The Good Fight of Faith

THE “FIGHT OF FAITH” identified in our Key Verse can be thought of as the effort and struggle the child of God must daily engage in to prove the depth of his faith respecting the Heavenly Father and his promises. The Apostle Paul explains the only basis by which we can begin engagement in this fight. He states: “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Rom. 10:17) Thus, before we can have faith, and fight to maintain it, we must have a measure of knowledge.

The only true source of knowledge concerning God’s plan is his Word. Throughout the Bible, we find the many promises and assurances concerning God’s loving plan. These enable us to have conviction concerning that which cannot be seen with the human eye. (Heb. 11:1) To engage in the fight of faith, however, requires the application of this knowledge in daily living and conduct. In our Key Verse, as well as other places, Paul speaks of this aspect of faith‘s development as our “profession.” “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering.” (Heb. 10:23; 4:14) Indeed, it is the daily profession of our faith that will bring the forces of evil to do battle against us. This is by God’s design, in order that our faith may be fully developed and proven.

As we grow in the school of Christ, we will learn valuable lessons from all life’s experiences—its joys and its sorrows. These, and the battles associated with them, will make us “strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.” (Eph. 6:10) Our weapons, Paul further states, “are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds.” (II Cor. 10:4) These elements are all of vital importance to successfully engage in this “fight of faith.”

The Apostle Peter admonished, “Be sober, and vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith.” (I Pet. 5:8,9) As we fight the good fight of faith, we understand that the adversary will make every attempt to stumble us and thwart our progress. Yet, we also know that since “God be for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31) We learn to appreciate that the trials which come to us are actually manifestations of divine favor, and if we are rightly exercised by them, we are assured of victory.

Success in our fight of faith also requires that we hold onto God’s Word of truth—in letter, in spirit, and in the love of it. It means, too, that we will remain humble and teachable, persevering daily toward the goal. This was the Apostle Paul’s attitude, as he expressed concerning himself, “Brethren, I count myself not to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”—Phil. 3:13,14

Let us realize the need to focus our energy fully upon the things that will help us win the good fight of faith. This centers in the motivation of our hearts and in the thoughts of our minds. “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, … honest, … just, … pure, … lovely, … of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”—Phil. 4:8