REFINED IN THE FIRE - Perhaps you feel like you’re in a refiner’s fire — feeling the heat of setbacks, illness, or other challenges. But hardship is often the process by which God purifies the gold of our faith. In our pain we might beg God to quickly end the process, but He knows what’s best for us, even when life hurts. Keep connected to the Savior, seeking His comfort and peace. We can embrace by faith the record of Scripture and the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives as evidence of the truth of what we’ve not seen but believed “For we live by faith, not by sight” “These trials will show that your faith is genuine.” Twenty-four–karat gold is nearly 100 percent gold with few impurities. But that percentage is difficult to achieve. Refiners most commonly use one of two methods for the purification process. The Miller process is the quickest and least expensive, but the resulting gold is only about 99.95 percent pure. The Wohlwill process takes a little more time and costs more, but the gold produced is 99.99 percent pure. In Bible times, refiners used fire as a gold purifier. Fire caused impurities to rise to the surface for easier removal. In his first letter to believers in Jesus throughout Asia Minor (northern Turkey), the apostle Peter used the gold-refining process as a metaphor for the way trials work in the life of a believer. At that time, many believers were being persecuted by the Romans for their faith in Christ.

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Refined in the Fire

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Perhaps you feel like you’re in a refiner’s fire — feeling the heat of setbacks, illness, or other challenges. But hardship is often the process by which God purifies the gold of our faith. In our pain we might beg God to quickly end the process, but He knows what’s best for us, even when life hurts. Keep connected to the Savior, seeking His comfort and peace. We can embrace by faith the record of Scripture and the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives as evidence of the truth of what we’ve not seen but believed “For we live by faith, not by sight”

Our Daily Bread

Read: 1 Peter 1:6–9

“These trials will show that your faith is genuine.” - 1 Peter 1:7 NLT

Twenty-four–karat gold is nearly 100 percent gold with few impurities.

But that percentage is difficult to achieve.

Refiners most commonly use one of two methods for the purification process.

The Miller process is the quickest and least expensive, but the resulting gold is only about 99.95 percent pure.

The Wohlwill process takes a little more time and costs more, but the gold produced is 99.99 percent pure.

In Bible times, refiners used fire as a gold purifier.

Fire caused impurities to rise to the surface for easier removal.

In his first letter to believers in Jesus throughout Asia Minor (northern Turkey), the apostle Peter used the gold-refining process as a metaphor for the way trials work in the life of a believer.

At that time, many believers were being persecuted by the Romans for their faith in Christ.

Peter knew what that was like firsthand.

But persecution, Peter explained, brings out the “genuineness of [our] faith” (1 Peter 1:7).

Perhaps you feel like you’re in a refiner’s fire — feeling the heat of setbacks, illness, or other challenges.

But hardship is often the process by which God purifies the gold of our faith.

In our pain we might beg God to quickly end the process, but He knows what’s best for us, even when life hurts.

Keep connected to the Savior, seeking His comfort and peace.

What challenges have you faced that led to your growth? How did you respond to them?

Father God, help me see how the trials of my life bring out the gold in me.

INSIGHT

In 1 Peter 1:8, Peter is reinforcing an important idea that goes back to the gospel of John.

In John 20:29, the risen Christ said to Thomas, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

That includes all in our generation who have followed Jesus.

While we weren’t present when He was physically on this earth, we can embrace by faith the record of Scripture (1 Corinthians 15:3–4) and the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives (Romans 8:16) as evidence of the truth of what we’ve not seen but believed (John 16:13–15).

As Paul wrote, “For we live by faith, not by sight” - (2 Corinthians 5:7).

Bible in a Year: Psalms 97–99; Romans 16

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Our vision is to see people of all nations experiencing a personal relationship with Christ, growing to be more like Him, and serving in a local body of His family.

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AMERICA AFTER THE RAPTURE - What Will Happen to America after the Rapture? - Highly valuable and experienced military commanders and business leaders and medical professionals will disappear, perhaps in the middle of critical projects or medical procedures. The impact will be catastrophic - it is difficult to imagine how the U.S. could remain a superpower. How could we quickly replace all our Christian intelligence and foreign-policy officials who would suddenly be gone? How could we quickly replace all the officers and NCOs throughout the ranks of our military who are born-again believers? With all the resulting chaos and dislocation caused by the Rapture, how could we defend our own homeland? When the Rapture occurs, every single American who is a born-again believer in Jesus Christ will suddenly disappear. This will cause enormous disorientation and disruption for all the unbelievers who are left behind as their lives suddenly change and they are forced to handle the aftermath and adapt to the new and rapidly shifting conditions. Try to imagine the U.S. losing a million people in the blink of an eye. Or 5 million people. Or 25 million people. Or more. If you’re on a plane flown by believers who suddenly disappear, that plane also could crash. The emotional devastation for people who suddenly and irretrievably lose a spouse, children, parents, friends, colleagues, neighbors, and other loved ones.

