Scripture:
I Timothy 6:7-16 NKJV
[7] For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. [8] And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. [9] But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. [10] For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
[11] But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. [12] Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. [13] I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, [14] that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing, [15] which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, [16] who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.
Observation:
Paul took young Timothy under his wing. He saw something in the young man. That’s pretty clear because he mentioned it in his letters to him as he mentored him. Shaping him and molding him to be an evangelistic kind of pastor. As he wrote these letters to Timothy, he gave several warnings. Things to look out for, because they would be a hindrance to what the LORD was doing, and being young, Timothy needed to know what it was really all about. When I started looking at this scripture. I started thinking about what causes the downfall of a lot of churches, pastors, and quite frankly just men in general. In my Bible these two portions of scripture are separated by subheadings so I have places a space in between them for that indication. The first portion of what has been shared this morning is definitely a warning for Timothy. Paul is calling Timothy to be content. Backing up to verse 6we can see that Paul is teaching the young pastor the same things he taught the church in Philippi. To be content in all there circumstances. If we go to one of the most commonly misunderstood verses in the bible Philippines chapter 4 and verse 13 and look at the entire context of what’s being said, starting in verse 10 and continuing through verse 13 we find that Paul’s teachings don’t change. He is encouraging Timothy away from the love of money. Teaching him to be content. Knowing that GOD will supply ALL his needs. Let’s look at verse 9 real quick. The kinds of things that a love for money bring into the heart of man don’t seem to be much good for what GOD has in mind for the church. They are things that, “drown men in destruction and perdition.” As he moves forward with what he is bringing out. Paul talks about the “LOVE” of money, and how its, “the root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed away from the faith in greediness.” Its easy to see that Jesus talked about how it is an enemy of faith as well, and over the years, watching TV pastor after TV pastor fall due to some kind of scandal surrounded by money. We can see how the enemy uses it to get people off track. But let’s look really fast at what we are really fighting for. In verse 11 Paul starts to really pour into Timothy saying, “But you O man of GOD, do you see how he is building up HIS faith in that statement. He wants Timothy to know how he is seen. He us a man of GOD. Therefore the instructions that follow have an impact. “Flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” That’s the fight Timothy is looking at. A fight that is driven by faith. Not driven by building a bank account, or some kind of kingdom here on earth which will all rust or be burned up. I could honestly run so deep with this SOAP. Looking at what James says in his letter when he refers to the poor man being rich in faith. And the rich man who is sorrowful. Let’s take a look at what faith is. The letter to the Hebrews has a definition for us. Chapter 11 and verse 1 says,” Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. In other words faith is believing what you can’t physically see. Now if you have a large bank account, and that is where your focus is. You can see all kinds of possibilities. That money can do all kinds of things. But it can not do what faith does. The fight of faith requires that you trust GOD will do what HE says HE will do, even if you can’t physically see it. What Paul is teaching Timothy is that by his confession of faith. He has said that he will trust GOD over any kind of bank account or what things look like. He is telling Timothy it will be a fight, and sometimes things will look like its just not going to work out. But trust what GOD has said. As we look at the remaining verses I’m pretty sure that’s what everyone can take from it. Trusting that what has been said is what will happen.
Application:
Im going to tell you from experience. Faith is hard sometimes. Because it goes against everything you can physically see. In fact it can even look like you are failing. But GOD knows exactly what HE is doing, and HE has called you to fight the things you see with the things you can’t see. Paul tells us, “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty in pulling down strongholds, casting down every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of GOD, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” That’s the fight we fight. Trusting GOD over everything else. You know when I think about this it always brings me to either the red sea or the walls of Jericho. Both of these situations looked impossible. The children of Israel had to trust GOD over what it looked like. Step up and raise your staff…. or march around the city for 7 day’s. How is this going to do anything. But they trusted GOD over what it looked like, and the victory that had already been won was revealed in real time. But how does that work out in our lives. I don’t know about you but I seem to face a lot of situations where only my faith in the LORD can get me through it, and I have to trust that what HE said is what’s going to happen. But in order to fight this fight that we are in we have to know what the LORD say’s. Paul gives us the tools needed for the battle in Ephesians chapter 6. The very first piece listed in the armor is the very thing Jesus used when coming out of a 40 day fast tired and in a weaken state HE knew the truth. HE knew what GOD had said. Listen I know its hard. I know this because I am standing in faith right now. Its the slow time of the year and I don’t have the work needed to keep things going. But the LORD told me HE will supply “ALL” my needs according to HIS riches and glory. HE told me that if i seek HIS kingdom and righteousness first. I will have nothing to worry about. The enemy wants you to doubt what GOD has said. He will do everything in HIS power to keep you from living by faith in GOD’S word. That’s the fight. That’s the war we face. Will you trust what GOD said over what it looks like. As Peter swung his legs over the edge of the boat, he had to trust one word…. come. That’s it that’s all he had to stand on. But it was a word worthy of placing his weight on. It was a word spoken by the savior of the world. A word worthy of taking to battle. This brings me to my question today. Will you fight the good fight? Will you stand in faith? Do you know what GOD has said about what you are facing? Are you going to believe what HE said or what it looks like? Fight with me. Lock your shield of faith to mine and let’s stand in prayer together. The bible says where two or more agree, it will be done. So let’s agree fir each other. Fighting together instead of against one another.
Prayer:
Father, you know the fight we face. You see it. As you stand there outside of time. You see the beginning, middle, and and of our lives. We want to run this race in a manner that brings you glory. What we want to say right now is thank you for the faith that you have given us. We know that it comes from you. In fact all good things come from you. This battle that we face this fight of faith, standing here in victory even though it may at the moment look like its over. We know that you do your best work when things look impossible. That’s when you show up and show out. You have done it time and time again. So we have cone to expect you to do exactly what your word says. You tell us to trust you, and we do. We know that you will never let’s us down. You will not have your children begging for bread, and we belong to you. We have been adopted in to your family through the blood of your son. We are your inheritance and HE is ours. Father as we trust you to do what your word says. We trust that you will not withhold any good thing from us. Help us to walk in a manner worthy of which we are called. Its in the mighty name of your son Jesus the king of kings and LORD of LORDS we pray amen.