 Today we're in 1st Timothy chapter 6. We're going to look today at verses 11 and 12 as we continue going through our study here in 1st Timothy. So let's begin reading together at verse 11. 1st Timothy chapter 6 verse 11 and we'll read verses 11 and 12 and we'll get into our study today. So beginning at verse 11 1st Timothy chapter 6 Paul writes But you oh man of God Flee these things and pursue righteousness Godliness faith love patience gentleness Fight the good fight of faith layhold on eternal life To which you are also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many Witnesses. So Paul has been instructing Timothy as we've been going through 1st Timothy We know that Paul has been instructing Timothy concerning a variety of things and in this chapter he's been sharing with Timothy concerning false teachers and He actually in verses four and five had begun to outline some of the characteristics of false teachers who were entering into the Church and were influencing it and he said there are certain traits that you can identify them by He said they are proud. They're unwilling to receive good teaching. They have no knowledge of truth He said they're argumentative Filled with envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions He said they think that godliness is something that they can financially profit from So he's been speaking concerning these things and so one he's saying these are the the Various traits the visible traits of false teachers, but in contrast Timothy You're to do something different and that's what he's saying in verse 11 when he says You oh man of God flee these things Flee the things that he's been speaking about and do something different. He says pursue righteousness So in contrast Timothy is to flee these things and he's to pursue righteousness because Timothy in Contrast of false teachers is a man of God. So notice how he said that he said you oh man of God Man of God. What does that speak about? Well a man of God is one in God's service a man of God is somebody who represents God and speaks in the name of the Lord in The Old Testament when you read that term man of God the title man of God speaks of a person who's entrusted with a high office You see man spoken of as men of God for example Psalm 90 is Referred to as a prayer of Moses the man of God King King David is referred to as David the man of God in second Chronicles 8 14 and Elijah in Second Kings 1 verse 9 is referred to as man of God and So in the Old Testament title man of God spoke of a person was entrusted with a high office in The New Testament every believer is recognized as holding a high office and anointed by the spirit and every genuine Christian could be regarded as a man or a woman of God you see that in 2nd Timothy 3 2016 and 17 where Paul says all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for Reprove for correction for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be perfect thoroughly furnished unto all good works And so in the New Testament when you're born again You're called into the service of the Lord when the Holy Spirit anoints you you are regarded as a woman or a man of God and should therefore live in such a way So God has placed Timothy in him in an important position Timothy is the pastor of the church And in that context Paul would refer to him as man of God He's reminding him when he refers to him that way in verse 11. You old man of God He's reminding him that It is his responsibility to serve the church properly and So as a man of God verse 11 notice that Timothy is to flee some things in order to pursue other things now He's to flee from the things that Paul mentioned in verses 4 and 5 once again. He used to flee pride disputations arguments over words envy strife reviling Evil suspicions useless wranglings and the greedy manipulation of people's religious faith for personal financial gain You see Paul's constant Admonition is for believers to make the practice of fleeing from sin Instead of being attracted to it They're to flee it and they're not to give any room for a temptation To failure you see a godly person realizes that there are some things that should be avoided at all costs There are certain sins that Paul actually names and says where to flee from when you read your scriptures For example in 1st Corinthians chapter 6 verse 18 Paul said flee fornication Every sin that a man does is outside the body But he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body in 1st Corinthians 10 14 He writes my dearly beloved flee from idolatry and in 2nd Timothy 2 verse 22 flee also youthful loss So you flee fornication flee idolatry flee youthful loss He's saying these are the things that you're to flee the man of God is a flee the things that are associated with a variety of things especially and Including he is to flee from the things that are associated with greed again Remember the false teacher manipulates people in order to financially gain from them and when you read the Bible You see that that's true in both the old and the New Testament There are people who profited off of the people in the name of God You see an Old Testament man by the name of Balaam who did just that in the New Testament You see someone like Judas or a man by the name of Demas who Demas the scripture says loving this present world has left He walked away from the faith because he loved the things that he could get from this present world So you have people in the old as well as the New Testament who are models of people who are greedy and pursuing