Fight of Faith
The Bible tells us many times “the just shall live by faith”. Everyone that has
received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior has been justified. Faith is believing
the Word of God and acting upon it. We have all been given “the measure of faith”
(Romans 12:3). The Bible list many different levels of faith, from no faith (Mark 4:
40), little faith (Matthew 6:30), up to great faith (Matthew 8:10).
Since faith comes by hearing the word of God, we must disciple ourselves to hear
the word of God, and knowing that any thought that tells you not to hear and study
the word of God did not come from God and should be cast down. Jesus said “if
you abide in Me and My word abides in you, you shall ask what you will and it shall
be done unto you” (John 15:7).
James warns us in James 1:22-25) “but be you doers of the word and not hearers
only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a
doer; he is like to a man beholding his natural face in a glass. For he beholds
himself, and goes his way and immediately forgets what manner of man he was.
But whoso looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues therein, he being not
a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the word, this man shall be blessed in his deed”.
Going to church and bible studies should be our desire, because we get to hear
the word of God. Hebrews 10:25 warns us “not to forsake the assembling of
ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another and so
much the more, as you see the day approaching”. Remember that “faith comes by
hearing and hearing the word of God” (Romans 10:17). It is up to us to develop
our faith.
Jesus commended many by saying “your faith has made you well” (Mark 5:34) He
told the woman with the issue of blood “and He said to her, daughter you faith has
made you whole, go in peace and be whole of your plague”. The blind man who
cried out “Son of David have mercy on me” then when he was called by Jesus he
cast away his garment and came to Jesus (Mark 10:52) “and Jesus said to him, go
your way, your faith has made you whole. And immediately he received his sight
and followed Jesus in the way”. And then the one leper out of the ten who returned
to give glory to God (Luke 17:17-19) “and Jesus said, were there not ten
cleansed? But where are the nine? There are not found tat returned to give glory
to God, save this stranger. And He said to him, arise go your way, your faith has
made you whole”.
As Jesus tells the parable of the sower (Luke 8:5-8) “a sower went out to sow his
seed, and as he sowed, some fell by the wayside and it was trodden down, and the
fowls of the air devoured it. and some fell upon a rock, and as soon as it sprang
up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. And some fell among thorns, and
the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it. And other fell on good ground, and
bare fruit, a hundred fold. And when He had said these things He cried, he that
has ears to hear, let him hear”. After His disciples asked Him what this parable
meant? He explains this parable (verses 11-15) “now the parable is this, the seed
is the word of God. Those by the wayside are they that hear, then comes the devil,
and takes away the word out of their hearts, less they should believe and be
saved. Those on the rock are they which when they hear, receive the word with joy
and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of trouble fall away.
And that which fell among thorns are they which, when they have heard go forth,
and are choked with cares and riches and pleasure of this life, and bring no fruit to
perfection. But that on the good ground are they which in an honest and good
heart, having heard the word, keep it and bring forth fruit with patience”.
Notice that the sower sowed seed and the results were because of the (heart)
ground the seed was sown in. Good ground is a heart full of faith. The keys to
having a heart full of faith is as the parable shows, getting understanding of the
word you hear. Then getting rooted in the word, meditating on that word until you
believe it, and weeding out the doubt from your ground.
God’s promises speaks to us in the past tense, it’s already ours. Jesus said on the
cross “it is finished” (John 19:30). Jesus executed the legal side, we have to take
our authority that was given to us, and enforce it. The Bible says “let the
redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the
enemy” (Psalms 107:2). We enforce our rights, by declaring them ours. Our job is
to believe in what God has done, and know what is already ours (II Chronicles 20:
15) says “the battle is not yours, but God’s”.
Jesus died and paid the price in full for our redemption (II Corinthians 5:17-21)
“therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things are passed
away, behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who has
reconciled us to Himself, by Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of
reconciliation. To say that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, not
imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of
reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did
beseech you by us we pray you in Christ’s stead be you reconciled to God. For He
has made Him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the
righteousness of God in Him”; we have to understand what that means. Reconciled
means restored back to our original state, just like Adam was before the fall. We
have been made justified, which means, just as if we never sinned. We have to
see ourselves like that because that’s the way God sees us.
Jesus defeated the devil and stripped him of his power (Colossians 2:15) says “and
having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a show of them openly,
triumphing over them in it”. In fact, Jesus gave us power (Luke 10:19) says
“behold, I give to you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the
power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you”.
Paul is a good example; he tells Timothy in I Timothy 6:11-12 “but you, O man of
God, flee these things, (the things of the world) and follow after righteousness,
godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on
eternal life, whereto you are also called, and have professed a good profession
before many witnesses”. And in II Timothy 4:5-7 “but watch you in all things,
endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of your ministry.
For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have
fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith”.
Don’t be like Adam and Eve and let the devil bluff you to think that he has any
power over your life. Remember that Peter warns us “be sober, be vigilant,
because you adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he
may devour. Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions
are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world”. James tells us to “submit
yourselves therefore to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near
to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners and purify
your hearts, you double minded” (James 4:7-8).
