When you hear “fight the good fight,” what comes to mind? Do you think of wars to overcome oppression by rabid dictators? Do you think of standing up to corrupt politicians? Do you think of striving to ensure there is justice for all? Or do you think about your faith?
Though there may be many good things we should fight for, there is only one most important thing—our faith. If we can only fight for one thing, it should be our faith. There is no doubt there is evil in this world. Yet, we cannot fight all of it, and certainly not on our own.
The Apostle Paul tells his understudy, Timothy, to rid himself of the desire to gain riches in this world. He says that rather than focusing on worldly riches, focus on the things of God. We, too, should focus on the things of God. It is in our pursuit of them that we learn what true life is all about. But how do we go about achieving them?
Our faith is how we achieve them. They won’t come quickly. That is why Paul says to “fight the good fight of faith.” We battle against our fallen human nature. We battle against the evil in this world. We battle against Satan and his demons. But we don’t fight alone. God is with us every step of the way, so long as we continue to fight.
What is the reward we receive for this fight? Eternal life. We receive the eternal life promised to us by God. He is faithful and will always be with us. There is no question about it. The only question is whether we will continue to fight the good fight, or will we give up? Remembering that we confessed Jesus as our Lord and Savior in front of many witnesses will motivate us to continue the fight. Don’t give up. Hold on to your faith. Keep pursuing the things of God.
I pray we all pursue the things of God. I pray we stop making chasing worldly riches our top priority. I pray each one of us will continue to fight the good fight of faith and take hold of eternal life. Pursue godly things. Stop chasing worldly riches. Fight the good fight. Take hold of eternal life.
1 Timothy 6:11-12 But as for you, man of God, shun all this; pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and for which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
Marty Pressey 