Fight

"If you want to find the real competition, just look in the mirror. After awhile you'll see your rivals scrambling for second place." �"Criss Jami


Last year my church was challenged to pray to God for a specific word or phrase to impact each of us, some people were pressed with 'follow' others with 'love', 'greater things', 'sacrifice', and even 'new beginnings'. I however couldn't quite discern what the divine had for my "one word" and so I gave it up. (I was very easily dissuaded at this point in life.) 2014 has recently ended and so 2015 has begun (duh!) and I hear this talk about the "one word" all over again and after some personal conversations about the last year and some prayer a word has been burned in my mind.

Fight.

"Victory is always possible for the person
who refuses to stop fighting." �"Napoleon Hill

When we think of fighting we think fisticuffs, we think harsh language and hurtful words, maybe someone thinks war or another thinks every family gathering. These are not the fights I've been called to dwell upon, when my God ever so lovingly whispers "Fight...Fight...Fight."

The first thing I do think of is Paul's letter in 1Timothy 6:12 NIV,
«Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.»

Second comes when Paul is addressing the Romans, (8:35-39 NIV)
«Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.»

And lastly in his letter to the church of Ephesus,
«Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.»

1Timothy reminds me of the fight to which I've been called, he reminds me to take hold of my calling from God. My fight is not against powers on earth, nor for an earthly throne. I'm not battling my neighbor nor the mailman, I don't fight with the waiter over a burned meal nor the refs on TV over a bad call. My fight is against myself, my poor self-motivation and my excuses, my lack of desire for God and too much desire for pleasures. My fight is against those who would remind me of my shortcomings and would rather see me fail and give up.

Even when the enemy would have me believe God has abandoned me and left me to fend for myself the section from Paul's letter to the Romans reminds me that I am not alone and that no one can separate me from the love of Jesus, not even being naked because "we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." (v.37) and his letter to the Ephesians reminds me how to fight, with the power of God on my side and with the tools He has given me!

I look forward to what God will reveal to me through this word 'Fight.' As time goes on I hope I can learn to fight not only for myself but also for those around me. I pray for Gods guidance and wisdom through all of this. To Him be all the glory for ever and ever. Amen.