Fighting is: To oppose or struggle against the enemy in battle, for a legitimate, specific reason; with justification. “Beloved, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to CONTEND EARNESTLY (epagōnizomai: to strive or fight intensely in conflict against) FOR THE FAITH which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have CREPT IN UNNOTICED, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and DENY the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Jude 1:3-4)
The persecution of Christians in parts of the world is at near “genocide” levels, according to a report ordered by Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt. “In some regions, the level and nature of persecution is arguably coming close to meeting the international definition of genocide. Evidence shows not only the geographic spread of anti-Christian persecution, but also its increasing severity,” the Bishop of Truro the Right Reverend Philip Mounstephen.
How does the Lord want us to respond in this battle? “Now the Philistines gathered their armies to battle…Goliath, a Philistine champion, came out to face the forces of Israel. He was 91\2 feet tall! He wore a bronze helmet, bronze coat of 125 pounds. “You are the servants of Saul. Choose one man to come down here and FIGHT ME!” (1 Sam. 17:1, 4-8) David heard this and was very upset, “Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when David spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger was aroused against David, and he said, “Why did you come down here? And David said, “What have I done now? IS THERE NOT A CAUSE?” (1 Sam. 17:28-29) As we know David was put there by God to take care of this enemy of Israel so, he picked up 5 stones, put one in his sling and ran down, in the name of the Lord, and sank that stone between Goliath’s eyes!
Today, “…though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not CARNAL (fleshly) but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds…” (Phil. 4:8) The way we pull down those strongholds against our minds is by “…casting down arguments (our battleground is in our mind so we have to replace the devil thoughts in our minds with GOD’S WORD) and every high thing (every lofty thought that Satan tries to confuse us with) that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing EVERY THOUGHT into captivity to the obedience of Christ…” (2 Corin. 10:3-5)
“Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and WORTHY OF PRAISE.” (Phil. 4:8)
-Bill Stockham