The Good Fight of Faith

n 1 Timothy 6:12 (NLT), the Apostle Paul gives a powerful message through his encouragement to his apprentice, Timothy: “Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have confessed so well before many witnesses.”  Paul is urging Timothy—and us—to stay strong in our faith and keep pressing forward, no matter how tough things get. He’s encouraging us to stick with Jesus Christ, because he’s our foundation. We should hold on to our faith in him through trials, temptations, and persecutions that come our way because we follow the example of our blessed Lord.

Understanding the Spiritual Battle

We have a spiritual enemy, satan, who seeks to destroy our relationship with God. Ephesians 6:11-12 (NLT) helps us understand this struggle: “11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” Paul tells us that our fight isn’t against other people but against spiritual forces that work in the shadows. These forces try to lead us away from God by challenging our faith in Him. That’s why it’s crucial that we put on all God’s armor; the salvation, truth, righteousness, peace, and faith He freely offers us.

We are never to walk in fear of the evil one, but we are to be as wise and sharp as possible about his tactics and devices. It should come as no surprise to us that he is relentless, trying to undermine and demolish our relationship with God by attacking our marriages, relationships, finances, health and total well-being. We must also recognize that the enemy looks for an opening, a vulnerability in our armor, to launch his attacks.

Vulnerabilities arise when we haven’t prioritized our relationship with Heavenly Father properly. James 1:5 (NLT) tells us, “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.” When we face challenges in these areas, our first instinct should be to turn to the Father. We should ask Him for the wisdom and knowledge to strengthen our commitment and devotion to Him. For many of us, this isn’t a natural habit. Instead of seeking His guidance to deepen our love and enhance our lives through His wisdom, we might blame God or think He is punishing us. Neither of these responses demonstrates faith and both can cause us to regress rather than progress. 

God is light

Psalm 84:11 (NLT) tells us, “For the LORD God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The LORD will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right.” And 1John 1:5 (NLT) declares, “This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all.” God is all love and light, and He only wants what is best for us. He doesn’t punish us; rather, He loves us and teaches us to live with His love, power, peace, and wisdom. If our faith isn’t built on the reality of God’s sovereignty and His absolute love for us, we’re not fighting the good fight of faith.

We struggle to let our lights shine when we fail to trust and believe in the light of God. Often, we underestimate the shock and devastation of a spiritual attack on our way of life. Our inclination is to cower and allow fear and doubt to rule our hearts. Many women have lost their significant relationships this way, and it’s because they have refused to fight the good fight of faith to get them back. We often forget that our way to victory was paved through Jesus Christ. It’s his light shining both in and through us that illuminates victory in every aspect of life.

Faith never gives up

In 2Corinthians 4:1 (NLT), the Apostle Paul said, “Therefore, since God in his mercy has given us this new way, we never give up.” He is emphasizing that this “new way” is the call of God upon our lives to submit to His purpose and embrace the transformative power of the new covenant through Jesus Christ. This new way is not merely a set of religious practices but a radical shift in how we handle spiritual attacks through our faith in God. Through Paul, our Heavenly Father encourages us to keep pressing forward, anchored in His mercy and convinced of His empowerment to stand strong in Christ.

Romans 10:17 tells us that faith comes by hearing the Word of God. So, when we hit these vulnerable spots, our best move is to keep our faith strong, and it’s impossible to do this without staying in God’s Word. We can’t do things our way and expect the victory of Christ. We must turn to God for guidance. Instead of giving in to doubt or frustration, we should reach out to Him for wisdom, deeper love, and peace. Embracing the “new way” that Paul speaks of involves staying close to God and relying on His grace for guidance. We can break through the pain of devastating heartbreak, and everything we’ve lost can be restored by strengthening our faith in our Heavenly Father and being assured that He is with us every step of the way. ■

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

“The Good Fight of Faith”, written for Springfield Fellowship © 2024. All rights reserved. All praise and honor to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.