the wrong things But on the other hand you have a man in the scriptures and many of them really But you have one man for example, Paul who's an example of a genuine servant of God He could speak of himself in this way in Acts 20 verses 30 33 through 35. This is what Paul could say He said I have coveted no one silver or gold or clothes You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my own needs and to the men who were with me in Everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner You must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus that he himself said it is more blessed to give than to Receive so flee these things and follow after something else Remember in verses 9 and 10 Help how Paul said those who desired to be rich fall into temptation and a snare into many foolish and harmful lusts Which drowned men in destruction and perdition? He went on to say for the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil For which some have strayed from the faith and their greeting is pierced themselves through with many sorrows And then he moves on and says but you in contrast to the falls But you oh man of God flee these things and pursue righteousness godliness faith love Patience and gentleness and so he used to flee certain things and pursue other things Paul is saying listen, you're a pastor as a pastor. You pursue certain things Now the word pursue means to seek after something eagerly to earnestly endeavor to acquire something and Paul lists six Christian virtues for him to pursue. It's not temporary by the way. It's something for him to pursue over a lifetime What is it that you're to pursue? righteousness godliness faith love patience and gentleness and so he begins with and we'll look at these individually he begins with pursuing righteousness now righteousness simply means doing what is right in the sight of God and man. That's righteousness You're doing what is right? Now righteousness speaks of an outward holiness that is recognizable as an evidence of salvation righteousness results from a love for the Lord and an obedient heart it results When we yield ourselves to the Lord again, it is an outward holiness that is making you recognizable as a follower of Jesus Christ a while back Marie and I my wife and I were at a restaurant in the area and I was seated with her and a couple tables away There were several people several women and a man seated maybe two three tables away the restaurant was relatively Empty at that time and so I could hear them. They're talking and Talking loud talking loudly and the the man was was drinking, you know at lunch He was drinking and sometimes when people drink and the more they drink the louder they get it's like they go deaf And they have to talk loudly so he was drinking till he got real deaf and as he was speaking he started using a lot of profanity and And And I'm one of these husbands that that I don't like my wife being around it if anybody's gonna cuss at her It's gonna be me. No, I I Just don't like that. I just it's just not proper and so she didn't notice it You know, but I did and I could hear him And he just keeps going on and on a little more to drink a little more profanity and it's real loud and He's using some real bad words But my wife's not aware of it, but I am and I'm getting uncomfortable. So I begin to think Maybe I should go over there and tell him it's improper the way you're speaking But at the same time I'm thinking what if he jumps up and hits me So, you know, I think So I tell Marie could you go tell no? He's offending my sensitive ears. No, I So I I know I'm watching my wife. She's not responding. She doesn't hear him. I don't know why we'd continue our conversation But I can still hear this guy Until he says this He says I don't want to go out with anybody right now because I'm born again I'm a born-again Christian and I cannot Date someone because if they don't know Jesus will be unequally yoked and I'm looking at him and I'm thinking my goodness See the Bible says the word to pursue this this this outward Demonstration that you actually know the Lord you're to flee certain things and pursue righteousness That is right action before man It's right action before God It means that your life is is a living proof of your faith. That's what it means It's not enough for me to say I believe certain things in other words The things that I believe will be evident by the way I live So naturally as a pastor Paul is speaking to Timothy and he's saying to him in essence listen You flee these things flee these things that I just Spoke to you about and pursue these other things and the first thing on this particular list Timothy that I want you to To pursue is pursue righteousness Pursue a life that has an outward evidence that you have a relationship with me Again, it's it's something that results as we yield ourselves to the Lord in Romans chapter 6 verse 13 It says do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead and Your members as instruments of righteousness to God yield yourselves in other words You don't present yourself as an instrument of unrighteousness, but you yield yourself to God Alive from the dead that you might live as an instrument of righteousness You see evil is to be overcome and it is overcome by good in Romans 12 21 do not be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good so somebody said the man of God tosses away covetous desires and presses after righteousness, so he says pursue righteousness then he says The man of God is to pursue godliness