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America After The Rapture

What Will Happen to America after the Rapture?

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Highly valuable and experienced military commanders and business leaders and medical professionals will disappear, perhaps in the middle of critical projects or medical procedures. The impact will be catastrophic - it is difficult to imagine how the U.S. could remain a superpower. How could we quickly replace all our Christian intelligence and foreign-policy officials who would suddenly be gone? How could we quickly replace all the officers and NCOs throughout the ranks of our military who are born-again believers? With all the resulting chaos and dislocation caused by the Rapture, how could we defend our own homeland?

Tyndale House Publishers

As we have seen, when the Rapture occurs, every single American who is a born-again believer in Jesus Christ will suddenly disappear.

This will cause enormous disorientation and disruption for all the unbelievers who are left behind as their lives suddenly change and they are forced to handle the aftermath and adapt to the new and rapidly shifting conditions.

Think of how dramatically life in the United States changed after we lost some three thousand Americans on September 11, 2001.

First and foremost, the emotional impact was devastating.

Then the way we travel changed.

The way we conduct foreign policy changed.

Our economy changed.

Our government institutions changed.

So many areas of life changed that it is difficult to adequately categorize them, much less catalog them.

Now try to imagine the U.S. losing a million people in the blink of an eye. Or 5 million people. Or 25 million people. Or more.

If you’re riding in a car driven by a believer who suddenly disappears, that car very well could crash.

If you’re on a plane flown by believers who suddenly disappear, that plane also could crash.

Highly valuable and experienced military commanders and business leaders and medical professionals will disappear, perhaps in the middle of critical projects or medical procedures.

The impact will be catastrophic.

Consider, too, the emotional devastation for people who suddenly and irretrievably lose a spouse, children, parents, friends, colleagues, neighbors, and other loved ones.

There will be no long illnesses during which one can get prepared, no dead bodies to identify, no human way to find closure.

Consider the horror that will be experienced by millions of people who long described themselves as Christians but suddenly realize that they were not included in the Rapture, people who realize that they never actually received for themselves the free gift of forgiveness and salvation offered by Jesus Christ.

Consider how sickened they will feel when they realize that despite having gone to church and perhaps having occasionally read the Bible and done good works and been “religious” in some way, they never really understood or accepted God’s simple plan of salvation.

Consider, too, the terror felt by atheists and agnostics and people of other religions when they see their country and their world imploding and realize that their family members and friends who had been followers of Jesus Christ were right, and thus are gone, but that they themselves were left to face the wrath to come.

Can such people fall on their knees the minute after the Rapture and receive Christ’s free gift of salvation for themselves?

Absolutely, and they should.

If they do, the Bible teaches that their sins will be instantly forgiven and their souls saved forever.

They can know without the shadow of a doubt that they are going to heaven when they die and will spend eternity with Christ Jesus, not in the lake of fire with no way of escape.

But as wonderful and real and true as all that redemption will be, such people who receive Christ as their Savior and Lord after the Rapture will also be struck by the daunting realization that they and their remaining family members and friends and neighbors will have to endure previously unimaginable suffering in a country that will neither be nor seem like anything they have ever known, a country that has neither the strength nor the will to oppose the Antichrist or the persecution that is coming.

Imagine, too, the economic implications of the Rapture.

If you think U.S. banks have a foreclosure problem now as millions of Americans cannot afford to pay their mortgages, imagine what will happen when millions of American homeowners suddenly disappear, never to make another mortgage payment again.

What will happen when millions of business owners are suddenly no longer around to pay their bills?

Or pay their employees? Or continue delivering vital goods and services?

What will happen to the federal government when millions of taxpayers are no longer providing Washington much-needed revenues?

What will happen to state governments?

What will happen when nonprofit agencies and medical clinics and hospitals that care for the poor and needy here in the United States and are run by and funded by believers suddenly stop operating?

