Fighting the Good Fight, Finishing the Course, Keeping the Faith,
and Loving the Lord’s Appearing
In Order to Receive the Reward of Christ As the Crown of Righteousness
Message One
Fighting the Good Fight
OPENING WORD OF THE PROPHESYING MEETING
Reading the verses in each day.
Reading the main points in the outlines.
Pray-reading the verses:
2 Tim. 4:7 I have fought the good fight…
1 Tim. 1:18 This charge I commit to you, my child Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you might war the good warfare…
1 Tim. 6:12 Fight the good fight of the faith; lay hold on the eternal life, to which you were called and have confessed the good confession before many witnesses.
Word of Appetizer
Why did Paul exhort Timothy to fight the good fight?
During Paul‘s first imprisonment, the churches faced trials that revealed the beginning of decline and degradation. This decline was entirely due to different teachings, teachings that differed from the ministry. This is the reason Paul charged Timothy to fight the good fight.
Paul exhorted Timothy to fight against things that deviate from the faith, that is, to fight the good fight for the faith. To fight for the faith means to fight for the New Testament economy of God; to fight the good fight for the faith means to fight for the content of the full gospel according to the New Testament economy of God.
Spiritual Burden
As revealed in 2 Timothy 4:7, the proper Christian life is threefold, including: fighting the good fight, running and finishing the race, and keeping the faith.
Teaching and preaching God’s economy concerning Christ and the church is to fight the good fight. In our Christian life, in order to fight the good fight for the faith, we need to hold on to this eternal life and not rely on our own human life.
Concluding Word of the Prophesying Meeting
The Revelation of the Truth
As revealed in 2 Timothy 4:7, the proper Christian life is threefold, including: fighting the good fight, running and finishing the race, and keeping the faith.
“I have fought the good fight”; Paul exhorted Timothy to fight against things that deviate from the faith, that is, to fight the good fight for the faith. To fight the good fight for the faith means to fight for the content of the full gospel according to the New Testament economy of God.
The Experience of Life
In 1 Timothy 6:12b, Paul goes on to say, “Lay hold on the eternal life to which you were called”; this eternal life is actually the Triune God becoming our life through the process and ultimate completion.
The eternal life of God is given to all believers in Christ (1 Tim 1:16), and it is also the main ingredient of the divine grace given to us (Rom 5:17, 21). This life has already conquered death (Acts 2:24), and it will also swallow up death (2 Cor 5:4).
Practice and Application
In our Christian life, in order to fight the good fight for the faith, we need to hold on to this eternal life and not rely on our own human life.
We need to respect God’s truth, walk the path of truth, and not compromise truth in the slightest; we need to let truth come into us and constitute our being; we must learn to teach and preach things that are higher than our present realm.
PROPHESYING TOPICS—TWELVE TOPICS PER WEEK
Day 1
T1 God’s economy in faith (1 Tim. 1:3-4, Eph. 1:10)
(Please illustrate that how God’s economy in faith is the household administration of God.)
T2 God’s economy versus different teachings (1 Tim. 1:3-4)
(Please illustrate that what it means that “God’s economy is in faith.”)
Day 2
T1 The centrality of the apostles’ ministry (Acts 2:42)
(Please illustrate that how the degradation and decline of the church has one root: teachings different from the apostles’ ministry.)
T2 Different teachings as seeds of church decline (Acts 2:42, 1 Tim. 1:18)
(Please illustrate that how teaching and preaching God’s economy concerning Christ and the church is fighting the good fight.)
Day 3
T1 Fighting for the faith (1 Tim. 6:12, 19)
(Please illustrate that how fighting the good fight of faith requires holding on to the life of God.)
T2 Living a human life by the eternal life (1 Tim. 6:12, 19)
(Please illustrate that how the enemy’s craftiness leads people astray from the faith by drawing them away from the eternal life.)
Day 4
T1 The eternal life remains the same regardless of changing circumstances (2 Tim. 1:1, 10)
(Please illustrate that which eight basic elements of the preservative are included in the life mentioned in 2 Timothy 1:1.)
T2 God’s eternal life is given to all believers in Christ (1 Tim. 1:16)
(Please illustrate that what three things the apostle emphasizes in 2 Timothy to face the death and confusion in the church’s decline.)
Day 5
T1 Being good soldiers, fighting the good fight (2 Tim. 2:3, 1 Tim. 6:12)
(Please illustrate that how fighting the good fight of faith is fighting for the content of the full gospel according to God’s New Testament economy.)
T2 When we walk in the light, we see reality after reality (1 John 1:6)
(Give examples of how nothing is real to us when we are in darkness.)
Day 6
T1 Reality is the father God, the Son God, the Spirit God, and the divine Word (John 17:17)
(Please illustrate that how everyone who does the Lord’s work must maintain the absoluteness of the truth.)
T2 The truth itself is absolute (John 17:17)
(Please illustrate that how every truth in the Bible is independent of man.)
