FIGHT AND TAKE HOLD OF

FRIDAY 18 JUNE 2021

As Christians, we fight the good fight of faith in order to walk in victory over the world, the flesh, and the devil. Though we are in the world, our Kingdom is not of this world. Therefore as long as we are on earth, we must fight to demonstrate and enforce our superiority over the devil, dominion over the world and its system and control over the flesh and its desires. We are to take hold of eternal life and its realities.

Reference: 1 Timothy 6:12 New International Version (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."

To fight here is to contend, work out, and to maintain to sustain. We fight the good fight to maintain the testimony of our salvation, to grow our faith and sustain the growth, to claim and appropriate Kingdom realities and benefits, and to stand for what is true and right. Jude wrote, "contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 1:3). In other words, as Christians we all share salvation and faith in common; therefore, by the Spirit, we must do all we can, in accordance with the will of God, to preserve and sustain our Christian faith.

To take hold of eternal life is to ensure that you walk in that realm and fulfil its ordinances. It is to take personal responsibility for how you live the new life in Christ, to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. Now watch this: first, you were called by God. Second, you made a good confession. Third, your confession was made in the presence of many witnesses. What exactly is this Scripture talking about? I'll explain below.

You were called by God means that He included you in His plan, counsel and will for eternity. Therefore you must take hold of the eternal life to which you were called. Then, when God called you, you made a confession, and Paul is letting us know that the confession is a good one. Some of us call it "the prayer of salvation". You confessed the Lord Jesus Christ as your Lord, and you received His eternal life. However that confession was made in the presence of many witnesses.

Who are the "many witnesses"? It also includes Heavenly hosts. Although Timothy's profession of faith happened among many Christians in Lystra before he set out to travel with Paul as a missionary, when a sinner repents and comes to Christ, there are many unseen witnesses surrounding him or her, having confessed the Lordship of Jesus. The Bible says, "...there is joy in the presence of God's angels when even one sinner repents." A sinner's repentance is unto salvation and eternal life and there are many spiritual witnesses to this.

The moment you receive salvation, you arrive at Mount Zion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You engage thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, and the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel (see Hebrews 12:22-24 NIV). They are "the presence of many witnesses".

Beloved, since you made a good confession for salvation in the presence of many witnesses, now fight the good fight of faith and take hold of eternal life. Shalom!

Scripture Reading - 2 Corinthians 10:5; Hebrews 6:9; 2 Timothy 2:15; Jude 1:3.

Guided Prayer: Thank you gracious heavenly Father for today's Word which communicates that fighting the good fight of faith is very applicable to the great work of my redemption, salvation and Christian faith. Thank you for the value and privileges of eternal life in Christ which are beneficial in appropriation and divine knowledge. Therefore, I function daily from the standpoint of victory and I lay hold of eternal life to enjoy the beautiful realities and benefits that accompany salvation, in Jesus' Name, Amen!