Now godliness is an inward kind of work. It it speaks of the devoted life It speaks of a person's attitudes as well as their motives It speaks of reverence for God The kind of reverence that flows out of a devoted worship filled heart The man of God is to pursue godliness and again notice that Paul makes it clear. It's to be pursued Godliness does not simply happen automatically. It's the result of spiritual discipline It's something that you're pursuing. It's something that you discipline yourselves towards We already saw that in chapter 1 and rather chapter 4 here in 1st Timothy in verses 7 and 8 Where Paul had said reject profane and old wives fables and exercise yourself toward godliness For bodily exercise profits a little but godliness is profitable for all things having promise of the life that now is and Of that which is to come godliness godliness is a sincere devotion to God Our affections are given to him. Our way of life is motivated by him Godliness is the result of a heart that longs for the Lord. It's it's a heart that wakes up saying I just want to be closer to the Lord. Now by the way, that's not That's not a an unusual life in the way that some think of Christianity today They think well, there's certain people that have that kind of life and there are others that just yeah It's not that important to them. No, this is something that is supposed to be true for all of us. That's how you got saved That's how you got saved in the first place of your believer today Is that you had a hunger for something deeper than what you have and that's what motivates you for a lifetime In Psalm 42 verse 1 the psalmist said as the dear pants for the waterbrooks So pants my soul for you. Oh God There's a hunger and a thirst within me. And so he says pursue these things pursue righteousness he said pursue godliness that speaks of your spiritual discipline and then third he says pursue faith Faith is a confident trust in God for everything Faith speaks of a life of faith revealed in every aspect of the way that you live Faith is living. It's a vital relationship to God through Jesus Christ's word and by the Holy Spirit The faith is something that you determine to hold fast to when everything in this world is trying to Take your grip away from him faith is something you hold fast to it's something that you walk and it's something that you live in It's something that you grow in it is it is learning to put your trust in the Lord in Psalm 31 verse 1 It says in you, oh Lord, I put my trust. Let me never be ashamed deliver me in your righteousness in you Oh Lord, I put my trust in Luke 18 27 Jesus said the things which are impossible with men are possible with God And so what we learn is that God is the God of the possible I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me the Lord Jesus Christ is going to make Me more than victorious. I am going to be able to do those things that he's Commanded me to do why because he's given to me the power by the Holy Spirit and the instruction by his word He's given to me a family that encourages me There's a great great amount of people that are encourages to us to walk in the things of the Lord I can do it. So I pursue faith. I want to grow in my faith and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ I want to have a relationship with him that grows deeper and deeper to trust him for greater and greater things And so he says follow the Lord and pursue faith hold confidently to God for everything The enemy whispers in your ear and says to you it's impossible, but with God all things are possible The enemy whispers the amen there It's true It's it's true that he whispers and he says to you you can't do that You're not going to make it look at you look at what you've been look at how you are And you know what what I was is not what I am and what I am is not what I'll be My God is able and my God will work through me. My God will strengthen me My God will never leave me my God enables me my God is victorious. I am victorious in him What will the enemy do to me nothing? He cannot be victorious over me and you know that and you know that because the word of God teaches that God is with you. He doesn't leave you He will not forsake you and you can overcome through him and you pursue him over a lifetime He says pursue love As a minister Timothy you need to love Now this love that he speaks about is an unrestrained love for God. It's love for others. It's love for the lost Determine that you're going to love Someone once said love is not simply something you feel It is something that you do Love is the fruit of the spirit Love is what demonstrates that we are truly Christians By this shall all men know that you are my disciples if you have loved one for another He said that's the birthmark. That's the evidence. That's the clear evidence that you know The Lord is that your life has changed and you become someone who actually loves other people in 1st John chapter 4 verses 7 and 8 be loved Let us love one another for love is of God Everyone who loves is born of God and knows God he who does not love does not know God for God is love There are those who want to be ministers, but they don't love people. He's saying that's not how it works You love people because God loves people and it demonstrates you have relationship with him. It's interesting I read on Facebook and Facebook live right now we're on Facebook live you guys ought to be in church but anyway You'll read on people will write things on Facebook how that they were at a gas station and