Waging Good War

Morning Bible Study Lesson

"Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses." (I Timothy 6: 12 KJV)

"This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare" (I Timothy 1: 18 NKJV).

All men are called be fight for right and to "wage good warfare." Especially are Christians called to fight for God and for his truth and kingdom.

It is a battle that has been "waged" since the "enemy" first entered our world.

The chief enemy of man is the Devil, or Satan, called "the Dragon" or "that great Serpent." (See Revelation 12: 9) Jesus said of him:

"He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it." (John 8: 44 KJV)

He is the murderer of our race, one of the causes why "sin entered the world." (Romans 5: 12) He spoke the first lie, a lie which Eve believed and obeyed, and which led to the "fall" of mankind.

Other enemies have also since entered the world and men must engage them. These additional foes are sin and the sinful nature, the evil world, and death.

The problem with sinful man, in his alienation and separation from God, is that he has become a friend to the Devil, to sin, and has become an enemy to God.

Paul says that all unforgiven sinners are "enemies to God in their minds by wicked works." (Colossians 1: 21 KJV) They have been enlisted in the service of sin, and are part of the "armies of the aliens" (Hebrews 11: 34 KJV) rather than the armies of the Lord.

"The mind of sinful man is death...the sinful mind is hostile (at war with) to God." (Romans 8: 6, 7 KJV)

Thus, the real battle is in the heart, mind, and soul of man. It concerns the government of God. One is either a rebel to it, or one of its friends and citizens.

The Christian warfare is unique, for it is spiritual, not carnal warfare.

"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled." (II Corinthians 10: 3-6 NKJV)

"Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence." (John 18: 36 KJV)

Christians fight a spiritual warfare with Satan and evil spirits, and with falsehoods, and with sin and the sinful nature, and with the evil world. As such, their "weapons" are spiritual, not carnal, earthly, or physical. The battle is in the mind and heart, in the soul, and the war is with sin and the Devil, who still is at work in deceiving men and in "snatching away" the word of God "out of their hearts" (minds or thoughts) and this "lest they should believe and be saved." (Matthew 13: 19)

Paul shows that the mind is the arena of warfare in this great contest. This is where falsehood and the serpent's lies occupy their "strongholds" and which are "attacked" by those soldiers in the army of the Lord. Part of fighting the good fight of faith and waging good warfare is to "cast down arguments" or "vain reasonings" (KJV) and to "bring into captivity," that is, to "take prisoner" the mind and thoughts of sinful men, who are prisoners and soldiers in the army of sin and the Devil, and to bring them into allegiance and service to Christ and the gospel.

"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith." (II Timothy 4: 7 KJV)

"You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier." (II Timothy 2: 3, 4 NKJV)

What does it mean to wage good warfare and to fight a good fight? The qualities of good soldiery are generally well known. Paul mentions many of them and applies them to the Christian warfare. It means to "keep the faith," to remain true to Christ and his government. It is not to become traitor, as Judas, or to commit treason against Christ. It also involves perseverence, being able to "endure" the "hardness" of a soldier's life. But, all this comes easy to one who sincerely and confidently believes in the cause for which he is fighting.

Paul refers to his fellow laborers in the gospel as "fellow soldiers." (Philippians 2: 25 & Philemon 1; 2)

Every good soldier is also a recruiter for his General's army. He is always in the business of enlisting others in the service of Jesus and in the cause of his kingdom.

"Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle?" (I Corinthians 14: 8 NKJV)

Those who preach the gospel are like those who sound the trumpets of war. The ancient way for a General to communicate his orders to his troops was by blowing certain kinds of blasts on the trumpets. The blasts were intended to prepare the soldiers for the conflict. The gospel does what the trumpet did. It calls men to prepare for conflict.

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness 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. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints." (Ephesians 6: 10-18 NKJV)

Much is to be learned about the Christian warfare from these inspired words. Again, it is Paul who writes them. He is explicit in his description of the enemies with whom the Christian must contend, and of the weapons and battle tactics of both the Christian and the Devil and his hordes.

"No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their righteousness is from Me,” Says the LORD." (Isaiah 54: 17 NKJV)

Not only does the Lord enlist the Christian in his service, as a soldier, and equip and train him in soldiery, but he assures him of victory, promising to lead him in the fight and to be his defence against all the art and skill, and all the weaponry, of the evil one.

"I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air." (I Corinthians 9: 26 KJV)

Christian soldiers fight the good fight of faith with great fortitude and courage, and with little doubt about ultimate victory.

"They that forsake the law praise the wicked: but such as keep the law contend with them." (Proverbs 28: 4 KJV)

"Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." (Jude 1: 3 KJV)

Friend, what about you? Do you contend with God or with the Devil? Do you fight for truth and righteousness or for falsehood and evil? Are you an enemy to God or to the Devil? Are you a soldier and recruiter in the army of the Lord or in the army of the aliens?