By Pastor William Y. K. Brown Ph.D
(Resident Pastor)
Seventh-day Adventist Church
Osu-Bethel.
Tel: 0244165628/0243310773.
wykbrown@gmail.com
FRIDAY
THEME: MISSION-MINDED, HEAVEN-BOUND WARRIOR
SCRIPTURE: 1 Timothy 6:12
“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.”
REFLECTIONS:
When enlisted into the camp of Jesus Christ through faith, that faith must be functional, unwavering, enduring, and victorious at last. The moment one is convicted and surrenders to Christ, the battle for sustaining the faith thus expressed in Him begins. It becomes a course to uphold and never give up. To keep the faith is a constant struggle that must be fought and won daily to affirm our commitment to God. Faith manifests and grows in our decision to eschew evil and abhor anything that will defy God or dishonor Him. Faith seeks to please and do the will of the Creator.
Any sanctified person will have an ever-growing measure of faith (Romans 12:3). Paul acknowledges the gospel, which brings salvation, saying in Romans 1:17, “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” The battle lines are drawn – Christ’s camp versus Satan’s camp. Victorious faith does not give up, doubt God, or despair when the odds gain the upper hand but grows stronger through experience and life’s refining processes. Faith is never faith until it has been tried and tested. Hebrews Chapter 11 presents a partial list of those whose faith had been tested in the crucible over the years and won. Maintaining faith in God in the face of the many provocations, corruption, vices, evil machinations, licentiousness, etc., is the Christian’s lot to uphold.
Our faith must win the spiritual warfare against Satan as we pursue righteousness with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength. Beloved, today, stand firm in the battle of your faith. You have not fought to death yet. Paul encouraged the young minister, Timothy, to fight the good fight of faith to overcome all evil and any semblance of unrighteousness. He entreated in 1 Timothy 6:11-14 – “[11]But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. [12]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. [13]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, [14]that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing.” Our mission must seek to honor God by how we live, keeping in mind that we are involved in spiritual warfare that our faith must endure and win.
Beloved, how do you assess your faith in the sight of God? Are you on track with the mission you are here to fulfill? Your daily watchword and mission should be to fight a good fight of faith and win. Never confide in your strength but in the power of Christ Jesus. Fight, knowing and assured that you have the whole of heaven with Christ, the Captain of the host of God, on your side.
MY SONG OF COMMITMENT
SDAH 506 – “A Mighty Fortress”
LET US PRAY
– Praise and thank God for His presence and support in your battle of faith; thank God for victories that He helps you to win; pray for strength to fight the good fight of faith;
– Pray to support your prayer partners and well-wishers in their spiritual warfare; pray that none of your family members and church members will lose the fight of faith;
– Pray for the economic hardships to ease, wars and conflicts to reduce, displacement of innocent people to stop, and the works of darkness and wickedness to dissipate;
– Pray for the country’s leaders, people in authority, and the nation’s citizens; pray for the gospel to spread and reach all the corners of the earth in this generation.