someone rudely pushed in front of them or they're out Christmas shopping in and somebody you cut in line and then they complain and It's a whining session and all and and I understand frustration by the way I understand that it's not like I don't get frustrated and all I do But we we post it. We want everybody to know how upset we are over certain things and all but I Honestly and constantly I have to ask myself one question. Why do I expect non-believers to act like believers? Why do I expect the world? to act like Christians I Get more concerned because a lot of times Christians act more like the world and so for me You know, I I'm not surprised when somebody is standing in line in front of me and then invites two or three other friends to get I'm not surprised by that I'm not surprised that you're trying to turn into a parking space and someone cuts in front of you like that I'm not surprised because they do that because people do that I'm not surprised when people steal your credit card and use it to buy Christmas gifts for other people I'm not surprised by that Because people do that and yet the church seems to get surprised when the world acts like the world The world actually gets surprised when Christians act like Christians And so we have to pursue these things because it's not easy It is not easy to love rude people. Is it? You know, it isn't your it's christmas. You'll be with them tonight and tomorrow I mean family gets together. We can be rude to one another. That's what we do and we do it well Why do we get surprised? So I actually have to pray and pursue love I have to pursue faith I have to pursue godliness. I have to pursue righteousness. I have to pursue that It's something i'm disciplined to and in pursuit of Because it isn't natural for me to have any of that And so love again is not simply you feel it's something that you do then he says pursue patience Hold fast to the lord Hold fast to jesus through every trial Hold fast to him through every disappointment Because patience is a very tangible evidence of a genuine faith In in psalm 40 verse 1 the psalmist said I waited patiently for the lord He inclined to me heard my cry God doesn't always answer my prayers the second that the words leave my mouth There are times that my prayers are they seem like they're just almost useless I keep praying and praying and praying and weeks and sometimes months and even years go by And you think lord, do you hear my cry and yet the psalmist makes it very clear I waited patiently for the lord and he inclined So you hold on it's an evidence that you trust the lord and god has a perfect timing Everything it's a steadfastness whatever the cost may be It's an unswerving and unwavering loyalty to jesus christ Psalm 57 verse 7 said my heart is steadfast. Oh god my heart is steadfast I will sing and give praise i'm holding fast and i'm not letting go i'm trusting you And your will will be done and that is something that you pursue and then you pursue gentleness The word gentleness speaks of meekness. It's a kindness of spirit It refers to the mild treatment of other people Now in context he had just been speaking about the false teachers who rip people off And teach them things to profit off of them So somebody said generally it is pride that motivates people to long to be rich and great at any cost In contrast to this timothy is to possess meekness as he instructs the church As he refutes error And as he reproves and corrects offenders He's supposed to instead of being argumentative and belligerent He's supposed to be gentle and meek. He's supposed to have a heart of a servant He's not to be seeking great things for himself You see seeking the higher position is a mark of selfish ambition Like false teachers. So he says you need to be gentle. You need to have a meekness Remember that Jesus described himself With meekness or in gentleness in matthew 11 28 through 30 He said come to me all you who labor in our heavy laden I will give you rest take my yoke upon you learn from me for I am gentle and lowly in heart You will find rest for your soul For my yoke is easy my burden is light Paul in Ephesians 4 1 and 2 said I therefore the prisoner of the Lord Beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called with all loneliness and gentleness with long suffering Bearing with one another in love and so you ask the Lord to give you a gentle spirit Again, he's speaking here to timothy who's the pastor and he's saying to him These are the things that will make up a pastor You need to have these virtues and these attributes timothy and by the way In ministry you're going to need to have faith love patience and gentleness Because in ministry people can be difficult People can be very difficult to work with all of us who who um, you know, if you're in the in Kind of a job that it's service oriented. You know exactly what i'm talking about If you're a server in a restaurant or waitress at a restaurant or you work with people in whatever variety of ways in a store Or whatever people sometimes can be pretty tough They can be very difficult as you know They can say rude things and act in rude ways They can have a 300 dollar bill and leave no tip at all and you ended up paying for some of that because Of the way it works in restaurant businesses and all and you know that it can be hard and it's thankless and all of that Well, you know ministry can be very similar and so timothy you need to have a gentleness You need to have faith you need to have love and you need to have patience