Worth Fighting For — Fight the Good Fight

In your opinion, what do you consider worth fighting for or over? What is both worth the fight and paying the price to win?

Have you ever encountered a “bad” fight? The kind where nobody wins? I have. And actually, more than once!

I remember a heated argument as a child with a young chap at the old country school. Who started it? I can’t remember. I do, however, remember throwing my metal lunch bucket at him in exasperation or rage. I’m not sure which. He may have been a year younger than I, but after tying a licking on me, we both had to face the consequences of upset parents at home. Needless to say, we both learned our lesson and resolved all future disagreements with a tad more wisdom and chunk less emotion. It was not a good fight! To top it off, this young chap was one of my closest friends — before and after the feud.

Though I still tend to be more than a little stubborn, I have hopefully learned to choose my battles more wisely. Sometimes, it is better to run. Other times, we must fight the fight.

“But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses.”
1 Timothy 6:11-12

Paul offers his young student, Timothy, three bits of advice: there are things to run from, things to pursue, and other things we must stand against and fight the good fight. I should have learned sooner how to run from petty arguments and set my heart to pursue a godly life of faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. (None of which I displayed in the school yard those many years ago.) In fighting the good fight, we hold tightly to what we have gained and the things of highest value — eternal things.

Fight

Most of us fall into the category of being conflict averse. Surprisingly, the conflict of good versus evil marks the pages of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. Perhaps, these biblical encounters hold a significant clue for us. Every conflict can be reduced to the basest level — the enemy’s agenda rising against God’s perfect desire and purpose

Israel, once freed from the bondage of Egypt, still had to fight for their God-given inheritance and promise. The battles were bloody, the enemy was real, and the stakes were high. Unfortunately, we all to often pick childish brawls against the people closest to us, insteand of putting our energies toward the real battles God would have us fight.

“The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”
Exodus 14:14

It’s pretty hard to be still and fight at the same time. Hard? Yes! Impossible? No! In fact, Holy Spirit peace gives us the confidence to fight the right battle, at the right time, and in the right way. Only then, do we have the assurance that the Lord fights with us.

The Israelites fought. They ultimately took possession of the promised land. Their battles separated the faint of heart from those who knew more about trusting God than combat. They fought against deception from within their camp and guerrilla warfare from the outside. They fought forces much greater and stronger than themselves. Again and again, with God, they won!

Following Christ still requires a steady dose of grit. Nonetheless, we easily grow weary, weak, and worn from battle. Even the strongest person faces the temptation to raise the flag of surrender and quit.

Worth Fighting For

Paul and Barnabas had a “sharp dispute and debate” against legalistic Christians in Antioch (Acts 15:1-29). They sought the advice of their leaders to resolve the problem. Everyone agreed, the purity of the Gospel — salvation by grace through faith — was worth fighting for.

A short time later, Paul and Barnabas set out on another mission trip. “They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company” (Acts 15:39). What? It is hard to believe that these two powerful men of God couldn’t peacefully resolve their differences. Barnabas saw in John Mark a man worth fighting for. Though Mark had failed and let them down before, Barnabas stuck with him. Paul didn’t want a “quitter” on his team! Later, however, Paul admitted what a great asset Mark was to the work of the Kingdom of God (2 Timothy 4:11). People — broken and unreliable people — are worth fighting for.

In the very next chapter, Paul faces yet another conflict. This time an entire crowd rises against him. The authorities beat Paul and his companion before throwing them into jail (Acts 16:16-40).

Living all out for Christ doesn’t allow us the luxury of getting along with everyone all the time.

Again and again, Paul paid a huge price to bring the message of salvation to all people. Why? People, even strangers, are worth fighting for.

Even as I write, I find my heart broken over how petty and insignificant most of my battles have been. At times, I wonder if I’ve learned anything since my childhood. The good fight — God’s fight — encompasses spiritual rather than physical things.

“…I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people.”
Jude 3

Fight For

God calls us to fight against injustice and oppression, while standing for the vulnerable. “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow” (Isaiah 1:17).

We are to fight for our families, protecting their physical safety, emotional well-being, and nurturing their spiritual health. “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes” (Nehemiah 4:14).

He calls us to fight for truth and righteousness, in our homes, churches, communities, and nations. “For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth” (2 Corinthians 13:8).

Fight With

Warfare implies a severity of battle — a battle requiring supernatural weapons of warfare.

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace … take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”
Ephesians 6:10-18

Tempter tantrums and thrown lunch kits won’t win this war. We need God’s weapons and godly wisdom.

So, friends, whatever your battle, fight well, fight hard, fight for the right purpose, and fight with the godly weapons. Are you weary? So am I. This battle, however, is worth every moment, every effort, every prayer, and every righteous stand. The stakes are too high to quit now or ever. Both eternal destinies and God-ordained purposes rest in the balance. If not us, who? If not now, when?

Rise up mighty warriors and press into the battle. With the Lord at our side, we can and will be victorious. He is fighting for and with us, declaring His mighty victory over every power of darkness that rises against us. We will not quit!

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