How To Win The Fight 1 Timothy 6:12-16 Introduction: 1. Anybody had a good fight lately? (Married couples, please don’t raise your hand.) Did you know that fighting is Biblical? Paul spoke often of fighting. vs. 12 • You’re like, “That’s good to know because we had a big one on the way to church this morning…” 2. Of course, Paul is not talking about a verbal fight with our spouse or a physical fight between two kids after school. He is speaking of a spiritual fight. 3. If you are a believer in Christ, the Bible teaches that you are in a warfare, and Satan and his world system are the enemies of the believer. 4. Paul is encouraging young Timothy to fight a good fight. • Don’t just lay down and allow Satan to swallow you up. • Fight the the good fight of faith. 5. Last week we saw from our text why this is so crucial–the Lord is watching, Christ is returning, we have the hope of immortality, and we have the example of Jesus Christ to inspire us. He didn’t quit and give in. Every believer can fight a good fight. 6. But how do you fight a good fight? What are the keys? Paul will give his son in the faith, Timothy, some divine instruction and guidance. First, live for eternity. vs. 12 1. Paul told Timothy, “...lay hold on eternal life…” vs. 19 2. At first glance, you read this, and you can get confused. Why is he telling Timothy to lay hold on eternal life? Didn’t he already have it? Wasn’t he saved? 3. Absolutely he was saved. We receive eternal life the moment we trust Christ as our Savior. John 3:36; Romans 6:23 4. But Paul is exhorting Timothy to make it practical in his everyday life. He is desiring that he take what is his in his soul and lay hold on it in his daily living. • Illustration: A football and its use during a game–possessing it and advancing it toward the goal. 5. That is the idea of this phrase, “lay hold on.” It means to catch or seize. Live out in your daily life that divine, eternal, heavenly life that you have in your inner spirit. Catch it, seize it and make it good in your daily living (work, home, school). 6. It is possible to have eternal life in your spirit, yet succumb to living earthly and worldly, according to Satan’s world system and its debased values. When you do this, you aren’t living in the reality of eternal life. 7. If we are going to fight a good fight, we have to enter into that life that is heavenly in character. It doesn’t make sense to talk about having eternal life and then live for the things of the world. We must talk about eternal life and live like we are not going to be on this earth forever. Second, point people to Christ. vs. 12-13 1. Verse 12 states “…professed a good profession…” “Professed” means “to declare openly. “Profession” means “an open declaration.” We see this idea in the context. Paul says, “…before many witnesses.” Timothy was not ashamed of Christ. 2. Fighting a good fight means that you are not afraid to stand up for what you believe in. Timothy was a young man that had professed his faith to others openly, pointing others to his Savior, Jesus Christ. 3. Jesus is our example, isn’t he? Look at verse 13. The word “confession” is the exact same word as “profession” in verse 12. We used to use a term often called a profession of faith. We would say, “So and so is making a profession of faith…” 4. This really isn’t what Paul had in mind here. The easiest place to ever profess your faith is here in church. The challenge (and the need) is for us to profess our faith outside these four walls before the lost. Notice Jesus’ example. He did it before Pontius Pilate–a lost, government official who had the power to put Christ to death. 5. Are you pointing people to Christ? As good soldiers, we must profess a good profession and not be afraid to point people to our Savior! Third, remain faithful. vs. 14 1. “…keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable…” What a charge! 2. This should challenge every one of us who know Christ. Take God’s truth; believe it, defend it, and live it. Don’t compromise and don’t give in. As Paul said elsewhere, “be ye stedfast, unmovable…” 1 Corinthians 15:58 3. This is a call to faithfulness. You may not be loaded with talent, ability or intellect. But every person can be faithful. We can take God’s Word, believe it and do what it says. • Illustration: Parents, you tell your child to keep their room clean. It’s a mess and you hold them accountable. They respond, “I’m just not gifted in that area. That isn’t my talent.” You say, “The issue is not talent; it is faithfulness. Just do what you have been told.” 4. Paul told Timothy to “fight a good fight” and “war a good warfare.” He also told him to be a good soldier of Jesus Christ. A good soldier does what his commander tells him to do. He can be relied upon and trusted. Thus he says to keep God’s commandment “without spot” and “unrebukeable.” Doing half of what you are told is not partial obedience. It is disobedience. • Illustration: Back to your kid cleaning his room. If cleaning his room means making his bed, picking up the floor, and vacuuming the floor, what if he makes his bed picks up things on the floor, but there are crumbs and debris all over the floor? • He didn’t keep your commandment without spot, did he? 5. We must be faithful to all of God’s Word if we are to fight a good fight. We can’t neglect the parts we don’t like. One day our Commander will appear and He will appear very suddenly without warning (vs. 14). 6. When He appears, we will all be held accountable, and faithfulness will be rewarded. Can you imagine having your Savior say to you, “Well done, good and faithful servant?” Matthew 25:23 cf. 2 Timothy 4:7-8 In Conclusion: 1. It will be worth it all when we see Jesus! Christian, fight a good fight. Live for eternity, point people to Christ, and remain faithful. 2. There is no discharge in this war. We are enlisted for life. Our only discharge comes when we leave this earth through death or if we leave this earth by means of the appearing of Christ.