Fight the Good Fight

Fight the good fight of faith
The year was 1964 and a large part of the world was focused on a heavyweight championship fight between Sonny Liston and Cassius Clay who shortly afterward changed his name to Mohammed Ali.
Liston was an ex-con who had ties with organized crime and was feared by other boxers and their managers. One manager, Jim Wicks, made this statement. "We don't even want to meet Liston walking down the same street."[1]
Cassius Clay had just turned 22 years old before the fight. He was full of confidence in his ability and spoke openly and often about it. He was the underdog in the fight with 7 to 1 odds against him becoming the champion.
During training, Clay took to driving his entourage in a bus over to the site where Liston was training, and repeatedly called Liston the "big, ugly bear".[2] Liston grew increasingly irritated as the motor mouthed Clay continued hurling insults ("After the fight I'm gonna build myself a pretty home and use him as a bearskin rug. Liston even smells like a bear. I'm gonna give him to the local zoo after I whup him... if Sonny Liston whups me, I'll kiss his feet in the ring, crawl out of the ring on my knees, tell him he's the greatest, and catch the next jet out of the country."). Clay insisted to a skeptical press that he would knock out Liston in eight rounds.
Clay was declared the winner of the fight after Liston did not answer the bell at the start of the 7th round due to an injured shoulder. Clay proceeded to make claims that are still remember today and recorded. I want to show you a short clip of him that was taken after the fight.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UaDbVbQTrM
Our spiritual lives have been compared to a boxing match. The Apostle Paul used the analogy of a boxer as well as the analogy of the believer being in a fight against spiritual forces of darkness. He gave instruction to Timothy to “Fight the good fight of faith.” (1 Timothy 6:12)
The fight between Liston and Clay had several analogies that we can draw from and apply to the spiritual battle we are facing each day. Both fighters were well prepared and confident in their ability. Both gave their all in the fight and were constantly looking for the opportunity to deliver the knockout blow and be declared the winner. Accusations and intimidation were used even before the fight as psychological warfare to bring fear or anger which would serve as a distraction and possibly hinder the concentration of the opponent.
As we look at life as a believer we have to be prepared for the spiritual warfare that we face on a daily basis. We are in a fight daily whether we realize it or not. The bell to start the fight rings every morning when we awake and we have to be prepared.
We have an enemy who goes about like a roaring lion seeking to deliver a knockout blow and devour us (1 Peter 5:8). Lions roar when they are hungry and we have an enemy that has an insatiable desire to consume believers. The enemy of our soul, the devil or satan is constantly on the attack, looking for his next victim he can devour. He is not all powerful, neither is he omniscient or everywhere present. He has limitation because he is a fallen angel and though he is a powerful enemy he is not able to overpower a believer who is operating in the wisdom, authority and power Christ has given. He is skilled in his tactics and if we are not alert and attentive, he can do serious damage to us. Just as a skilled boxer waits patiently for his opponent to drop his guard or make a mistake so he can deliver the knockout blow so too the enemy we face operates with the same strategy. His goal is the knockout punch that will put us out of commission, take us out of the ring, incapacitate us and damage our reputation and walk with God.
The Bible says in James 4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.[1]
The first step in waging successful warfare against the enemy is to submit ourselves completely to God. To submit means that we place ourselves under God’s rule and dominion. We intentionally subject ourselves to him because he is God and he knows what is best for our lives. God has not been silent regarding these areas of temptation. His Word is profitable for instruction in righteousness or right living. If we fail to submit ourselves to the revealed truth of God’s Word we set ourselves up for attack. If we submit ourselves to God and follow his advice we will be able to stand against the attack of the enemy using the truth that God has revealed to us. We cannot be ignorant of God’s Word and God’s ways. We have to arm ourselves with the truth of God’s Word. There has to be a hunger in our soul for this truth. Jesus said “My words are spirit and they are life.” If we want to enjoy life to its fullest we must know the Word and live by it. If we remain ignorant or naïve we have exposed ourselves to the enemy and he will take advantage of us. If your spiritual appetite for the Word of God is in the dieting mode be careful because you are not as strong as you need to be. Someone has said, “Sin will keep you from the Word and the Word will keep you from sin.” I cannot stress enough the importance of knowing and obeying the revealed truth of the Scriptures. When we submit ourselves completely to God we are in essence submitting ourselves to the teaching of his Word and the guidance of the Holy Spirit who leads us into all truth.
In boxing there are 3 punches that are used to knockout the opponent. A left hook that goes around the side of the head, a right cross that smacks the temple area and an upper cut that goes under the chin and renders the opponent unconscious. In our spiritual lives I believe the devil uses three punches to knock us out and they are sex, money and power. I think the greatest area of attack today is the area of sex. The world uses this area in so many ways to lure us into things that lead to sin. We see it all the time in the newspapers, advertizing, web sites, billboards, and the list goes on.
We must do all we can to resist the devil in this area. We have to understand what he is doing and how he is attacking us on a daily basis. In the area of sexual temptation I do not think there is a more powerful influence today that that of internet pornography.
