The Good Fight
Pastor Ben Diaz
“Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses.”
1 Timothy 6:12
Pastor Ben reminded us that “a good fight is kind you win.” And the good news is—the fight is already rigged in our favor. Jesus has assured us of victory, but the Lord still calls us to stay engaged in the fight.
Too often, people think of “the fight” as the daily grind of their jobs, pushing toward the dream of one day retiring with a nice savings account and a life of ease. But Pastor pointed out that when people retire without purpose, just to relax and do nothing, they decline quickly. We weren’t created for idleness—we were created for purpose.
If you feel worn out or burned out, chances are you’re not taking God’s prescribed rest. His Word teaches us to pause: one day each week for Sabbath, and regular times of vacation throughout the year. We’re called to stay in the fight, not in our own strength, but in God’s strength—armed with His Word and His spiritual weapons.
There’s a real danger in getting too comfortable, chasing a life of ease and luxury. Working just to create security for ourselves while ignoring the bigger picture can lull us into disengagement. Even when your bills are paid and your mortgage is covered, you’re still called to fight. Fight to win the lost, see prodigals return home, stand for marriages and families, and restore God’s values in our society.
Pastor warned us with the example of King David. At a time when he should have been leading his men in battle, he stayed home. His idleness opened the door to temptation and led to sin with Bathsheba. The same is true for us—when we step back from the fight, we become vulnerable.
But tension has a purpose. Pastor compared it to the strings on a guitar: without tension, there’s no music. The same is true in our lives—tension is what helps us fulfill our calling.
Revelation 3:15-16 says, “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!” Pastor explained: hot and cold both transform, but lukewarm only conforms. We’re called to stay hot, passionate, and engaged in the fight.
What are you believing for? Where are you fighting to take back territory from the enemy and advance God’s kingdom?
Pastor shared that in Israel, it’s not unusual to see someone carrying groceries in one hand and a rifle in the other—they live ready for battle. The same picture is found in Nehemiah 4:17-18: “The laborers carried on their work with one hand supporting their load and one hand holding a weapon. All the builders had a sword belted to their side.”
That’s how we’re called to live—working, building, and providing for our families while never laying down our spiritual weapons. We fight every day. And if we step out of the fight, the enemy won’t leave us alone—he’ll bring the fight to our doorstep.
So stay engaged. Stay in the fight. Be a threat to the enemy. Remember: you can retire when you get to heaven!
As Pastor Ben closed, he invited us to pray: Holy Spirit, show me how to get back in the fight. Teach me how to stay engaged through every season of life, to keep the tension, and to never grow lukewarm.
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