Fight the Good Fight of Faith, English Edition

 • Fight the Good Fight of Faith: Playing Your Part in God’s Unfolding Drama

Jesus on the Cross, welcomed as members of a new government, boasting a new authority and Kingdom of God’s dear Son (Col. 1.13). This great victory is ours, but we must learn how to resist our enemy, to join the good fight, and struggle as combatants in this war. Think of the areas where you have been called to represent Christus Victor (a title given to Jesus which means “to Christ be the victory”) – in your family, among your friends, in your neighborhood, on your job, and with those whom you encounter. You are now a soldier of Christ (2 Tim. 2.1-8), and called to stand your ground in the face of our enemy’s constant attacks. One of the first things we must learn in this warfare is how to align our self-talk with the teaching of the Word of God. It is not the circumstances that we encounter but the thoughts we tell ourselves that shape and influence both what we feel and how we act. We must now learn to tell ourselves the truth about this great battle, about our identity, about Christ’s victory, and about the resources the Lord has given us to help us gain the victory. Since the thoughts we tell ourselves (those things we believe) determine how we behave, we must learn brand new habits of speaking to ourselves. We must learn to agree with God, affirming Jesus’ victory over the power of evil, and believing that when we submit to God and resist the devil’s lies, the devil will flee. Start right now (today), to ask the Holy Spirit to make you aware of the lies you have been believing. Determine to interpret your life based on the truth of the Word of God and your victory in Christ, not by how things look or how you feel. Learning new habits of thought will take time, so be patient. The more you affirm the truth and claim the victory that is yours in Jesus, the stronger you will get, making you more effective in spiritual battle. Begin today, asking God to grant you strength as you form new attitudes, new habits, and new patterns of thinking. As you do, you will live into the victory Jesus has won for you, prevent discouragement and emotional upset, and grow up into maturity in your Christian life.

I have an enemy that attempts to discourage me from my kingdom work, so I will not be surprised when trials come.

Affirmation

Anselm of Canterbury (1033 – 1109), was born in France and was later a Church leader in England. He is called the “founder of scholasticism” because of his influence in theology. He is famous as the originator of the “ontological argument” (explaining the existence of God).

Prayer