"Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called..."
- 1 Timothy 6:12
One of my favorite chapters in the Bible is Romans chapter eight. I can't count the hours I have spent reveling over the great truths it holds for each of us as believers. My heart continues to be stirred as I read and meditate over all the encouragement and consolation found in this great passage. That's what I so love about the Word of God. It never gets old. It never loses its thrill!
Paul tells us in this chapter what it is that we must do in order to hold to life. He also discussed what can happen if we don't. He speaks of it in terms that we all can easily understand. He said: "To be carnally minded is death: but to be spiritually minded is life and peace" (Rom. 8:6). Again, in just a few verses down, he adds: "For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live" (Rom. 8:13).
Here are two words that define our existence: death and life. Ephesians chapter two tells us: "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins" (Eph. 2:1). We know that we were dead, but Christ came and gave us life. Now that we are in him, we have to choose to live by the dictates of this life in order to avoid any displacement or feeling of estrangement to the things of God.
There are many things that seek to pull upon our flesh. Paul even talked about a war that goes on within our mind (Rom. 7:23). James spoke of various lusts that war within our members (Jam. 4:1). The fact that we are carriers of life bound within a body that is still unredeemed means we can easily slip out of a spiritual mind into a carnal mind. That's why Paul told us: "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God" (Rom. 8:14). The Greek word for "sons" is HUIOS. Literally, this means grown up sons; those who have chosen to follow the leading of the Holy Ghost into a life that is spiritual and whose aim is to live a life of honor and dignity. In fact, one definition actually says HUIOS is sometimes used metaphorically concerning prominent moral characteristics or conduct that gives evidence of the dignity in one's relationship with God and its likeness to his character. In other words, HUIOS is identifying those who have built a standard or boundary in their life that seeks out the ways of the Spirit and what is spiritual.
Here is an important fact: Everything we know about the New Covenant is geared toward a spiritual awakening. We were dead, but Christ came and woke us up in our spirit. That is why he told the Ephesians, "Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light" (Eph. 5:14). Now that we are awake, we are to seek out the light of our redemption so that we can fully understand how to live according to the dictates of this life. The very fact that the Holy Spirit has been sent to be our Helper clearly points toward this end. It is as a result of the sacred work wrought between our spirit and the Holy Spirit that enables us to live as spiritual.
Paul told Timothy, "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life..." (1 Tim. 6:12). If living this life was easy then there wouldn't be any contest. The fact that we are to fight the good fight of faith and lay hold or seize this life means there are things that oppose it and are constantly at work to try and hinder us from walking in it.
One of the great truths concerning the life of God is that it is an ascendant life. As you purpose to live by the dictates of this life you will begin to ascend upward toward your heavenly calling. Spiritual things will become more real to you. You will arrive at a much greater revelation concerning all of the plots and schemes that the enemy is seeking to war against you with, and you will learn how to not only take back territory that he once held captive, but you will grow up spiritually to where you know how to maintain that territory and occupy it until Jesus returns.*
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