War A Good Warfare
1 Timothy 1:18-20
INTRODUCTION:
A. Our passage for this morning reads, This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck: Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme. 1 Tim. 1:18-20
1. Please note the words war a good warfare
2. Have you ever thought about your life of faith as a war?
3. I find that this war is being fought on two levels
a. First that of The Faith – the doctrinal premise and understanding gospel and God’s word
- It is what Jude was speaking about when he wrote Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. Jude 1:3
b. Secondly, there is the matter of our personal working out of The Faith in our own life as a life of faith
1) Here many of you, as well as myself at times, are saying “Oh, yah, it’s a war and it seems like I’m loosing most of the battles!”
2) And even Paul had problems at times, writing, For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Rom 7:19
c. Both are intimately intertwined with each other.
4. And as our passage shows, it is possible to dash our life vessel of faith upon the rocks and become shipwrecked!
B. So the question for us today might be:
1. How do we fight the good fight of faith – war a good warfare?
2. How do we keep from shipwrecking our faith?
C. Well, I don’t have all the answers but maybe we can find some encouragement and direction from Paul’s words to young Timothy.
1. As we study this passage it will help us to understand two things, which comprise our Outline for this morning: We Need To Understand
a. First, Some Dynamics of Spiritual Warfare
b. Secondly, Some Specifics for Spiritual Warfare
2. My hope is that God will open our hearts to the reality of Spiritual warfare and help us learn how to be victorious in it.
PRAY
If you remember our last message in Habakkuk we said that the Life of Faith is a Fight. That imagery is pressed into use even more in our passage this morning. So to help us in this fight this warfare I think we need to understand a few things, beginning with
I. SOME DYNAMICS OF SPIRITUAL WARFARE, This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; Holding faith, and a good conscience;
A. First, I must state the obvious, spiritual warfare is war!
1. You must come to understand, that once you accepted Christ as Savior by faith – the battle began in earnest
a. All of life is a spiritual battle, but you just did not know it.
b. When you accepted Christ, you came head to head with the spiritual elements (not physical) that wanted you to be separated from God
2. Writing to the church at Ephesus Paul stated, For we wrestle (or war) not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Eph 6:12
3. And it is deed an all out war!
4. Again we find Paul writing, this time to the church at Corinth: For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 2 Cor 10:3-5
5. When we come to understand that our warfare is spiritual we are in a position to grow in our understanding on how to “do war”
B. Now we can move forward: In order to “war a good warfare” we must have a tried and true battle plan, in this case it consists of two things.
1. Paul told Timothy to “hold” other translations use “having, keeping, clinging or possessing”
2. The Greek word is in the present tense which points to a habitual or continual commitment.
3. What are the two things we are to hold? Faith and a good conscience
a. First mentioned is faith (what we believe)
1) The faith mentioned here is an active trust in the truth that is found in Jesus Christ
2) Since this whole discussion is based on the charge Paul gave to Timothy in verse 3: “charge some that they teach no other doctrine,” we come to understand we war the good warfare by staying moored to the truth found in the gospel and God’s word!
3) It is this dynamic of God’s word that will keep you upright and fighting when others fall by the way side, but its more than knowledge, its living
b. Second mentioned is a good conscience (of our actions)
1) Our conscience lets us know things are right between us and God – there is no condemnation brought on by thinking or acting in violation to God’s word.
2) Understand, though, sin has done damage to our conscience, so when I make this statement, I mean it in connection with the Holy Spirit’s work in our life.
c. Both what we believe and how we act are dynamic ingredients in warring a good warfare
C. So I ask you this morning:
1. How is your faith?
a. Do you truly believe what the Bible has to say?
b. Do you stand firm on the gospel?
c. Do you know Christ as Savior and Lord?
2. Do you have a clear conscience?
a. Are you right with God – doing what you know the word says?
b. Are you right with your fellow man?
3. The dynamics of spiritual warfare are such that if you cannot say yes to all these there is a greater possibility you will not fare well in spiritual warfare!
With that said let me give you
II. SOME SPECIFICS FOR SPIRITUAL WARFARE
A. I want you to have something to hold on to and put into action because I don’t want you to end up like Hymenaeus & Alexander.
1. Paul had delivered them unto Satan as a disciplinary act so they might learn (and that is a key word) not to blaspheme.
2. But prior to this action he noted they had made a shipwreck of faith.
3. Listen to the entire two verses: 1 Tim. 1:19-20 Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck: Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.
4. The phrase “having put away” means they had consciously and deliberately rejected both faith and a good conscience to further their own agenda.
5. How do we keep this from happening to us?
B. Let me suggest three specifics:
1. First specific, you must put on your spiritual armor: Eph 6:12-17 is a great passage when it comes to spiritual warfare: it says, For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Spiritual armor is important in our warfare because it provides protection and stability – Lets look briefly at the pieces
a. Loins gird with truth – our loins is your mid-drift and as it equates to physical armor we are talking about a piece that holds everything else in place – a belt so to speak – and in the spiritual armor it is known as the truth: Know the truth, speak the truth, live the truth!
- It is essential to every thing else.
b. Breastplate of righteousness – of course a breast plate is intended to protect your vital organs and the bottom of it was held in place by the belt of truth – this righteousness is not self-righteousness or imputed righteousness but rather the practical righteousness of a life lived in obedience to God’s word - God’s truth.
c. Feet shod with the preparation of the gospel peace – the Roman soldiers sandals were usually rugged and studded so they might have gripping power to stand their ground with confidence, thus, the peace the gospel gives us strength to stand firm, knowing our position in Christ
d. The shield of faith – of course the shield was a very mobile defensive device and could block arrows and deflect sword and axe blows, as such our faith provides us with protection amidst temptations and trials – it protects us from that which is thrown at us
e. Helmet of salvation – this piece of armor protects the head, the center of thought and hope – thus its spiritual counterpart, the gospel, helps protect our thoughts and provides hope to the warrior
f. The final piece of armor is our only offensive piece, the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God – learn to use it wisely and it will take us far, as we have Christ for our example.
2. The second specific is found in 1 Pet 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
a. Our adversary is cunning and ever on the prowl: stay alert, be watchful
b. In your personal life, marriage, job and recreation
c. If you get to the point where you think you have arrived spiritually – he will snare you
d. Daily read the Word and pray
e. Attend church services to worship and grow in the word and serve others.
3. Finally, the third specific is found in 2 Tim. 2:4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
a. Commit yourself to the gospel and Christ-like life full heartedly
b. Jam 1:8 states, A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
c. One of the quickest ways to die in battle is to be double minded and distracted with the things of this world.
d. Make it all and nothing else!
CONCLUSION:
A. This morning we need to know we are in a spiritual battle and it is a life or death battle
B. We do not have to be one that sees our faith shipwrecked and the cause of Christ hurt by our demise
C. Understand the dynamics of this battle
1. It is in the spiritual realm and the battle plan is founded upon faith and a good conscience
2. Then with your spiritual armor in place commit to the fight, whole heartedly and remain ever vigilant
D. FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT And be encouraged by the words of John found in 1 John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
