Fight The Good Fight of Faith
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Observations:
POINT 1
Several times in scripture Paul warns Timothy about False Teachers and false doctrine in the church.
Two passages of scripture come to mind:
As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine, Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.
Timothy obviously wanted to accompany Paul on his missions to preach the gospel, but Paul urged Timothy to stay in Ephesus and stop those whose teaching is contrary to the truth.
The truth is more than baptism in Jesus’ name. The truth is the word of God and anything that contradicts God’s word must be stopped.
These false teachers were introducing myths, fables, tales, stories. When we start embracing stories, things things and ideas that are not God’s word, we find ourselves in trouble.
Because in today’s time, everyone is an expert, everyone has done some sort of research, they’ve read books and now they woke. People are believing a book written by a professor with a PH.D but won’t believe God’s word that was written by holy men as they were moved by the Spirit of God.
But God’s word is the only thing that we can depend on and God’s word is true. And we the church, we the pastors and leaders of the church we have to FIGHT against false doctrine and anything that comes against God’s word.
Secondly, Paul says they were having endless discussion about genealogies, the NLT says pedigrees. Spiritual pedigrees, where you come from, who your family is.......and a lot of the discussion was done out of a spirit of pride. And while all of these needless fables, and while people are trying to make themselves look important in church. The church was not being edified.
Paul says it leads to meaningless speculations, which don’t help people live a life of faith in God.
Can I say my apostolic brothers and sisters, we thank God for our foundation, we thank God for the legacy of R.C. Lawson, we thank God for the legacy of Bishop Spencer, we thank God for the legacy of Bishop Curtis P. jones, the legacy of Bishop Thurman Hargrove. But when we get down to the fact of the matter......it’s all about Jesus!!!!
Can I tell you my brothers and sisters that yes, baptism in Jesus’ name is the right way. We must preach faith in Christ, we must preach the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we must preach repentance and remission of sin. But after that, it is meaningless for us that are saved to continually debate baptism in Jesus’ name. I don’t know about you, but I need the word of God so that I can grow. We need to tell people how to be saved, how to live saved, how to pray, what it means to be holy, how to engage in spiritual warfare, how to receive spiritual gifts.
WE NEED TO HELP PEOPLE LIVE A LIFE OF FAITH IN GOD. SO THAT WHEN THE HARD TIMES COME.......THEY HAVE A FOUNDATION TO STAND ON, SO WHEN THE STORMS OF LIFE COME WE CAN TAKE SHELTER IN THE PROMISES AND WORD OF GOD!!!
IF YOU WOULD REFUGE.......ENCOURAGE YOUR PASTOR AND TELL HIM FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT! NOW ENCOURAGE SOMEONE ON YOUR ROW AND TELL THEM FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH.
POINT 2:
Paul then says in the fourth chapter of 1st Timothy:
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; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
This is the climate of the church today. My brothers and sisters it is a fact that many do not believe like they use to believe. SOME have departed from the faith. Some have compromised the word of God for the sake of personal gain. They have compromised because they see other churches doing it and they see what is in all actuality a counterfeit successfulness.
So they depart from the faith and start embracing doctrines that are contrary to what is written in the scriptures.
For instance, some of you might get mad at me for saying this. But last time I checked, the word says women is not usurp authority over the man. But NOW not only do we have women preachers, we have women pastors, we have women Bishops in the Pentecostal Apostolic Movement. Women laying hands on men and being in subordination to the women, when the Bible plainly says that the head of the woman is the man, and the head of man is Christ, and the head of Christ is God……and it is OUT OF ORDER!!!! I don’t care how much they shout, doesn’t matter how much they speak in tongues. Cause the devil can shout and speak in tongues. And some of the most jacked up people in the church are the ones that shout and speak in tongues and just as mean and evil as they can be.
My brothers and sisters, we’ve got to hold on to what God’s word says without fear, favor, or compromise.
CAN I DIG DEEPER?
Some of the saints are all over the place, church hopping from this place to that place. And I’m not suggestion that if a person leaves your church, they are church hopping. But there are some that are on their 4th to 5th church. They have itching ears, looking for something new, looking for some sort of new doctrine because they are bored with the “OLD WAY” but it is the “OLD WAY” that saved us, it is the “OLD WAY” that kept us.
