The Courage to Fight
I Samuel 17:31-49
Ephesians 6:10-18
"I'm a lover, not a fighter" would seem like a Christian motto. However, the Bible teaches us that sometimes Christians need to get into fights! Paul testified "I have fought the good fight" in 2 Timothy 4:7. What are the good fights? I'm sure many of us would fight for the oppressed, our country, our families, and even our own lives. So what does the Bible indicate about good fights for the Lord? Paul speaks of our "struggle" against spiritual forces of evil (Eph. 6:12), "beating" our bodies into spiritual submission (1 Cor. 9:27) and Jude talks of "contending" for the faith (Jude 3). Even the Lord Jesus talks about "fighting" false doctrine (Rev. 2:16). These fights aren't emphasizing physical force but rather times when we need to stand up, speak up, and show up for biblical teaching and behavior!
In our well-known text this week, David fights Goliath. This physical battle teaches us spiritual truth like Paul uses the Roman military of his day to teach us to be good Christian soldiers (Eph. 6:10-18; 2 Tim.2:3,4). David shows courage against a favored opponent by remembering past victories, choosing a weapon he is comfortable with, and relying on the name of the Lord. We, too, can be transformed into courageous Christians as we read of victories in the Bible, learn to express God's truth in ways that work for us, and rely on the power of the Holy Spirit and Scripture.
Sometimes folks get so into the "fight" that they get a "chip on my shoulder" attitude. Please remember that David was not only a fighter but also a lover, a man of music and meditation, soft hearted, and sensitive. But when there was a cause, he didn't back down but went into battle full force. ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS!
See you Sunday.
1. One of the great Old Testament military leaders was Joshua. How many enemy kings
did he defeat? Joshua 12:7-24
2. What was the war cry of Gideon? Judges 7:20
3. In Sunday's text what past victories gave David confidence? To whom did he give
the credit for those victories? I Samuel 17:34-37
4. What can we learn from David's choice of weapons in I Samuel 17:38-40?
5. Who were some of John the Baptist's followers? Luke 3:14
6. Who is considered by some as the first Gentile convert in Acts? What was his
occupation? Acts 10:1
7. In Ephesians 6:10-18 Paul describes our struggle against evil spiritual forces.
Describe what that struggle might entail. What piece or pieces of the armor of
God are particularly meaningful to you?
8. How would we "beat" our bodies into spiritual submission? (I Corinthians 9:27)
List some of the spiritual disciplines.
9. What did Jude originally plan to write about in Jude 3a?
What changed his mind? Jude 3b-5
10. Can you name some hymns or spiritual songs that might be considered "fight songs
of the faith"?