Because if you're going to minister to people you need to remember That uh sheep may not be dangerous, but they can bite And sometimes be aware of that because that's what happens So he's giving to him a contrast of what a false teacher is like and what a genuine teacher is like And then he moves on into verse 12 by saying this 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 And so he moves on to speak about a fight of faith when he says fight the good fight of faith that literally can be said agonize the good agony To fight Speaks of being involved in greek athletic contest. It speaks of contending for a crown It eventually began to mean to fight or contend with an adversary So he's saying keep contending for the faith Even as you continue pursuing these virtues Fight a virtuous warfare fight in a noble fashion Because it's a war for men's souls And timothy exert every ounce of your energy to win Do not put your life on cruise control. Do not coast towards heaven And I say that to all of us Some of us are closer to heaven's door than others my pastor chuck smith When he went home to be with the lord I was there at his last Sunday morning service. Murray and I my wife and I went To the third service there at calvary chapel coast to mesa Sat in one of the rows up in the front on the edge on the aisle seat When my pastor came out to speak You know, I locked eyes with him. I wanted him to know I was there to support him Because I knew that for him The days were closing in for him to go to be with jesus And I wanted to be there with him So I remember that very well how he gave his study was a great study out of the book of romans and And then I got a text message A couple days later Pastor chuck is in heaven. That was the text message chuck is in heaven Do you know that my pastor was preparing a bible study during the week? Because he was fully determined That he was going to be in the pulpit teaching the word of god For the next study that he was supposed to do that he died Literally died in the saddle literally died preparing a bible study I told chuck a long time ago. I said pastor. I said you're a terrible example to me And he said what do you mean? I said, you know, there are so many good things that you're an example of that a good chuck But you're a terrible example in one thing and he said and what is that? I said you you didn't teach me how to retire. You never have You never have And he laughed about that but that was pastor chuck. He said Dave. He said what could be better than serving jesus christ What could be better than that? And that's a fact That's a fact And so he died at an old age, but he died You know to see him walk out with this oxygen tank and to see the frailty of this man that I loved so deeply But to see the faith in this man to the very end he wanted to he wanted to break the tape with his chest He didn't want to hobble through he wanted to move through and he did He entered in that way and we should not be those who coast into heaven We shouldn't be we ought to press in we ought to we ought to go for the prize And that's what he's saying fight the good fight of faith contend for it whole fast to it Don't give up don't coast and take as many with you to heaven as you can to the last minute That's what you're supposed to do. That's what christianity is. It's a good fight It's a he's saying agonize the good agony keep contending for the faith continue pursuing these virtues Fight the warfare. That's virtuous use every ounce of your energy and win Do not put your life on cruise control. Do not coast towards heaven finish well You need to recognize that the christian life is filled with spiritual warfare. There are traps therefore be on the alert Our lives are filled with spiritual landmines. How do I know that? While Ephesians chapter 5 verses 15 and 16 tells us that Paul said see then that you walk circumspectly Not as fools, but as wise redeeming the time Because the days are evil That word circumspectly It's a word that speaks of being on your hands and your knees on the lookout for danger The word circumspectly speaks of being watchful cautious alert for danger To walk circumspectly means to be able to discern enemies It tells us that the world we live in is a dangerous place. Don't forget it You are walking in a place filled with spiritual landmines Landmines that will cripple you So be aware at all times Because you can walk into a trap Walk circumspectly. That means walk straight walk straight in the center of god's word Deuteronomy 532 says therefore you shall be careful to do as the lord your god has commanded you You shall not turn aside to the right or to the left And he says in Ephesians 5 15 we do not walk as fools, but as wise redeeming the time When he says we do not walk as fools that word fool simply speaks of that which is without wisdom or acting Unintelligently or irresponsibly the fool is the one who acts as if there is no god And so without faith in god the fool creates his own rules And the rules he creates are established to excuse or to make acceptable his sin and his error That's what they do in Proverbs 12 15 the way of a fool is right in his own eyes Isaiah 5 20 and 21 says woe unto those who call evil good and good evil Who put darkness for light and light for darkness who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter Woe unto those who are wise in their own eyes and prudent in their own sight We have that today Where people are redefining everything that you grew up believing Defining it if you think it if you