04/10/2024 – Fight the Good Fight of the Faith
Genesis 32: 25 Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob’s hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him. 26 And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.” But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!” 27 So He said to him, “What is your name?” He said, “Jacob.” 28 And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.” 29 Then Jacob asked, saying, “Tell me Your name, I pray.” And He said, “Why is it that you ask about My name?” And He blessed him there. 30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: “For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.” 31 Just as he crossed over Penuel the sun rose on him, and he limped on his hip.
God commands us to fight THE GOOD FIGHT. There are two main aspects to a fighting strategy. One is the defensive aspect. God has provided faith as a shield that we can use to protect ourselves and others from the darts that are certain to come from the evil one. The other is the offensive aspect.
In the good fight of the faith, are you a better soldier defensively or offensively? As a church, are we better in the offense or defense? I think that, if we are honest, we will have to admit that most of us see our responsibility as defenders and protectors of what God has given us. And this is good.
God has given us the strongest protection against any enemy attack: the shield of faith. But not only that…God has promised the He is, Himself, our shield. Nothing can get through except that which God allows for your sanctification.
Having said that, you must expect to be wounded. No one will get through this life without wounds. All of us have physical scars, and even more numerous emotional scars. There are wounds that glorify God. Never let a wound stop you. Jacob’s wound did not stop him. He walked with difficulty, but he kept walking. Do not allow a wound to stop you. Jacob was wounded by God, and that wound turned out to be one of the greatest gifts. Many have been stopped cold on this way of life because they were wounded.
But the faith that forms the strongest shield in the world is also a powerful weapon in God for the destruction of strongholds of the enemy.
1 John 5: 4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.