights Facts!
Facts do not lie, but Faith has the ability to overcome man’s understanding of Fact. Faith utilizes God’s understanding of the fact!
- Fact: Abram and Sari were too old to have children Faith: Whatever God Says
- Fact: Man cannot walk on water (Peter) Faith: Come
- Fact: My finances do not allow me to support this church. Faith: I will obey the Word and the Law of First Fruits, giving the First of my increase.
Put y0ur own fact of life into the equation, and then put your Faith into the hands of God and trust His equation – Greater is He that is on your side!
Faith fights fatalism!
Fatalism gives in to that hopeless feeling that things are what they are and can’t be changed. With man, all things are impossible, but with God…
- A farmer fights the weeds knowing that there is always the victory at the end of the fight – fresh vegetables!
- A parent continually instructs their child knowing that by doing so they will have the opportunity to be a profitable child in the Kingdom of God.
- A victim of his own doing, the prodigal slings off the food of hogs, brushes off the dirt of the pig sty, and returns to his fathers house knowing that there is something better for the action.
When the Enemy comes in, Like a Flood the Spirit will lift up a standard against it. The enemy might be your circumstances, or the enemy of the soul. Fatalist says there’s no hope! Faith say “I’m going to be saved by God’s Grace”.
For by Grace are you Saved, Through Faith…and not of yourself!
Faith fights my Past!
He has taken my sin and cast them as far away as the East is from the West!
Faith Fights for my Future!
Without Faith I might be living a doubtful existence not knowing what’s in the dark ahead of us.
Thy Word is a Lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.
He who set the stars in place knows the very path that I take!
Faith Fights the Good Fight
Is there any such thing as a Good Fight? If I know how it’s going to end then I do not worry about the fight!
This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith – 1 John 5:4
I get victory, when I fight – not by YOUR Faith, but with MY FAITH!
Faith must be exercised!
Jesus speaks to the audience and says, “Have faith in God” (Mark 11:22). This is a daily exercise! We are to have Faith in God by trusting God’s Faith in us.
- Thus, our faith needs to be like His faith.
- Exercise your faith by being deaf to doubt!
- Exercise your faith by being blind to impossibility!
- Exercise your faith by knowing nothing but victory – even in the MIDST of the fight!
I Peter 1:5-9 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
At the end of your faith’s fight is the salvation of your soul!
Your Faith Fights For YOU!
Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Ga 5:22). Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books.