People don’t want to be a part of a church the preaches holiness. Nobody wants to be told how they are suppose to live their life. God forbid Pastor Garrison we have to correct or rebuke someone, because some of the people in the church today can’t receive correction. You bet not preach against sin, you bet not preach against immoral living, people will get upset and leave your church, they’ll write nasty letters to you and threaten you.
There is a lack of respect for the word of God and for those who serve in God’s church.
Paul talks about those who would depart from the faith, he identifies them as being hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead.
POINT 3:
Paul now says in the 6th chapter:
If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
Paul essentially tells Timothy that everything from chapter 1 up to chapter 6, that anyone who teaches something different is arrogant and lacks understanding. Such a person has an unhealthy desire to quibble over the meaning of words. Causing arguments, ending in jealousy, division, slander, and evil suspicions.
Paul then says these types of people always cause trouble and that their minds are corrupt and they have turned their backs from the truth. To them a show of godliness is just a way to become wealthy.
I said it earlier, that many have turned from the faith, they have compromised the word of God to please people, to be popular, to be in the loop, but above all, they are looking to become wealthy. In other-words, they are not really concerned about souls, they are concerned about their wallets and pocketbooks being full.
Look at verse 6:
But godliness with contentment is great gain.
The NLT says it on this wise:
Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth.
In other-words, we need to be like Paul suggests in verse 8
So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.
I need all the social middle class and low class saints in here, those that don’t have a lot of money, you may not have a 501k, you don’t have any investments, matter of fact you probably live from pay check to pay check.
Testify two about 3 people and tell them “I may not have a lot....but I have Jesus”. And if you have Jesus you have everything, if you have Jesus, you must believe that The Lord will take care of you. He shall supply, all of my needs according to his riches in glory. He’s going to give me everything I need, not just talking about material wealth, WHAT EVER I NEED....I BELIEVE HE’S GOING TO GIVE IT TO ME!
Paul then says in verses 9-10
But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Those who long to be rich, fall into temptation and a snare.
They fall into many foolish hurtful lusts.
Because you have access to money you get whatever your heart desire. But the thing about lust that you need to understand is that lust can never be fullfilled. It wants more, and at the end Paul says it plunges them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.
And some people who crave money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.
FINAL TEXT:
But you, Timothy, but you Pastor Garrison are a man of God. So you saints of God are the people of God........SO RUN!!!! Tell your neighbor “RUN” from all these evil things.
Instead of chasing after money, instead of doing all you can to get that job or get that raise......you better make sure you pursue righteouusness and a godly life, God will take care of us, some of us we don’t need more money, we need more faith, we need more love, we need more patience, some of us are real abrasive and we need more gentleness.
Paul now 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.
We need to fight the good fight of faith, because the devil is after us.
We need to fight the good fight of faith, because sometimes our faith is going to be tested.
And the devil wants to strip you of your faith.
Paul says it is a good fight. Usually fighting is synonymous with two sides that have negative intentions.
And this fight that we are in, the devil and this world system has evil intentions to destroy us. But we are going to fight for our faith. I know you got some things going on in your life, but you gotta fight for your faith.
Paul tells Timothy fight the good fight of faith, people are going to try and silence you, people are going to try to threaten and intimidate you, there will be days that you get discouraged, there will be days when you preach and the message goes in one ear and out the other. But you gotta keep fighting!!!!
What are we fighting for.....Paul says to “lay hold on eternal life”. You’ve got to fight for it!
When you are in a fight, sometimes you get knocked down but you gotta get up and keep fighting.
Sometimes you’re going to take some blows but you’ve got to keep fighting.
Sometimes you get tired but you’ve got to keep fighting.
Sometimes the odds are stacked against you but you got to keep fighting. And if you have God in your corner......you must have faith and believe that whatever I face in life......I’M GOING TO COME OUT VICTORIOUS!!!
Need I remind you of the scriptures:
But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith.
Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
Someone shout “TRIUMPH”
Let’s pray this prayer found in the book of Psalms:
O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.
In otherwords, God give me victory......I can’t win by myself......LORD GIVE ME THE VICTORY......LORD GIVE ME THE VICTORY........LORD GIVE ME THE VICTORY!