What will happen when humanitarian relief organizations and adoption agencies and other charitable organizations that are run by and funded by believers in Jesus Christ stand empty?

Those who sneer at Christianity and mock the do-gooders and the missionaries will suddenly realize how much of a blessing believers actually have been in the U.S. and around the world.

All of this traumatic change in the United States will be compounded by the fact that hundreds of millions of believers around the world — possibly a billion people or more — will have suddenly disappeared at the exact same moment.

They will stop returning phone calls and e-mails.

They will stop paying their bills and compensating their employees.

They will stop being a force for good and hope in the world. They will simply be gone.

The foreign-policy implications for the U.S. must also be considered.

With such an immediate, enormous, and unprecedented shock to American society and economy from the loss of millions of people, it is difficult to imagine how the U.S. could remain a superpower.

How could we quickly replace all our Christian intelligence and foreign-policy officials who would suddenly be gone?

How could we quickly replace all the officers and NCOs throughout the ranks of our military who are born-again believers?

With all the resulting chaos and dislocation caused by the Rapture, how could the U.S. move rapidly and effectively to defend a threatened or invaded ally or defend our vital interests around the world?

How could we defend our own homeland?

Located in Carol Stream, Illinois, Tyndale House Publishers was founded in 1962 by Dr. Kenneth N. Taylor as a means of publishing The Living Bible. Tyndale publishes Christian fiction, nonfiction, children’s books, and other resources, including Bibles in the New Living Translation (NLT).

Tyndale products include many New York Times best sellers, including the popular Left Behind fiction series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins, novels by Francine Rivers, Karen Kingsbury and Joel C. Rosenberg, plus numerous nonfiction works.

Tyndale House Publishers is substantially owned by Tyndale House Foundation. As a result, the company’s profits help underwrite the foundation’s mission, which is to spread the Good News of Christ around the world.

https://www.tyndale.com/stories/what-will-happen-to-america-after-the-rapture

PROPHESIES THAT WILL BE FULFILLED BEFORE JESUS RETURNS - These things are yet to come - Before Christ returns, the Jews will be truly settled in their ancestral homeland. Jerusalem will once again be in Jewish hands. Many believe that this sign will come to pass soon as Israel is currently a Jewish state. Jerusalem, however, remains split between various groups. Christ will not return until after the Gospel has been preached to the entire world. Many people see this prophecy as being nearly fulfilled, but there is potential that this has already come to pass. One of the better-known tales of the end times is that God will send two final witnesses to preach the Gospel. The two witnesses will be killed, and their bodies will be seen by everyone in the world. The end times are going to be disastrous. There is a reason why the words “apocalypse” and “Armageddon” are associated with catastrophic destruction. Not all of the disasters that come with the end of the age will be caused by nature. Many of them will be things that mankind brings on themselves.

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7 Prophesies That Will Be Fulfilled Before Jesus Returns

These things are yet to come

By Stephanie Hertzenberg

Since the day that Christ said He would return, Christians have been eagerly watching for the Second Coming in between arguing with each other about when it will take place.

There have been innumerable sermons on the subject of the end times, and there are probably about as many blogs devoted to arguing about the Rapture as there are Christian churches.

If a person types in the name of any controversial leader into Google, one of the most likely suggested searches will end with “is the anti-Christ.”

A Jewish homeland will be established in Israel.

Before Christ returns, the Jews will be truly settled in their ancestral homeland. Jerusalem will once again be in Jewish hands.

Many believe that this sign will come to pass soon as Israel is currently a Jewish state. Jerusalem, however, remains split between various groups.

That said, with the United States finally moving its embassy to Jerusalem in order to line up with more than a decade of America’s official stance that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, Jerusalem is closer than ever to returning to Jewish hands.

The Gospel will be preached to the entire world.

Christ will not return until after the Gospel has been preached to the entire world.

Many people see this prophecy as being nearly fulfilled, but there is potential that this has already come to pass.

When the Bible was written, the phrase “the world” meant something different than it does today.

When people speak of the entire world today, they are referring to the globe as a whole and interpret this prophecy as meaning that the Gospel must be preached in every country on Earth.

During the time when the prophecy was first written down, however, “the world” was used to refer not to every inch of land on Earth, but to the extent of the Roman Empire.

Worldwide communications will exist before the final two witnesses.

One of the better-known tales of the end times is that God will send two final witnesses to preach the Gospel.

The two witnesses will be killed, and their bodies will be seen by everyone in the world.

