OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL-TUESDAY-16/02/2016-TIME
TO FIGHT I -BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE
Memorise
To everything
there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the
Read
1st
Timothy 4:1-6
1 Now the Spirit speaketh
expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving
heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their
conscience seared with a hot iron;
3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain
from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them
which believe and know the truth.
4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing
to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and
prayer.
6 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of
these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in
the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.
KJV
MESSAGE
Fighting means to engage in a struggle
against a perceived enemy or enemies either defensively or offensively. Most
human beings, irrespective of who they are, what they know, where they have
been, and their level of spiritual maturity, have something they would fight
for. We fight for our fundamental human rights, we fight for possessions, we
fight for our family, and we fight for our job. We are sensitive to criticism
and insults, and sometimes we even fight for things we don’t really own. The
question is, should a true Christian fight for anything? And if you were to
write a list of things worth fighting for, what would that list include? In
this respect, Ecclesiastes 3:1&8, says:
“To everything
there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven…. A time to
love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.”
Conflicts come in different categories.
Though we have the right of self-defence, Christians are not called to take up
arms against their offensive or aggressive neighbours because our weapon is not
physical. However, God is under attack in today’s world because His creative
order, His principles and commandments are being maliciously attacked by
heretics. Surprisingly, some of these enemies of the gospel of Jesus Christ
have managed to rise to enviable positions of authority both in the Church and
civil government. This has emboldened them and their supporters to intensify
their evil attacks on the Christian faith. Do we fight for our Lord? Do we
stand aloof or fight whenever these attacks occur around us? 1st
Timothy 6:12, says:
“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.”
Christians do not have any choice in this
matter; we do not have the luxury of a personal decision on this one. In
reality, the battle of the heretics and false prophets is raging right now and
our Commander in Chief, the Lord of hosts, has commanded us to fight, and we
must fight. The above passage started out by qualifying the kind of fight that
Christians could engage in as the good fight of faith. It is a good fight
because it prevents the rapid spread of heretic teachings, and delivers people
from ignorance and false doctrine. It is good because we are on the winning
side, we can never lose because we are more than conquerors. It is good because
we will be handsomely rewarded for our efforts here on earth and when we get to
heaven. It is a good fight because we are well fitted with the most potent
weapon in the universe – the Word of God. Above all, though we are saved by
grace, our performance in this battle will ultimately determine our rank among
the host of heaven and the manner of our reward. Apostle Paul seems to have
discovered this truth as reflected in his final declaration in 2nd
Timothy 4:7:
“I have
fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith”
Only a
general in the army of God who had fought valiantly for the truth could say
this.
Prayer Point
Father, please let me finish well and be able to say that I have fought a
good fight.
Bible in one year
Luke 4:16-6:16, Job 22:12-30
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