November 29

Timothy, my child, I entrust you with this command in keeping with the previous prophecies about you, so that by them you may fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and thereby shipwrecked their faith. — 1 Tim 1:18-19 BSB

This "good warfare" is fought against three powerful enemies—the flesh, the world, and the devil. Each of these enemies is so closely linked to us, and so strong and hostile, that they would surely defeat us unless we are "strengthened with might in the inner man."

There is the flesh, with all its temptations, charms, and subtle attractions, constantly setting traps for our feet. It frequently ensnares us in some evil thought, word, or deed, and we, in our natural state, are not just defenseless against it, but often eager to run straight into it—like a bird that sees food in a trap but doesn’t realize it will soon be caught. We, too, are often allured by what appears desirable, without seeing the snare until we are trapped.

Faith is the eye of the soul that sees the hidden hook. By faith, we call on the Lord to deliver us from taking the bait, and sometimes, by faith, we can cut the snare and free ourselves. How defenseless we are when the desires of the flesh plead for indulgence, unless faith is active! Faith shows us God's hatred for sin, and it brings into our conscience a deep awareness of God's all-seeing eye and His wrath against transgression. But when the Lord places the weapon of faith into His soldier’s hand, He often strengthens them to wield it during times of extreme trial, even though it may cut and wound the self in the process.

Consider Joseph, who resisted the snares laid for him by remembering the presence of the Lord. He was strengthened to break free from the temptation when faith arose in his heart, and he declared, "How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" Similarly, the three Hebrew children, faced with being thrown into the fiery furnace unless they worshipped Nebuchadnezzar's golden image, overcame this terrifying temptation by living faith. Oh, what a powerful weapon faith is when the Lord gives us the strength to wield it! As the hymn writer John Newton puts it, faith "cuts its way through hosts of devils while they fall before the Word."

But when sin, temptation, and unbelief knock this weapon of faith out of our hands, and it lies shattered at our feet, leaving us unable to retrieve another sword from God's armory, we stand exposed and defenseless before our enemies. This is why we need not only to possess this heavenly grace in our souls, but to hold onto it tightly, so we don’t fall prey to the enemy’s snares.

When Satan comes with his fierce temptations and fiery darts, only faith can enable us to stand against him, as the Apostle says, “Above all, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the fiery darts of the evil one.” Only faith in God’s power and presence, in Jesus’ blood and righteousness, and in the Holy Spirit’s work in the heart can enable us to fight against Satan’s attacks. Faith in a triune God is indispensable for fighting this good fight. It’s no wonder the good fight is called "the fight of faith," for true faith enables us to emerge victorious, more than conquerors in every battle, surviving every conflict.