feel it it must be true That's the way of a fool They're redefining in order to Give themselves freedom To create their own rules and live that way, but the christian walks circumspectly Because we're not fools we're wise As children of god we walk appropriately We've been made alive in jesus christ So we can walk in the wisdom that results from abiding in the lord and abiding in his word. He says in Ephesians 5 16 Redeeming the time because the days are evil Redeeming speaks of purchasing We redeem the time the word time speaks of that which is measured or allocated It speaks of a fixed period of time God has set boundaries for your life Our opportunities are within those boundaries So Make best use of your time When I got saved I came home. It was december 27 1970 I came home First thing I did is I went across the street to some friend's house. I was going to share with them about the lord They weren't there, but their mom was there and two or three sisters and I shared with them and I said I gave my heart to christ tonight I gave my heart to the lord. I'm a brand new person in jesus christ I redeemed the time I went across the street I told my mom and my dad You know, I said, you know, I love you praise the lord and shared with my sisters and my sister madeline Went home went went to bed that night gave her heart to christ so from the beginning I wanted to redeem the time I wanted to learn To buy back the moments because I grew to understand That my life has a certain boundaries Allocated to me and certain opportunities that the lord will give me within those boundaries And therefore I'm supposed to work out my own salvation with fear and trembling working within those boundaries We have been bought by jesus christ. We have an allotted time. So he's saying be wise and use it well We christians need to be aware that each moment we have is a gift We should use time wisely James chapter 4 verse 14 asks the question. What is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and vanishes away You climb out of the shower in the morning. It's cool in the room and the vapor settles on the On the mirror and that's when you look your best by the way, but the vapor is on the mirror And then eventually it just fades away and he's saying that is your life That's the duration of it You have friends who have died and you say they were so young because it seems that they were Because life is that quick and he's saying you need to realize that You've been purchased. You have an allotted time. Use your time well We redeem it because we're living in the last days and these days are evil the word evil can speak of hardship pain or trouble It also speaks of that which is wicked or bad And he's saying these evil times are actively opposed to the lord his message as well as his messengers We have little time left But we have much opposition Being called by god places you in the midst of spiritual combat When you're saved you are automatically a member of the lord's armed forces And that puts you in the position of coming under spiritual attack So be prepared for the battle don't do not be surprised when it comes at you because it does It's again. It's christmas You're gonna have a good time There are times and people that are your family Will let you know how they feel after they've had a few wine coolers They will I don't know about you, but I've been there They'll let you know how they feel about you After they start loosening up a bit I used to like you man. What happened to you one of my cousins ray told me that He used to like you. I said I never liked you. No, he said I used to like you What happened to you You used to be fun What happened to you anybody hear every experience anything like that? I have What happened to you? You know, you used to make jokes and laugh and you know And now what you're a christian No, the days are actively opposed to you Don't be surprised. Don't go home and cry yourself to sleep because grandma got mad It's it's to be expected Don't respond. Don't retaliate. Don't be angry. Don't tell them off Just understand that's what happens That's christianity You stepped into the lord side and the world is actively opposed to him the days are evil And when you open your mouth and you express your opinion, which I've done many times not just in church But in classes and in conversations When people will get mad at me because I'm a christian I've had people mad at me without me saying a word to them about christ I'm sitting on a train a woman's next to me. She asks me Uh, what do you do? Well, actually she's telling me she's uh, she sings songs. She's she called them body b a w b a w d y body songs dirty songs bar songs She's telling me that because I said what are you doing here because we're in europe What are you doing here? She goes? Oh, I I I sing dirty songs in bars. I I didn't say anything to her I didn't say can you sing me one? I didn't I didn't say anything. I just oh, you know, okay And she's telling me all about it All about it. Yeah, and I blah blah blah and I'm just sitting there just politely listening She goes, what do you do? I said I this is this was my answer. I said i'm a pastor. That's all I said I'm a pastor She looks at me. She says I hate it when people preach to me and I'm just looking at her I didn't say a word. I hadn't said a word. I'm just looking at it. I hate it when people preach at me I said really? She goes, yeah, I hate it I said, but it's okay for you to preach to other people, right? She goes, what do you mean? I never preach. I said