The Good Fight of Faith

Among my favorite motion pictures are the “Rocky” franchise starring Sylvester Stallone. One thing often shown in those movies is the boxer running up stone steps toward the east entrance of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. A bronze Rocky statue now sits just beyond the first set of steps. When I went to Philadelphia last Tuesday, I climbed the steps and had my picture taken next to the statue. 

An hour before after arriving at the train station, I prayed with a man who mentioned being part of a boxing club. Then I thought of 1 Timothy 6:12, which tells us to “Fight the good fight of faith.” To live for Christ is an ongoing battle. I once heard Jerry Savelle compare our spiritual walk to paddling a canoe upstream. The world will always try pushing people away from the things of God. 


1 Timothy 6:12 goes on to say, “…lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” The New Living Translation says to “hold tightly” to eternal life. A Christian who is passive with their spiritual life could backslide and even fall away from the Lord. That’s why we must always be on the offensive.


So how does one fight the good fight of faith? By declaring Scripture. That’s why God gave us “…the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (Ephesians 6:17). If there’s a good fight of faith, then there must be a bad fight of faith. Constantly talking about your problem opens doors to the enemy. As Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”


So whether your challenge is financial, relational, or health related, don’t let your guard down. Keep fighting the good fight of faith by declaring the promises of God over your situation. You will be victorious in the end.


“Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” - Romans 8:37

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