In order for this to come true, the entire world must be interconnected and able to communicate with each other in extremely rapid fashion.

Once again, the conditions required for this prophecy to be fulfilled are nearly complete.

With the rise of the internet, social media and smartphones, it is easier than ever for people to relay information to each other.

Events that happen on one side of the world can be broadcast to the other in milliseconds.

The world is also becoming more and more hostile toward Christianity.

Things have not yet boiled over, but it is easy to believe that the time of the two witnesses is fast approaching.

Natural disasters will be widespread.

The end times are going to be disastrous. There is a reason why the words “apocalypse” and “Armageddon” are associated with catastrophic destruction.

During the end times, God will turn nature against mankind. There will be pandemics, flooding, fires, earthquakes, famines and what many scholars identify as meteorite strikes or even a comet colliding with Earth.

These numerous disasters will take place all across the world and kill billions.

War and violence will run rampant.

Not all of the disasters that come with the end of the age will be caused by nature. Many of them will be things that mankind brings on themselves.

War and all sorts of violence will run rampant before Christ returns to Earth. Men and women will attack and kill their enemies, their friends and even their own families.

Even as natural disasters raze cities, people will still continue to inflict violence on each other.

A charismatic and convincing false prophet will appear.

No sign of the end times has captured the imagination of the world as much as the anti-Christ.

This figure will be as charismatic as they are evil and will lead millions astray.

They will cause the deaths of hundreds of thousands and turn innumerable people against God before Christ returns to Earth.

God’s people will be hunted and killed.

Before Christ returns, God’s people will be hunted and killed by nonbelievers.

Those who dare to cling to their faith will find themselves unable to trade or do business with others.

They will be driven out, seen as outcasts and eventually, they will be hunted down and killed.

Given the rising rate of lethal Christian persecution in the Middle East, Africa and Asia as well as the ever-increasing ostracism and hatred faced by Christians in the West, the time when faith will once again become a matter of life and death for Christians may not be as far away as some believe. 

Christians have always watched for the signs that indicate that Christ is soon to return.

In the first century, Paul urged Christians to be alert and prepare themselves for Christ’s return.

In the 21st century, endless blogs and websites are dedicated to predicting that incredible event.

Regardless of what century Christians were watching from, the fact remains that everyone is waiting to see when the final signs will be fulfilled and Christ will return once again to His people.

Stephanie Hertzenberg is a writer and editor at Beliefnet. She is a graduate of the College of William and Mary where she majored in Religious Studies and minored in Creative Writing. She maintains an avid interest in health, history and science.

https://www.beliefnet.com/faiths/christianity/7-prophesies-that-will-be-fulfilled-before-jesus-returns.aspx

GOD HAS SOMETHING BETTER THAN WHAT YOU LEFT BEHIND - Losses for Christ are here supposed. Christ had told them that his disciples must deny themselves in all that is done to them in this world. They have forsaken a great deal, houses suppose, and have turned themselves out, to wander in deserts; or dear relations, that would not go with them, to follow Christ. These are particularly mentioned - brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children; and lands are added in the close; the profits of which were the support of the family. The loss of these things is supposed to be for Christ's name's sake. Many forsake brethren, and wife, and children, as the bird that wanders from her nest. But if we forsake them for Christ's sake, we must either quit them, or quit our interest in Christ. If we do not quit our concern for them, or our duty to them, but our comfort in them, and will do it rather than deny Christ, and this with an eye to him, and to his will and glory, this is that which shall be thus recompensed. It is supposed to be a great loss; and yet Christ undertakes to make up, for he is able to do it, be it ever so great.

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God Has Something Better Than What You Left Behind

mybible.com

“And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.” Matthew 19:29 NKJV

Here is a promise to all others that should in like manner leave all to follow Christ.

It was not peculiar to the apostles, to be thus preferred, but this honour have all his saints. Christ will take care they shall none of them lose by him; Every one that has forsaken any thing for Christ, shall receive.

Losses for Christ are here supposed. Christ had told them that his disciples must deny themselves in all that is done to them in this world; now here he specifies particulars; for it is good to count upon the worst.

If they have not forsaken all, as the apostles did, yet they have forsaken a great deal, houses suppose, and have turned themselves out, to wander in deserts; or dear relations, that would not go with them, to follow Christ; these are particularly mentioned, as hardest for a tender gracious spirit to part with; brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children; and lands are added in the close; the profits of which were the support of the family.