yes, you do. I said your philosophy is all through this world What do you mean? You don't preach. What do you mean by that? She says when do I preach at you? I said, when do you preach at me? Every time I see a commercial on tv Every time I hear a song on the radio Every time I watch a movie That's on tv Every time I pass a billboard on a highway you are preaching to me your message is out there 24 seven You are constantly arguing your message, but me I tell you I'm a pastor and I'm preaching to you See, that's the way it is That's how people are. I happen to be somebody who doesn't have a problem talking to you. You want to talk? We'll talk We'll talk So what you're gonna kill me sing one of your dirty songs. I don't care But the but the bottom line is That's what happens these days are actively opposed. Have you seen it? It is actively opposed. Okay, I'm gonna say something you're gonna get mad about maybe maybe not. I don't care Merry christmas Here's your present No, it's true. It's an observation I never expected the world to say merry christmas to me anyway I really didn't Why would I expect somebody who doesn't believe in jesus christ wish me blessings from christ? I've never really thought that but I did grow up in time when that was appropriate. It was right and nobody made issues over it So i'm i'm watching it for years as people will not say it suddenly. It's happy holidays and I begin to ask myself What holiday are you talking about? I mean, let's be real. I mean, what holiday are you talking about? Do you think i'm jewish? I'm not celebrating hanukkah. What other holiday are you talking about? They just couldn't bring themselves to say I'm not expecting the world again. I'm not expecting the world to bless me. Why would I? But at the same time I realized there's an anti christ spirit Where you start taking jesus out of christmas and you replace him with some baby in a manger We need to remember that that baby in the manger grew up to embrace a cross He was placed in a manger but put on a cross there was a reason for the birth of jesus christ And that's why I say merry christmas because jesus christ was born that he may die that I might have eternal life Through him. That's christmas. You see, but I don't expect the world to believe that I just know that that's what it is, right? And so we get upset and we say oh, but now I'm watching and you can hate or or not hate I think we need to respect the office of the president and we have to be careful the way that we speak about him But I do appreciate this one thing at least That he's saying, you know what? Merry christmas. I'm hearing that so many times. I'm saying that's a good thing That is a good thing. Let's remember our heritage, right? And so the bottom line is this the world is in opposition Against even acknowledging the birth of jesus christ Let alone the reason for it And so why would I think the world is going to be in favor of me? Paul is saying fight the good fight of faith He's saying you walk circumspectly On your knees looking for the landmines because the days are actively opposed to you and they're intended for evil Therefore be aware of this You as a soldier must be prepared for battle and you need to be prepared for battle at all times And so he says fight the good fight of faith The good fight of faith is spiritual in nature And second carinthians 10 verses three through five Though we live in the world We do not wage war as the world does The weapons we fight Uh fight with are not weapons of the world on the contrary They have divine power to demolish strongholds We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of god And we take captive every thought to make it obedient to christ Paul in Ephesians 6 12 and 13 said we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against principalities Against powers against the rulers of the darkness of this age Against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places Therefore take up the whole armor of god that you may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand So we have armor that we're to wear in this fight We have the helmet of salvation the breastplate of righteousness our loins are girded with truth Our feet are shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace We have the shield of faith and the sword of the spirit This these are the weapons of our warfare And we're aware that we're in spiritual battle and thus we war But we do not lose when he says after doing all having done it all he said to stand It's not stand like we're it means stand with our feet planted as victors because Jesus christ has given us victory Jesus christ has made us more than conquerors the enemy. Listen cannot defeat you He cannot beat you. Jesus christ is king. He is the lord. He gives us understand that That's why you have faith. That's why you have love. That's why you have patience That's why you pursue these things because we don't fight from wondering if we win. We fight because we're winners Already in jesus christ. It's done. It is finished. We are more than conquerors because of him So stand as victors stand bloody Maybe but unbowed Because we won in jesus christ. That's what we need to know That's where people are failing today because they're acting as if the devil won. He's a liar He's a liar He didn't win. He lost. Jesus crushed his head when he went on the cross. It's over. We won My name is written in the land's book of life I will see his face one day and I will say thank you jesus for what you did for me That's called