FINISH WELL
2TIM 4 VS 1-8
2 Timothy 4:1-8 (NKJV)
1 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom:
2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;
4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.
5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
THIS IS WHAT MANY SCHOLARS CALL PAUL’S “SWAN SONG” OR HIS TESTIMONY BEFORE HE LEFT THIS EARTH, IT IS A TESTIMONY OF SOMEONE WHO FINISHED WELL!! IT IS ALSO AN EXAMPLE TO US THAT WE CAN FINISH WELL ALSO!!
WOULD YOU AGREE WITH ME THAT-
“WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO!”
FIGHT
1. WHO TO FIGHT- ONE OF MY LARGEST OBSTACLES IS TO ENGAGE IN THE FIGHT WITH THE RIGHT ENEMY, AS I LOOK BACK OVER MY LIFE I SEE MANY BATTLES THAT I HAVE WAGED AGAINST THE WRONG PERSON, AND PERHAPS YOU CAN ALSO.
*THE ENEMY IS NOT MY WIFE*
*THE ENEMY IS NOT A FELLOW CHURCH MEMBER*
*THE ENEMY IS NOT A FAMILY MEMBER OR FRIEND THAT WE DISAGREE WITH*
Ephesians 6:10-12 (NKJV)
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
** YOU SEE THE ENEMY IS THE WICKED ONE, AND HIS GREATEST ASSETS ARE FOUND IN THESE 3:
A. SATAN- HE IS THE CHIEF SLANDERER, ACCUSER OF THE BRETHREN.
B. SIN- THIS IS HIS WEAPON, HE THROWS TEMPTATION OUT THERE, AND WHEN WE BITE IT BECOMES SIN TO US… HOW MANY OF US ARE CONSTANTLY BEATING OURSELVES UP SAYING- “WHY DID I THINK THAT, WHY DID I SAY THAT, OR WHY DID I DO THAT?”
James 1:12-16 (NKJV)
12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.
14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.
15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.
C. SELF- I AM MY OWN WORST ENEMY, WHEN SATAN AND SIN HAS THEIR WAY WITH ME I FIND MYSELF AT WAR WITH--- ME!! I DON’T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES I HAVE TO STOP AND REFOCUS TO GET MY EYES OFF OF “POOR OLE PITIFUL ME.” I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT IF WE KEEP OUR FOCUS INWARD AND DOWNWARD, WE WILL NOT BE A GOOD FIGHTER FOR THE CAUSE OF CHRIST!
Luke 12:15-21 (NKJV)
15 And He said to them, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses."
16 Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: "The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully.
17 And he thought within himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?'
18 So he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods.
19 And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry." '
20 But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?'
21 So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."
2. WHO ARE WE FIGHTING FOR? WE ARE FIGHTING FOR JESUS AND “HIS” CAUSE:
THERE ARE MANY NOBLE CAUSES OUT THERE IN OUR SOCIETY, AND I AM NOT GOING TO CONDEMN ANYONE FOR BEING AN ADVOCATE FOR THEM, BUT TO BE A SUCCESS FOR JESUS, WE MUST KEEP AN EYE ON HIM AND FIGHT FOR “HIS CAUSE.”
John 14:6 (NKJV)
6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
John 3:16 (NKJV)
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Luke 23:33 (NKJV)
33 And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.
**AS OUR SOCIETY TURNS MORE AND MORE AGAINST CHRISTIANITY, WE AS GOOD SOLDIERS MUST TAKE A STAND AND FIGHT FOR JESUS, HE FOUGHT FOR US!! IT IS NOT ABOUT US, ITS ABOUT A MUCH HIGHER CAUSE!! HE LOVED US, HE LOVES US, AND WILL CONTINUE TO LOVE US EVEN UNTIL THE END OF THE AGE!!
1 John 4:19 (NKJV)
19 We love Him because He first loved us.
**JESUS IS THE ONLY HOPE FOR MANKIND, AND WE HAVE BEEN CALLED TO BE A WARRIOR FOR HIS CAUSE!! GOD HELP US IF WE ARE TO EVER BE FOUND AS ONE THAT WILL COMPROMISE FOR HIS CAUSE!!
**STORY OF THE VIETNAMESE GIRL**
3. WHAT TO FIGHT WITH, GOD HAS GIVEN US WEAPONRY TO FIGHT WITH, BUT IT IS OUR CHOICE TO USE THIS WEAPON, AND TO COVER OURSELVES WITH THE AROMOR THAT HE HAS GIVEN:
Ephesians 6:13-18 (NKJV)
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints--
**IF WE READ THIS CAREFULLY, THERE ARE 5 PIECES OF ARMOR THAT WILL PROTECT US WHEN WE ARE IN THE BATTLE, AND ONE PIECE OF EQUIPMENT USED TO FIGHT WITH. JESUS USED THE WORD MASTERFULLY IN HIS ENCOUNTER WITH THE ENEMY AND DEFEATED HIM ON HIS OWN GROUND:
Matthew 4:1-11 (NKJV)
1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
2 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry.
3 Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread."
4 But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.' "
5 Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple,
6 and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: 'He shall give His angels charge over you,' and, 'In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.' "
7 Jesus said to him, "It is written again, 'You shall not tempt the LORD your God.' "
8 Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.
9 And he said to Him, "All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me."
10 Then Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.' "
11 Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.
James 4:7-8 (NKJV)
7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
**WE ARE IN A FIGHT!! HOW YOU WILL FARE DEPENDS UPON YOU BECAUSE GOD HAS GIVEN US EVERYTHING WE NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL!
