These are the apostle Paul's final words, before his death and departure to the next life. I have often wondered at his words here concerning his Christian life and work as being a fight. Why does he describe it as being a fight?
Paul did not hesitate in other letters, to emphasize that as Christians, we are in a battle, a warfare, with the "principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places."(Galatians 6:12)
And then he goes on to encourage the Christians at Ephesus (and us) to put on the whole armor of God (Galatians 6:14-18) In my 42 years of pastoral ministry I have seen Satan too often, set things in motion for fights in the local church. Sowing seeds of discord and disunity. He has complicated things so much, that it is very difficult to resolve differences, and accomplish productive ministry.
His greatest tool is that of selfishness. If he can get people to focus on themselves instead of the needs and feelings of others, he has put in place the main form, for disunity and destruction. So the question comes, how can we fight this good fight, and win? I mentioned that Satan's greatest tool is selfishness.
Our greatest tool is love (1 Corinthians 13:13) The Gospel of Jesus Christ is engulfed in love (John 3:16) Love is the bond of perfection (Colossians 3:14) "Love never fails" (1 Corinthians 13:8) When someone has hurt us in some way, loving is the opposite of what we would like to do. But love is the most powerful virtue that exists. And what love can accomplish is awesome and mind boggling.
God's Word is clear that we are commanded to love.(Matthew 22:37-40) To love God, and to love one another. No exceptions. But in so doing, we turn the devil's fight into a fiasco. "And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:13)
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