Now, First, the loss of these things is supposed to be for Christ's name's sake; else he doth not oblige himself to make it up.

Many forsake brethren, and wife, and children, in humour and passion, as the bird that wanders from her nest; that is a sinful desertion.

But if we forsake them for Christ's sake, because we cannot keep them and keep a good conscience, we must either quit them, or quit our interest in Christ; if we do not quit our concern for them, or our duty to them, but our comfort in them, and will do it rather than deny Christ, and this with an eye to him, and to his will and glory, this is that which shall be thus recompensed.

It is not the suffering, but the cause, that makes both the martyr and the confessor.

Secondly, it is supposed to be a great loss; and yet Christ undertakes to make up, for he is able to do it, be it ever so great.

See the barbarity of the persecutors, that they stripped innocent people of all they had, for no other crime than their adherence to Christ!

See the patience of the persecuted; and the strength of their love to Christ, which was such as all these waters could not quench!

A recompence of these losses is here secured.

Thousands have dealt with Christ, and have trusted him far; but never any one lost by him, never any one but was an unspeakable gainer by him, when the account came to be balanced.

Christ here gives his word for it, that he will not only indemnify his suffering servants, and save them harmless, but will abundantly reward them.

Let them make a schedule of their losses for Christ, and they shall be sure to receive,

First, A hundred-fold in this life; sometimes in kind, in the things themselves which they have parted with.

God will raise up for his suffering servants more friends, that will be so to them for Christ's sake, than they have left that were so for their own sakes.

The apostles, wherever they came, met with those that were kind to them, and entertained them, and opened their hearts and doors to them.

However, they shall receive a hundred-fold, in kindness, in those things that are abundantly better and more valuable.

Their graces shall increase, their comforts abound, they shall have tokens of God's love, more free communion with him, more full communications from him, clearer foresights, and sweeter foretastes, of the glory to be revealed; and then they may truly say, they have received a hundred times more comfort in God and Christ than they could have had in wife, or children.

Secondly, Eternal life at last. The former is reward enough, if there were no more; cent. per cent. is great profit; what then is a hundred to one?

But this comes in over and above, as it were, into the bargain.

The life here promised includes in it all the comforts of life in the highest degree, and all eternal.

Now if we could but mix faith with the promise, and trust Christ for the performance of it, surely we should think nothing too much to do, nothing too hard to suffer, nothing too dear to part with, for him. - Matthew Henry

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THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH - Following Jesus isn’t easy. It is a fight. It is war. It is a long, hard battle that requires endurance. One reason following Jesus is described as a fight is because we have a real enemy. Our enemy is the devil. A horrible, powerful, wicked spirit whose desire is to devour us. He tempts us, attempts to deceive us, lies to us, just as he lied to Eve in the garden. Not only do we have an enemy to fight, but we must fight the good fight of faith, because in his sovereignty, wisdom and love, the Lord takes us through many hard things to conform us to the likeness of his Son. We WILL have tribulation. Trouble. Believers suffer in all kinds of ways. Believers will be persecuted in various ways. We will be sinned against by both unbelievers and believers.

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The Good Fight Of Faith

How Do We Fight The Good Fight Of Faith?

(Follow These Steps)

Mark Altrogge

We are called to fight the good fight of faith.

Following Jesus isn’t easy. It is a fight. It is war. It is a long, hard battle that requires endurance.

Paul told Timothy:

“Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” (1 Timothy 6:12)

Paul also told his young disciple:

“Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 2:3)

And near the end of his life Paul told Timothy:

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7)

Fight The Good Fight Against Satan

One reason following Jesus is described as a fight is because we have a real enemy:

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)

Our enemy is the devil. A horrible, powerful, wicked spirit whose desire is to devour us. Paul tells us that the devil “schemes” against us (Ephesians 6:11).

He tempts us, attempts to deceive us, lies to us, just as he lied to Eve in the garden.

Fight Through Trials

Not only do we have an enemy to fight, but we must fight the good fight of faith, because in his sovereignty, wisdom and love, the Lord takes us through many hard things to conform us to the likeness of his Son.

Jesus told his disciples:

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

We WILL have tribulation. Trouble. Believers suffer in all kinds of ways.

Believers will be persecuted in various ways. We will be sinned against by both unbelievers and believers.

We will love and receive hatred in return. We will be accused of things unjustly. We will be misunderstood. We will get sick.

