The Battle for Our Faith

Quote by Pastor Glen Cluck : We need to be so full of God that if a mosquito bit us , it’d fly off singing “ There is POWER in the BLOOD “

There are some whose faith isn’t strong enough to bring them to church, but they expect it to take them to Heaven !

People of God should always come to church by faith , expecting to hear from God , especially when we think we act like God now, no conviction anymore !

Question is : When was the last time you came to the altar ? or did you arrive already , you can’t be convicted or changed by God anymore ?

1 Timothy 6:12 New King James Version

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.

 Timothy 6:12 The Message

Running Hard

11-12  But you, Timothy, man of God: Run for your life from all this. Pursue a righteous life—a life of wonder, faith, love, steadiness, courtesy. Run hard and fast in the faith. Seize the eternal life, the life you were called to, the life you so fervently embraced in the presence of so many witnesses.

1.) The fight of faith

 is our encountering that opposition which we meet with from the world, the flesh, or the devil, for a strenuous defending the doctrine of faith, or making it good by a life suitable to the rule of faith. 2.) The good fight

, either in opposition to the bad fights of the men of the world in maintenance of their lusts, or the ludicrous fights usual in their public games, or of the intrinsic nobleness and exercise of it, or the good event or issue of it; and Timothy is bid to fight it, by a metaphor either drawn from soldiers, or such as exercise themselves in their games.

1 Corinthians 9:26-27 New King James Version

26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. 27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

Ephesians 6:10-17 New King James Version

The Whole Armor of God

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 

11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the [a]wiles of the devil.

 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of [b]the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 3.) Lay hold on eternal life

1 Chronicles 9:26-27 New King James Version

26 For in this trusted office were four chief gatekeepers; they were Levites. And they had charge over the chambers and treasuries of the house of God. 27 And they lodged all around the house of God because [a]they had the responsibility, and they were in charge of opening it every morning.

Those of you that are in ministry , do you take your ministry lightly or do you take it serious without complaining ?

; by eternal life is meant a right and title to it, which he calls to him to lay hold on, as is thought, by a metaphor from those that were exercised in their games, and did what they could first to lay hold of the prize proposed to conquerors. Whereunto thou art also called; to which eternal life, or rather to which good fight, thou art called, both by the internal call of God’s Spirit, and by thy more external call to the ministry. And hast professed a good profession before many witnesses; and to which thou hast obliged thyself by covenant or promise, made either in thy baptism, or when thou wert set apart to thy ministry, or of which thou hast given a pledge, by thy profession and practice, in the sight of the Christians in Ephesus.

Fight the good fight of faith,.... The apostle suggests to Timothy, that he had other business to do than to mind the things of this world;

his life was a state of warfare; he was a soldier, and was not to entangle himself with the things of this life; he had many enemies to engage with, as Satan, and his principalities and powers; sin, and the lusts of the flesh;

the world, and the men of it, and a great fight of afflictions to endure with them; as also false teachers, with, whom particularly he was to fight the good fight of faith, that so the truth of the Gospel, which they resisted, might continue with the saints.

This fight is called "the fight of faith"; partly in opposition to the law, and to , "the fight", or "war of the law" the Jews (r) so much talk of; and in which the false teachers, in the apostle's time, were so much engaged, and against whom the apostles set themselves; and partly because the doctrine of faith, the faith of the Gospel, the faith once delivered to the saints, is what they earnestly contended, strove, and fought for; and because the grace of faith, as conversant with the Scriptures of truth, was the weapon they fought with: and this may be called a "good fight", because it is in a good cause, the cause of God and truth; and under a good Captain, Jesus Christ the Captain of our salvation; for which good weapons are provided, even the whole armour of God, and which are not carnal, but spiritual and mighty; to which may be added, that those who are engaged in this fight may be sure of victory, and the crown of glory, life, and righteousness: so that when they have done fighting they have nothing else to do but to

lay hold on eternal life; as Timothy for his encouragement is here bid to do. Eternal life is the prize of the high calling of God, which is held up, and held forth to those who are fighting the Lord's battles; and this they should look unto as the recompense of reward; and this they may lay hold upon, even now by faith, believing their interest in it, their right unto it, and that they shall enjoy it; of which they may be the more assured, because of their effectual calling:

Hebrews 11:1 New King James Version

By Faith We Understand

11 Now faith is the [a]substance of things hoped for, the [b]evidence of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:1New Living Translation

Great Examples of Faith

11 Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.

Hebrews 11:1-2 The Message

Faith in What We Don’t See

11 1-2 The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see. The act of faith is what distinguished our ancestors, set them above the crowd.

CLOSING :

We need to keep fighting till Jesus comes !

Jesus was faithful in evert aspect of His life , and in the roles He performed: a son , a carpenter , a preacher, evangelist , and the Messiah .

We ought to be concerned with playing our roles rather than the role we want to play.

God is in search of lost men and people , not men and people in search of a lost God .

Hebrews 11:2The Message

Faith in What We Don’t See

11 1-2 The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see. The act of faith is what distinguished our ancestors, set them above the crowd.

Hebrews 11:6 New King James Version

6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him,

 for he who comes to God must believe that He is,

and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

There is a battle taking place for your home---An all out assault

-Your home is in this battle

-Ignore it your loosing

-Christian homes are loosing battle for marriages/children just like we lost battle against abortion – why—where ignoring it

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson went on a camping trip. After a good meal they crawled into their tent and went to sleep. In the middle of the night, Holmes awoke and nudged his friend. “Watson, look up and tell me what you see.? Watson replied, “I see millions and millions of stars.? “What does that tell you, Watson?? Asked Holmes. Watson pondered a moment and then replied, “Astronomically, it tells me that there are millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets. Astrologically, I observe that Saturn is within the Leo constellation. Chronologically I observe it’s nighttime 3 a.m. on June 14th. Meteorologically, the air appears dry, I suspect that we will have a beautiful day. Why did you ask? What does it tell you?? Holmes says, “Watson, you idiot! Someone has stolen our tent!

People-the moment your not watching – the moment you let down - Satan is ready to move in and to steal your home

Survey done among 286 Christian teens

45% said they have experienced a “demonic presence in their room

59% said they harbor bad thoughts about God

43% said they find it hard to pray & read their Bible.

69% reported hearing “voices” in their head

22% said they frequently entertain thoughts of suicide

There is an attack taking on our homes

-We have let our guards down-our homes have been broken into—Lost ground

-It is time for us as Christians to go to battle for our homes

Loved one if we are to keep from loosing our homes we must wage battle on our enemy

D - In a world where trash and perversion is pushed down your children’s face day and night a wimpy leader does not immerge victorious

Parent there is a battle for your home—children---marriage

Unless you engage you will lose

-Unless you do spiritual battle - your children will be casualties

-Unless you draw clear boundaries – your children will be led astray

-Unless you protect and nurture your marriage it will be lost

-Unless you become a warrior your battlefield will be plundered

It takes a warrior not a wimp

YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR FAMILY HISTORY

What is it that is a IDOL to your family

-Gideon had to destroy his father’s idol to Baal

-It was a stronghold to his family

Just like Gideon’s father had an idol, some of your families have idols

SHOE BOXES

-pornography

-drug abuse

-alcoholism

-hardness toward God

-Bitterness

-Racism

-hatred

-laziness

-complacency

-dishonesty

-Legalism

-Witchcraft

-Sexual abuse

These are all generational strongholds that may exist in your family

YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BREAK THAT IDOL DOWN

YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE THE COURSE OF YOUR FAMILY

C-As soon as the idol was gone victory was released