I Am On The Winning Side

1 John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, [even] our faith.

I. I am on the winning side of the Good Fight

1 Timothy 6:12 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.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: 27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

NERO’S FORTY WRESTLERS

Long ago, in the days when the ruling passion of the Roman Emperor Nero was the extermination of the Christians, there lived and served him a band of soldiers known as the "Emperor's Wrestlers." Fine, stalwart men they were, picked from the best and the bravest of the land, recruited from the great athletes of the Roman amphitheater. In the great amphitheater, they upheld the arms of the Emperor against all challengers. Before each contest, they would stand before the Emperor's throne. Then through the courts of Rome would ring the cry: "We, are forty wrestlers, wrestling for thee, O Emperor, to win for thee the victory and from thee, the victor's crown!"

When the great Roman army was sent to fight, no soldiers were braver or more loyal than this band of wrestlers led by their centurion Vespasian.

There came a day that Nero sent out a decree that to be a Christian meant death, and the order was dispatched to the centurion Vespasian.

The decree was received in the dead of winter. The soldiers were camped on the shore of a frozen inland lake. The winter had been hard, but the many hardships they had endured together had only served to unite them more closely. Vespasian called the soldiers together and told the soldiers of the Emperor's decree "Anyone who claims to be a Christian is to be put to death. Are there any among you who cling to the faith of the Christian? If so, let him step forward!" All forty wrestlers instantly stepped forward two paces, respectfully saluted, and stood at attention. Vespasian paused. He had not expected this. "Step back, men! Step back! For the sake of your country, your comrades, your loved ones, renounce this false faith!" Not one of the forty moved. "Until sundown, I shall await your answer," said Vespasian. Sundown came. Again, the question was asked, "Are there any among you who cling to the faith of the Christian? If so, let him step forward!"

Again, the forty wrestlers stepped forward and stood to attention. Vespasian pleaded with them long and hard without prevailing upon a single man to deny his Lord. Finally, he said: "The decree of the Emperor must be obeyed, but I am not willing that your blood be on your comrades. I am going to order that you march out upon the lake of ice, and I shall leave you there to the mercy of the elements. Fires, however, will be burning on the shore, and at the largest, I, your commander, will be waiting to welcome any willing to renounce this false faith."

The forty wrestlers were stripped, and then without a word, they wheeled, and falling into columns of four, marched out towards the lake of ice. As they marched, they broke into chorus with the old chant of the Arena: "We are forty wrestlers wrestling for Thee, O Christ, to win for Thee the victory and from Thee, the Victor's crown!"

All through the long hours of the night, Vespasian, the centurion, stood by his campfire and waited, and all through the long night came back to him fainter and fainter the wrestlers' song.

As it neared morning, one figure, overcome by exposure, crept quietly towards the fire; in the extremity of his suffering, he had renounced his Lord. Vespasian thought, "Now I have them! One has finally broken, and the rest will follow!" Then, faintly, at first, then loudly and clearly, from out the darkness of the frozen lake came the song, "Thirty-nine wrestlers, wrestling for Thee, O Christ, to win for Thee the victory and from Thee, the Victor's crown!"

Vespasian looked at the figure drawing close to the fire - and then out into the darkness from which came the song of faith. Once again, he looked. Off came his helmet down went his shield, he stripped just as his soldiers had stripped, sprang upon the ice, crying, "Forty wrestlers wrestling for Thee, O Christ, to win for Thee the victory and from Thee, the Victor's crown!"

The battle will be hard – fight on!

The battle will be long – fight on!

The battle will be lonesome – fight on!

The battle will be painful – fight on!

The battle will cost much – fight on!

The battle will bring casualties – fight on!

The enemy will attack through your mind – fight on!

The enemy will attack through your friends – fight on!

The enemy will attack through your family – fight on!

NO MATTER WHAT THE BATTLE BRINGS YOUR WAY DO AS PAUL INSTRUCTED YOUNG TIMOTHY………1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith,

Let us be like Eleazar 2 Samuel 23:9–10 9 And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away: 10 He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the Lord wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil.

You say is it worth it? 2 Timothy 4:7-8 7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Matthew 25:21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

You say I can’t do it? Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

JUST FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT!!!!!!!!!

1 Samuel 30:1-6

6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.