Because of the advances in technology and especially the internet the proliferation of pornography has become the greatest tool of the enemy to bring destruction. Here are some statistics taken from a message entitled, “Love gone astray” given by Carol Kaminsky at Gordon Conwell Seminary.
Every second 28,000 users are viewing porn
$ 3,000 spent on porn every second
Every 39 minutes a new porn video is being produce in USA.
In 2004, 420 million pages of porn were produced
In August 2005 71.9 million people visited adult site in one month
In 2006 there were 4.2 million porn web sites
Every day there are 68 million porn site search engine requests
Annual revenue from pornography in the USA alone is 13 billion dollars. This is more than the combined total of ABC, NBC and CBS combined.
China receives highest revenue worldwide from porn. South Korea, Japan, USA and Australia follow in that order.
Pornography generates more revenue than the combined revenue of the top technology companies Microsoft Google, Yahoo, Amazon, eBay, Apple, Netflix and EarthLink combined.
Average age of first internet exposure is 8 years old.
Largest group of internet pornography users is the 12-17 years olds
Pornography has invaded the church just as it has the world. It has destroyed many lives and relationships. It is one of the strongest if not the strongest attack the enemy uses to bring destruction of individuals and families. It has touched the Christian community as well as the world. A recent study from Focus on the Family stated that 29 percent of Christian men have looked at pornography on the internet. A study by Christianity Today in 2001, found that 51 % of those surveyed had viewed pornography. A survey by Promise Keepers found that 53 percent of the men had visited porn sites the previous week.
It is not only men who are being influence but women as well and the numbers continue to increase each year. The availability and easy access to pornography have made the temptation that much stronger and the pornography industry uses deceptive techniques to lure people into websites. Here are some of the tactics they are using to lure and trap people.
Unwanted and unsolicited email with sexual content is constantly sent out. There are 2.5 billion porn emails daily of which 34% are unwanted and unsolicited.
Traps like the following are used and include: disguising names, porn mapping in which sites purchase expired well know names so when you click on the site it leads to porn site.
They use a well know site name but misspell it intentionally so that when you make a mistake typing the name of the known site it automatically leads you to a porn site.
Cyber Squatting: Using similar wording of a well known name as part of the site name so when you use a search engine a porn site will come up.
Door way scam. First page is okay but leads to porn site
Mouse trapping: 25% of porn sites have it, click on it and once in you cannot leave, mouse is useless
These are all strategies the devil uses to draw us into sexual sin, perversion and addiction. We cannot be ignorant of his devices and we have to take steps to guard our eyes, our mind and our feet from walking into the traps he has set. The devil always wants to take something God made as good and pervert it into something evil.
Once we understand how he operates we have to take action to not give him access to us. It is like in the movies when someone is trying to hack into a computer and the message is stated on the screen “Access Denied.” The Scriptures state that we must not leave any foothold or opportunity for the enemy to access our lives. We cannot allow him access so he can trip us and cause us to fall. We have to set standards and discipline ourselves as well as hold ourselves accountable to another person to maintain these standards. We must establish boundaries ahead of time so that we are prepared when the attack or temptation comes our way. We cannot afford to be naïve and unprepared.
Since the internet is a huge source of temptation it is wise to set limits on how much time you spend on it and what sites you access. Filters are available that will impose limitations on your ability to access sites known for sinful content. Covenant Eyes, http://www.covenanteyes.com/ is one program that is very helpful. It costs $2.50 per month. It tracks all your website history and sends a report to the person you have designated as your accountability partner. There are also other free programs available and are listed below.
http://www.x3watch.com/ (Free); http://www.integrity.com/ (free);http://www.accountable2you.com/ (free).
Another step that can be taken is to shut off the internet in the evening. Studies have shown that most men access internet porn sites after 10 p.m. Shutting down your computer after this hour or before will help you to a degree. It is also important if you are struggling with porn to not view your computer in a private area. Someone should be able to see what you are doing. Children should not be allowed to have internet access in their rooms. On a recent broadcast of Focus on the Family, one the counselors reported that she had received a call from a mother who had a 9 year old son who was exposed to pornography by a 9 year old neighbor boy. The neighbor boy had consequently sexually molested her 7 year old son after viewing porn on the internet.
Another area that we must deny the enemy access is in our relationships between same sex and opposite sex. The enemy is having great success in this area and we daily read of men and women who have abandoned God’s standards and fallen into sin. God’s standard for sexual relations has always been for a man and woman. Anything else is a perversion and is not to be practiced. The enemy’s goal is to normalize all relationships that God has specifically stated in his Word are wrong. Even gender identity has come into question in several states. Children can choose their sexual identity and are encouraged to be what they feel they are in spite of what their DNA tests say. Satan wants us to explore ways to experience sex outside of the boundaries God has established. He wants us to believe that we are missing out by being obedient to God. He tries to get us to rationalize our decisions to enable us to justify our deviation from God’s standards.
Just this past week Ray Boltz who is a Christian singer who is well known for several of his songs, publicly declared that he has been living a homosexual lifestyle. He has been married for 33 years and has several children. It is hard to understand his decisions and actions but one thing that we have to acknowledge is the power of the enemy to influence our choices when we fail to believe the Word of God and submit to its teachings.