Let’s be like Paul and keep the faith.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: September 30, 2008
The Bible tells us many times “the just shall live by faith”. Everyone that has
received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior has been justified. Faith is believing
the Word of God and acting upon it. We have all been given “the measure of faith”
(Romans 12:3). The Bible list many different levels of faith, from no faith (Mark 4:
40), little faith (Matthew 6:30), up to great faith (Matthew 8:10).
Since faith comes by hearing the word of God, we must disciple ourselves to hear
the word of God, and knowing that any thought that tells you not to hear and study
the word of God did not come from God and should be cast down. Jesus said “if
you abide in Me and My word abides in you, you shall ask what you will and it shall
be done unto you” (John 15:7).
James warns us in James 1:22-25) “but be you doers of the word and not hearers
only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a
doer; he is like to a man beholding his natural face in a glass. For he beholds
himself, and goes his way and immediately forgets what manner of man he was.
But whoso looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues therein, he being not
a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the word, this man shall be blessed in his deed”.
Going to church and bible studies should be our desire, because we get to hear
the word of God. Hebrews 10:25 warns us “not to forsake the assembling of
ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another and so
much the more, as you see the day approaching”. Remember that “faith comes by
hearing and hearing the word of God” (Romans 10:17). It is up to us to develop
our faith.
Jesus commended many by saying “your faith has made you well” (Mark 5:34) He
told the woman with the issue of blood “and He said to her, daughter you faith has
made you whole, go in peace and be whole of your plague”. The blind man who
cried out “Son of David have mercy on me” then when he was called by Jesus he
cast away his garment and came to Jesus (Mark 10:52) “and Jesus said to him, go
your way, your faith has made you whole. And immediately he received his sight
and followed Jesus in the way”. And then the one leper out of the ten who returned
to give glory to God (Luke 17:17-19) “and Jesus said, were there not ten
cleansed? But where are the nine? There are not found tat returned to give glory
to God, save this stranger. And He said to him, arise go your way, your faith has
made you whole”.
As Jesus tells the parable of the sower (Luke 8:5-8) “a sower went out to sow his
seed, and as he sowed, some fell by the wayside and it was trodden down, and the
fowls of the air devoured it. and some fell upon a rock, and as soon as it sprang
up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. And some fell among thorns, and
the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it. And other fell on good ground, and
bare fruit, a hundred fold. And when He had said these things He cried, he that
has ears to hear, let him hear”. After His disciples asked Him what this parable
meant? He explains this parable (verses 11-15) “now the parable is this, the seed
is the word of God. Those by the wayside are they that hear, then comes the devil,
and takes away the word out of their hearts, less they should believe and be
saved. Those on the rock are they which when they hear, receive the word with joy
and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of trouble fall away.
And that which fell among thorns are they which, when they have heard go forth,
and are choked with cares and riches and pleasure of this life, and bring no fruit to
perfection. But that on the good ground are they which in an honest and good
heart, having heard the word, keep it and bring forth fruit with patience”.
Notice that the sower sowed seed and the results were because of the (heart)
ground the seed was sown in. Good ground is a heart full of faith. The keys to
having a heart full of faith is as the parable shows, getting understanding of the
word you hear. Then getting rooted in the word, meditating on that word until you
believe it, and weeding out the doubt from your ground.
God’s promises speaks to us in the past tense, it’s already ours. Jesus said on the
cross “it is finished” (John 19:30). Jesus executed the legal side, we have to take
our authority that was given to us, and enforce it. The Bible says “let the
redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the
enemy” (Psalms 107:2). We enforce our rights, by declaring them ours. Our job is
to believe in what God has done, and know what is already ours (II Chronicles 20:
15) says “the battle is not yours, but God’s”.
Jesus died and paid the price in full for our redemption (II Corinthians 5:17-21)
“therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things are passed
away, behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who has
reconciled us to Himself, by Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of
reconciliation. To say that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, not
imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of
reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did
beseech you by us we pray you in Christ’s stead be you reconciled to God. For He
has made Him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the
righteousness of God in Him”; we have to understand what that means. Reconciled
means restored back to our original state, just like Adam was before the fall. We
have been made justified, which means, just as if we never sinned. We have to
see ourselves like that because that’s the way God sees us.
Jesus defeated the devil and stripped him of his power (Colossians 2:15) says “and
having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a show of them openly,
triumphing over them in it”. In fact, Jesus gave us power (Luke 10:19) says
“behold, I give to you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the
power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you”.
Paul is a good example; he tells Timothy in I Timothy 6:11-12 “but you, O man of
God, flee these things, (the things of the world) and follow after righteousness,
godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on
eternal life, whereto you are also called, and have professed a good profession
before many witnesses”. And in II Timothy 4:5-7 “but watch you in all things,
endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of your ministry.
For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have
fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith”.
Don’t be like Adam and Eve and let the devil bluff you to think that he has any
power over your life. Remember that Peter warns us “be sober, be vigilant,
because you adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he
may devour. Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions
are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world”. James tells us to “submit
yourselves therefore to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near
to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners and purify
your hearts, you double minded” (James 4:7-8).
Let’s be like Paul and keep the faith.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: September 30, 2008
