Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
“Fight the good fight of faith” is a popular phrase among the Body of Christ. But not many Christians can tell you how to fight the good fight of faith. We wage war against abortion, hunger, inequality, religious freedom, racism, and a variety of injustices. However, our struggle is not a typical worldly conflict. The Bible says our fight is against principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this age, and spiritual wickedness in the heavenly places.
While we fight the good fight of faith, we wage war against each other. And we do it in the name of God, ignoring the true enemy that is responsible for our calamity. We fight those who oppose our faith when we should be fighting the good fight of faith. In this blog, I will share some interesting facts that every Christian should know about the good fight of faith and how we should engage in it.
Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called, and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
1 Timothy 6:12
Faith is not just believing; faith is a fundamental substance. It is the tangible quintessence that the things we hope for become so concrete that they become a definitive reality of those things that are not yet visible. Faith is the bridge that links you to the spiritual realm and makes God a touchable reality in your mind. While we walk by faith and understand the power of faith and its ability to heal, we still do not know how to fight the good fight of faith.
The Good Struggle
Anything that glorifies God is good. God calls our struggle the good fight of faith because He is glorified when we fight to overcome evil. But some Christians have misunderstood the Scriptures, thinking their life’s assignment is to fight the unbelievers of the world. They believe their calling is to rid the world of sin and will defend God’s word by any means, including violence. They advocate for laws to force those who oppose God to keep His commandments. However, the God of the Bible is not forceful; He does not force Himself on anyone. Love and mercy are among God’s many attributes. God loves us even when we don’t love Him.
Don’t just fight in faith. God expects us to fight the good fight of faith. There is a difference between “a good fight” and “the good fight of faith.” You see, a good fight would imply more than one fight. When we fight a good fight in faith, we fight many foes, including everybody who opposes our concept of God. However, when we fight the good fight of faith, we fight only one enemy: Satan. He is the root and source of all the things we oppose. We don’t fight him based on our emotions, but according to the word of God. When we fight the good fight of faith, we don’t fight to harm people but rather to reconcile them, for Christians have a ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:19).
You Have Authority Over Your Battles
Like most Spirit-filled Christians, I was on fire when the Lord saved me. I was commanding demons to come out of things that demons had no desire to be in, like the time I laid my hands on my car on the side of the highway. I had an old Ford Fairlane 500 that would act up when it was time to go to church. That old car would start spitting and sputtering when we got ready for church. One Sunday morning, I had finally had enough. I pulled to the side of the highway, got out, laid my hands on the hood, and shouted, “I command you, demon spirit, in the name of Jesus, COME OUT OF MY CAR!” My wife and kids thought I was losing my mind.
About a half-mile down the highway, the car made a loud noise. The car’s rear bounced up, and thick black smoke came out of the exhaust. That old car took off like a rabbit. I don’t know what happened, but that old Ford never gave us any more trouble from that day forward.
You Are Under Attack
I’m not saying that my car had a demon in it. Still, I am saying that I recognized the enemy had attacked me. I responded to his threat aggressively and confidently in faith. You have the authority to manage your battles, regardless of the situation. When fighting the good fight of faith, remember that you have authority over all the enemy’s power (Luke 10:19). Use it by faith.
Watch Your Mouth
Our words are our most potent weapon. The Bible says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue” (Proverbs 18:21). Nothing seems to trip a believer more than a loose tongue. That little thing in our mouths may be small, but it is the most significant weapon in our spiritual arsenal. Fighting the good fight of faith is not about swinging blows but speaking words. That’s right, words. Our words possess power. Speaking words of faith causes us to advance in the fight. When we listen to the enemy’s lies, we begin speaking words of doubt; thus, we stumble and retreat. Therefore, let us be cautious and mindful in our speech, using our words to build faith and not doubt.
Expect Results
In the eleventh chapter of Mark, Jesus and His disciples traveled from Bethany, and the Bible states that Jesus was hungry. Seeing a fig tree with leaves afar, He went to see if perhaps He would find some figs on it. However, when He got there, He found none. In response, Jesus said to the tree, “No man eat fruit from you hereafter forever” (Mark 11:14 KJV).
The next day, when they passed by the tree, it had dried up by the roots. Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.” Wait a minute! When did Jesus curse the fig tree? He never said, “I curse you, fig tree?” Jesus spoke down to the fig tree when He said, “No man eat fruit from you hereafter forever.”
Speak to Your Situation
Seeing the confusion on the disciples’ faces, Jesus said to them, “Have faith in God. For assuredly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain Be removed and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says” (Mark 11:23).
As you fight the good fight of faith, remember that no one is perfect, and we all stumble in many things, especially with our words. The unique thing about words is that you can’t take them back. Once you say them, they are gone forever. When you speak to your mountain, be careful to speak with words of faith.
If you’ve got an aching back, don’t say things like, “It is what it is,” and “This old back is killing me.” If you call things as they are, then what you see is what you will get. In the end, your back will probably kill you. Rather than speak negative words to an already bad situation, speak words of faith. Instead of speaking down to your back, receive healing. Speak blessing to your back by saying, “Father, thank You for sending Your Son to deliver me from this awful pack pain. He was wounded for my transgression; He was bruised for my iniquities, and by His stripes, I am healed.”
Maintain a Good Testimony Throughout the Battle
It is easy to start name-calling and finger-pointing when you are in a fight. But be reminded that God calls the good fight of faith a good fight. Throughout the fight, God expects you to maintain a good testimony. Avoid engaging in religious debates; they often lead to strife and division. When the archangel Michael argued with the devil about Moses’s body, he was neither abusive nor insulting. He told the devil, “The Lord rebuke you!”
Spiritual Warfare: Seven Spiritual Weapons to Help You Win the Fight. The life of the believer revolves around faith. When we fight the good fight of faith, we must emphasize faith. In this spiritual warfare, God gives us victory through faith in the blood of Jesus Christ and the testimony of our words.
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.
Revelation 12:11
Remember: The Battle is the Lord’s
In 2 Chronicles chapter 20, Jehoshaphat, the King of Judah, faced certain destruction when the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir came against Judah in the Wilderness of Tekoa. Jehoshaphat was outnumbered and afraid. But he did not give in to fear. Instead, Jehoshaphat set his mind on seeking God. He proclaimed a fast throughout all of Judah, and the people gathered to ask for help from the Lord. Jehoshaphat prayed that God would judge their enemies. He reminded God that they were powerless against such a great multitude and admitted that he did not know what to do.
During the assembly, the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel. He prophesied, “Thus says the Lord to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord.” (2 Chronicles 20:15, 17).
The Fight is Spiritual
When Jehosaphat heard this, he, all of Judah, and the inhabitants bowed before the Lord and began worshiping him. Early the following day, as Judah went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa to stand before their enemies, the Lord set ambushes against Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir so that they turned against each other and destroyed one another.
Perhaps your faith has been attacked, and the odds are stacked against you. Friend, don’t give in to fear, don’t stop fighting, because giving up is not an option. To stop fighting the good fight of faith is to stop believing in God. The Bible says that we should stand when we have done all we can. If you love God, trust God. Receive the prophecy spoken by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of Jahaziel, “Thus says the Lord to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of your great dilemma, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. You will not need to fight in this battle.