We will be rejected, even at times by those we love.

And in these times of suffering we have to fight. We have to fight, especially to hold fast to our Lord in faith. We have to fight to believe his word.

We have to fight not to believe the lies of the enemy.

Fight For Joy and Peace

We have to fight to have joy and peace. We have to fight to trust the Lord. We have to fight to keep going.

We have to fight to love our enemies, to do good to those who abuse us, to bless those who curse us. We have to fight not to grow cold in our love for Jesus.

How Do We Fight The Good Fight Of Faith?

Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:10-20:

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.

“In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.

“To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.”

We Must Be Strong In The Lord (Ephesians 6:10)

We can’t fight the good fight on our own. We just aren’t strong enough. We need the Lord’s strength. We need his might.

We need to depend on Jesus 24 hours a day, calling out to him, asking him to help us, asking him for his strength.

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:6-7)

It’s humbling to admit that we are weak, that we need help. But that’s exactly what God tells us to do.

He says don’t try to fight this fight on your own; cast your cares and anxieties on the Lord. Humble yourself. Cry out to God!

In Ephesians 6 Paul tells us that to be able to fight the good fight of faith and stand against our cosmic enemies, Satan and his demons, we must put on God’s armor, including the “belt of truth,” “the shield of faith” and “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

Why? Because Satan’s primary weapon is his lies. Just as he lied to Eve: “Did God really say?… You will not die.”

We Must Believe The Promises Of God

When we are going through a hard time Satan will whisper, “God doesn’t care about you. God isn’t going to be faithful. God isn’t with you in this. This is too big for God.”

It is in these times of temptation to doubt God’s word when we must fight the good fight as Jesus fought the enemy. By knowing God’s word, by believing God’s word, by reminding ourselves of God’s word.

When Jesus was tempted, his response was “It is written…” and he quoted Scripture.

This is how we fight the good fight of faith. By reminding ourselves of God’s promises, and by believing them. By fighting to believe them.

When we are tempted to fear for our children or be discouraged about their lack of faith, we must cling to God’s many promises to work in our children’s lives, like (Isaiah 54:13):

“All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children.”

God’s word is the truth – “the belt of truth” – no matter what our circumstances look like.

Our feelings aren’t the truth. The lies of the enemy are his “fiery darts” which we extinguish by lifting up “the shield of faith” – faith in God’s word, and brandishing “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

We Must Pray At All Times (Ephesians 6:18)

As we said earlier, by humbling ourselves before God, by casting all our anxieties on him.

So, we fight the good fight by believing God’s word, his many promises, and by praying. By constantly asking God to help us.

We need to pray for strength. We need to pray for joy. To pray for wisdom and guidance. To pray for God to deliver us from temptation and evil.

To pray that God will help us love those who hurt us. “With all prayer and supplication.”

All kinds of prayers. Regular prayers, spontaneous prayers. Prayer all day long.

Prayer is a form of “sowing” seeds. And like seeds, sometimes it takes a while before we see the fruit.

But we must keep sowing in faith, for God promises us:

“Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.” (Psalm 126:5-6)

When we “sow in tears,” or pray “in tears” our prayers will usually feel weak. Small. Like seeds. It will feel like nothing is happening. But we need to keep sowing in faith.

Keep praying those “tiny” prayers. Because someday, and we don’t know when, but someday we will “come home with shouts of joy” bringing a harvest of “sheaves” of answered prayers with us.

Pray For Others and Have Them Pray For Us

“To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 1and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel…” (Ephesians 6:18-19)

We’re not in this fight by ourselves. We need our brothers and sisters to pray for us, and we need to pray for them.

The apostle Paul himself humbly asked for his brothers and sisters to pray for him. He asked that they pray for him to be bold to proclaim the gospel.

We fight the good fight of faith every day. We fight by dying to ourselves and obeying Jesus.

We fight the good fight by serving, loving and encouraging others. By sharing the gospel with others. By giving to the poor. And in many other ways.

Fighting isn’t easy. War is hard. Following Jesus is work.

But what joy our fight will yield when we hear Jesus say, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Master.”

So don’t give up! Fight the good fight!

Mark Altrogge

I’m a pastor at Saving Grace Church in Indiana, PA. I’m married to Kristi, have 5 kids, and a growing number of grandkids. I enjoy songwriting, oil painting and coffee, not necessarily in that order.

https://theblazingcenter.com/2019/05/fight-the-good-fight.html