Not with "flesh and blood" writes Paul which in various ways we humans are so prone, primed and propaganda-ed to do. Yet "Fight the good fight of faith" as Paul wrote Timothy. (1 Tim. 6.12)
I do believe some of us as professing Christ-followers at times deny that faith can and often is exactly that- a fight. Jesus and the wide range of New Testament writers speak again and again of the absolute, foundational and growing need for faith in God, His Word, His ways and for our attitudes, words and behaviors to line up from a daily, moment-by-moment relationship with God in Christ by the Holy Spirit.
Yes, it is, sometimes more than others, a fight. Doubts arise. Jesus and the others I just mentioned dealt with the devil, demons, multiple and re-occuring temptations. All of us who are certainly NOT Jesus also walk around with sin natures even if we are now truly redeemed in Christ, so with all of this as well as the world's hard lean upon us to conform to it rather than the Lord and His Word, doubts, weariness, fears and our own un-sanctified desires crash on our spiritual, mental and emotional shore seeking to discount God, His promises, undermine the power of the Spirit to comfort, counsel, empower and deliver us from evil in this currently fallen world.
So indeed- FIGHT. It's the one truly good fight!
As our body itself fails due to sickness, etc., the issue of faith vs. doubt in God's grace to heal, carry, even take us into Himself upon our death arises.
There are those who finally surrender to Him and others who surrender to the rest of the forces I have listed above.
This is a matter of choice, decision, reaching up and out or in simple doubt and either despair or anger (or a mix of both) to the old serpent song: "Has GOD said...?" The question can and shall be only answered by each of us individually.
Paul further wrote "for God has given everyone the measure of faith", and that gift is either held tightly, ignored or even discarded by each of us.
Not 10 years ago, yesterday but today- at this very moment, are you fighting the GOOD fight or surrendering to those forces who would supplant the true God in your life?
It's the pivotal question upon which all else rests.
As always, thanks for stopping by. -Glenn
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