Paul is about to end his letter to Timothy in the same way he started it -to challenge Timothy to “wage the good warfare” (I Tim 1:18). As his old hands are about to lay his pen down, roll the letter up and dispatch it to his prodigy, he writes the words, “fight the good fight of faith”(1Tim 6:12).

Paul had lived the words he was writing. He didn’t want to hide the fact that service to the Lord is waging warfare, a good fight, but a fight nonetheless.

Most of us, who have endeavored to follow the Lord, know the life of a true Christ follower is not one of ease in this life.

We are in a battle, and lately, that seems all the more apparent.

We can sense the storm clouds coming and we know we need to put our armor on daily.

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Eph 6:10-12)

Schemes.
Wrestling.
Cosmic Powers.
Darkness.
Spiritual Forces.

Friend, I believe we are seeing these forces at work all around us. They are turning up the guns because their time is short.

But let’s not forget, we fight the good fight with confidence when we remind ourselves, and remind each other, what we know to be true of God.

Right before Paul charges Timothy, at the beginning of this letter, we have studied, to “wage the good warfare”, he wrote words of praise-worthy truth- “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” (1Tim 1:17)

Now, at the end, Paul does the same thing.
He reminds Timothy to flee the empty and evil things of this world and remember where to focus in order to fight the good fight and not fall.

“But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing, which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen. (1 Tim 6:11-16)

Oh friend, may those God-inspired words, from that precious saint, spur us on to keep our eyes on the One True God Paul kept his eyes on—the King eternal, invisible, and wise, who reigns in complete power and with all goodness, forever!

In all that we endeavor to do, in every hard moment we face, in the middle of the WARFARE, let’s remember truth about God. Let’s remind each other!

Let’s study the Word EVERY DAY so we stand on sound doctrine so that we “may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God”. (Phil 1:10-11)

Let’s PRAY and let’s do this so the storms of this life, that we are facing, and the attacks and the temptations of the evil one, will not “shipwreck” our faith (1 Tim 1:19).

“Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back,
my soul has no pleasure in him.” But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls”. (Heb 10:35-39)

No, we aren’t of those who “shrink back”! We are those who walk forward with our eye on the prize, Who is Christ the LORD!

The Word is SO GOOD!

1stTimothy

As always, I’d so appreciate your prayers as I study and write. ❤️ feel free to share anything I’ve written and invite your friends. May God alone be glorified. I’m also on MeWe.

Thank you for studying with me!
—Kim