FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT
2 Timothy 4:7
"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."
This passage is quoted quite often and used in sermons and writing all the time... It is very significant in that it is the last letter that we have from the apostle Paul before he was martyred.
I have a friend that several years ago brought his dad to hunt with us for a week. His dad's name was John. John was not an old man, probably 65. But he had just been diagnosed with Alzheimer's. John and his son wanted to spend as much quality time together as possible at this point in John's life and with what he was facing.
Back in Paul's letter to Timothy he used the word, "fought", the Greek word, agonizomai, translated "fought," means literally "to engage in conflict."
John, fought for the Lord for much of his life. He engaged satan and this world for many years in overseas missions. And after years there he decided to come home to spend his remaining years with his kids and grandkids... it was then rhat he got the news from the doctors of the Alzheimer's... Why?
No one can answer why these things happen, but we know that we live in a sinful world and sin brought death and destruction to this world. We do know that John loves the Lord and Romans 8:28 tells us that, "we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." John loved the Lord and had lived out his calling to serve Him.
So as we come to places in our life like John is facing... We can be assured that God still/has control. He knows the beginning and the end and has a plan. We are asked to continue to "fight a good fight"
In 1st Timothy 6:12 Paul wrote this to young Timothy...
"Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses."
No mater what we face today or tomorrow, continue to fight the good fight that God has called us to. We don't know what tomorrow brings... But we know who brings tomorrow and the fight we fight for the sake of Christ is never, EVER in vain.
John had gone to be with the Lord and I'm sure, after fighting the good fight, he heard his savior say, "Well done, good and faithful servant".
Fight the good fight
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