christianity. That's the christian faith understand it That's christianity We need to understand that we lay hold of eternal life We're not running for short lived fame. We're not running for comfort We're running for eternal reward That's what our battle's all about and we are to take it seriously It's been said many who start off well do not end well Because they don't have what it takes They simply are unwilling to pay the price The flesh the world everyday affairs personal interests and often simple laziness Enders spiritual growth and preparation for service and that is true I've heard enough professional fighters Say this that i'll quote what i've heard over the years and they have said this I've heard many say this many of you have heard this also They said If you go into the ring if you go into the fight expecting to lose Don't even go into the ring Because you will That's why you see one one fighter Facing off another fighter and he just keeps saying things to him Just keeps saying you're gonna lose i'm gonna take you it's all over you shouldn't they're trying to get in his head So that when he steps into the ring He's already half lost He has he's gonna walk in already a loser That's why you stay in the word of god Because god's word tells you no No, you're not gonna lose It may seem rough right now in some cases it is who's to say it's not It may be tough on the job And it may be tough in the home And it may be discouraging as you watch your kids as they're not doing well Or your marriage isn't going the way that you are and the enemy whispers in your ear In one form or another through a friend or something you're reading some songy here on the radio Over here in a conversation somewhere in a restaurant Give up Let it go doesn't matter dump them start out fresh Ain't gonna change No No, i'm gonna hold fast to the promises of god Even when it looks darkness that's when the light's going to shine the brightest I will get through this I am never alone He is with me His rod his staff they comfort me. Yeah, I walk through the valley of the shadow of death But I will fear no evil for he is with me. I'm not alone He's with me every step of the way and in the time that I haven't been able to walk He's carried me. He is faithful to do that You hold fast this is a battle you're in Don't give up The enemy is whispered in a lot of ears today to the church You're not gonna make it It's over Islam's on the rise Politics are destroying one bad thing after another is being poured into the soul of america But guess what when you see these things happening and look up for your redemption draws nigh Jesus is even closer now than ever before. That's why we battle from the position of the victor We have won in jesus christ. We will continue forward We're not going to give up the gates of hell will not will not be able to overcome the church He said and finally He says 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 You are called and you've confessed the good confession Remember that you have before witnesses promised to follow god to the very end In matthew 10 verses 32 and 33 whoever therefore shall confess me before men Him will I confess also before my father who's in heaven But whoever shall deny me before men him will I also deny before my father who's in heaven I've had people ask me how how have you remained faithful to the lord for 47 years I haven't always been solid god knows that I haven't always followed straight the way that I should i've had many many many times of stumbling and struggling I would be a hypocrite and a liar if I said anything about that that's true But you see I made it I made a vow to god I made I confessed that good that good confession Before many witnesses when I got saved there were about 4 000 people there 10 of us stood up at the invitation I made a confession of faith before many witnesses I said i'm going to follow jesus christ and for me I knew That when you make a promise to a man that matters something but when you when you make a promise to god That matters even more I've been married to my my beloved for a long time now my my my marie And I was made a promise to her in front of the minister in front of the best man and made of honor In front of our parents and in front of the invited guests I made a promise to her that I would love her And that I would be faithful to her for the rest of my life And I have been I've never been unfaithful to her And I've only grown to love her more every day every day Because of the power of christ in me But I know I made a promise to her In front of man But the thing that motivates that that promise has been I made my oath to my god And when I got saved I made a promise to my god I confessed to him before man and I said I will follow you to the very end And again, it's true. I I haven't always been the best witness When I've fallen I've gotten up and I've gone forward and I will go forward till the very end When I see him face to face when I see the eyes that went for me in the garden When I see the lamb of god who took away the sin of the world And I will hear him say oh enter into the joy of your lord my good and my faithful servant This has been prepared for you and I will walk in why because that is my heart I will follow jesus christ to the end and you will too We need to follow him completely. That's called christianity That's called christianity not a popular message today by the way But that is the message of the cross. Hold fast. Look up. Your redeemer is coming at any moment. Let us be prepared