As believers we must set standards in the area of relationships between the opposite sex. Some churches have policies that no single woman or married woman can ride in the same car alone with a married man who is in leadership in the church. It is a safeguard against the enemy bringing attack and accusation that something sinful is going on between the two people. Counseling with a member of the opposite sex is also an area that must have strong boundaries and limitations. Some churches do not allow opposite sexes to counsel each other and if they do they require another person to be present in the room or an open door with another person present in an adjacent room.
Boundaries must be established on where we will meet with other people, especially if you are single and in a dating relationship. The devil loves it when we try to hide away in secrecy where no one can see us. It is not wise to conduct your relationship with the opposite sex in this manner as it leaves you open to sexual temptation and false accusation. It is not wrong to want to be alone with another person but you can be alone and still be in a public area where others will be around you.
Standards must also be set on physical contact with the opposite sex in a dating relationship. The enemy always wants you to rush into the physical aspect of the relationship. Set high standards for each other so that you will not take advantage of each other and damage the other person. Don’t make yourself cheap, it is a reputation that you do not want to have. Concentrate on the other aspects of your relationship and let the physical aspect be low on the priority list.
A final area that we must set strong standards to deny the enemy access is in the movies we watch. The images from movies make lasting impressions on your mind and especially the parts that have sexual content. It is especially important that children up to the age of 14 not be allowed to view movies with sexual content and violence. The brain is still being mapped during this time and the introduction of sex and violence can bring permanent damage to the formation of thought in these areas. Movies are also an area that the enemy can and will use to cause bring sexual temptation. As believers and followers of Christ we too have to set standards and take precautions before renting or viewing a movie. I have been using a website of the Catholic Church to get an overview of a movie I may have an interest in viewing. The website address is: http://www.usccb.org/
There is also a link on Focus on the Family’s website http://www.pluggedinonline.com/movies/
Take the time to review a movie before you find out it is not worthy of your time, money and most importantly is contrary to your spiritual values.
One test we can always give is to ask if I would be able to stand in front of the church and feel comfortable talking the them about the content of the movie.
The scriptures teach us that we are to stay far away from anything that will bring offense and destruction to our relationship with the Lord as well the people he has placed in our lives. We are instructed to hide ourselves from these things and not give place to them. Prudent people see the danger they cause and they stay away from them. Naïve people or people who have not set boundaries and restraints fall prey to the enemy and reap destruction in their lives. We have to carefully consider our ways and not go down the path that leads to death.
Our enemy is a predator and we are his prey. We must take action to not give him access in these areas of our life. One of the ways you can help guard your way is through an accountability partner. During “The Call” on August 2, Mike Bickell mentioned that they have a Purity agreement available at their website, http://www.thecall.com/ . It lists 7 Practical Commitments that you need to make with another person or persons. I have copies of this available for anyone who wants one.
The scriptures clearly point out that there are 2 voices calling out to us each day. One is the voice of wisdom and the other is the voice of folly.
Proverbs 9:1-6
Wisdom has built her house,
1 She has hewn out her seven pillars;
2 She has slaughtered her meat,
She has mixed her wine,
She has also furnished her table.
3 She has sent out her maidens,
She cries out from the highest places of the city,
4 “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
As for him who lacks understanding, she says to him,
5 “Come, eat of my bread
And drink of the wine I have mixed.
6 Forsake foolishness and live,
And go in the way of understanding.[2]
We can choose to seek out wisdom and walk in the knowledge of the truth in submission to God or we can choose to follow after folly.
Proverbs 9:13-18
13 A foolish woman is clamorous;
She is simple, and knows nothing.
14 For she sits at the door of her house,
On a seat by the highest places of the city,
15 To call to those who pass by,
Who go straight on their way:
16 “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here”;
And as for him who lacks understanding, she says to him,
17 “Stolen water is sweet,
And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
18 But he does not know that the dead are there,
That her guests are in the depths of hell.[3]
Both wisdom and folly are calling out to us each day. One lead to life and true enjoyment while the other leads to death. I pray tonight that you will make the choice to follow after the wisdom of God in the area of sexual purity. We have to fight the fight of faith with all the weapons God has given us and with the wisdom we gain through his Word. We are living in a day of great temptation and I believe it is only going to increase and the list of Christian casualties is going to grow unless we take action to come against the strategies of the enemy and establish standards and boundaries that will help not fall prey to his attacks.
If you have fallen in these areas we have talked about tonight there is healing and forgiveness available. You have not committed the unpardonable sin even though the enemy would like you to believe it. God will forgive and cleanse you through the blood of Christ. He wants to set you free and keep you free but you will have to make that decision and take the appropriate action to continue to walk in freedom and purity. Don’t let another day go by in which the enemy gains victory over you in this area. Seek help from other trusted believers and draw upon their strength as you set your feet on the pathway of liberty. We have the promise of God’s Word that if we submit to Him and resist the devil, the devil will flee. We can experience victory over the enemy if we will put into practice the principles of God’s Word each day.

Click on the following link to listen to an audio version of this message: http://www.supload.com/sound_confirm.php?get=706574231.wma

[1]The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982.
[2]The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982.
[3]The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982.