FIGHT, NOT FLIGHT

Timothy, my son, here are my instructions for you, based on the prophetic words spoken about you earlier. May they help you fight well in the Lord’s battles.  Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked. 1 Timothy 1:18-19 (NLT)

Paul gave instructions to Timothy for healthy and victorious Christian living.  Raising the awareness of spiritual war in which we’re all involved, Paul tells Timothy to fight well. 

Instead of using our energy to fight among ourselves, God wants us to put our energy into the fight for the gospel, making more devoted followers of Christ.  Paul tells Timothy to “cling to his faith in Christ.”  Sometimes we need to go back to our spiritual roots, our calling from God to be re-energized.  We need to refresh our hearts and minds with the life purpose God has entrusted to us. We need to remind ourselves of Whose we are and who we are in our relationship with Christ.  We need to read often in the Scriptures of how much God loves us and how great His grace is to us, greater than our sin and our flaws.  A clear conscience is essential for our victory in the battle.  If our conscience, our inner hearts are polluted with impurities and unconfessed sin, then we are vulnerable to the enemy’s attacks.

Stay fit for the fight.

Suit up in the spiritual armor of God each day (Eph. 5:10-18).

Take the time to recapture your calling God has given you.

Take steps of faith forward.

Keep your conscience cleansed.