Fighting the Good Fight

1 Timothy 6 says to FIGHT the GOOD fight and 1 Peter 2:20-21 says to THIS you were called. 1 & 2 Timothy speaks of unfeigned faith: not pretended, but genuine. What ... to FIGHT?!?! Seriously?!?!? Do you know what fight means? To consume, to battle, to make war, to destroy, to devour, to overcome, and to prevail.

To make war. It IS a fight - like it or not! I really don't care to watch fighting, but as my husband and son would attest, what fun is watching the fight or what's the point if it was one sided - the other guy didn't fight back, didn't defend, didn't attack?

To battle. And I think about this walk with Christ . . . What a fight it is! Fighting all the distractions, fighting the lies of the enemy, fighting the soul (mind, will, emotions) to be with Him, to chose Him, to honor Him, above all, in all.

To consume. "Never let the toils and cares of the day rob you of this sweet fellowship with Me," says Francis J. Roberts in Come Away my Beloved. "Better that others might find us unavailable because of our occupation with you rather than for us to be so slow to come, so dull to hear, so cold of heart, so indolent (lazy, slothful) of soul." Wow - it is a fight sometimes just to come away with Him, to consume myself with Him . . . between the alarm, the kids, the demands of the day.

To devour. And listen to the struggle in Songs of Songs 5 "I sleep, but my heart wakes: it is the voice of my beloved that knocks, saying, Open to me . . .I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them? My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him. I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock. I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer." The struggle of choosing to responding right away . . . to devour - to take in eagerly!

To destroy. "...refuse to allow your emotional responses to circumstances make you feel like you are losing ground. Discouragement will disable you and keep you bound by infirmity, making you feel like a victim. But, I have given you power and authority to break free and stay free from everything that would hold you, says the Lord. Actively take control of your mind, and do not allow negative thoughts or emotions to rule." 2 Corinthians 10:4-6 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.

To overcome - Learn to Reign. "You can do more than the enemy at this point. You can claim the victories in the Name of Jesus . . . Lay hold of this, My people. This is not only a glorious truth in which to rejoice, but it is absolutely vital to your victory . . . how do troops go into battle? prepared . . .You must learn how to lay claim to the throne of God. You must be overcomers if My work is to be accomplished... you are more than conquerors (that really hit me - many times I just want to conquer something especially if it is something not too excited about) . . . when you think of Calvary you think of my love; and this indeed is the tie-in between Calvary and this sharing of My throne life. .. I would have you live continually in the center of the kingdom of God, just as I have placed the Kingdom within the very center of your being. You bring this kingdom into operation in your own life by a constant attitude of faith" -FRANCES J ROBERTS

"Great faith is the product of great fights. Great testimonies are the outcome of great tests. Great triumphs can only come out of great trials."-SMITH WIGGLESWORTH

To Prevail. O Lord may I be prepared to prevail today, every moment of every hour . . . only by the grace you give for today is that possible.