Called to Duty II: Battle Cry
(Fight the Good Fight)
(Fight the Good Fight)
Proverbs 22:6Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.
I pray to the God of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is the glorious Father. I keep asking him to give you the wisdom and understanding that come from the Holy Spirit. I want you to know God better. I pray that you may understand more clearly. Then you will know the hope God has chosen you to receive. You will know that what God will give his holy people is rich and glorious. And you will know God’s great power. It can’t be compared with anything else. His power works for us who believe. It is the same mighty strength God showed. He showed this when he raised Christ from the dead. God seated him at his right hand in his heavenly kingdom. (1)
We have been made right with God because of our faith. Now we have peace with him because of our Lord Jesus Christ. Through faith in Jesus we have received God’s grace. In that grace we stand. We are full of joy because we expect to share in God’s glory. And that’s not all. We are full of joy even when we suffer. We know that our suffering gives us the strength to go on. The strength to go on produces character. Character produces Hope. And Hope will never bring us shame. That’s because God’s Love has been poured into our hearts. This happened through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (2)
He poured his grace on us. By giving us great wisdom and understanding, he showed us the mystery of his plan. It was in keeping with what he wanted to do. It was what he had planned through Christ. (3)
We were also chosen to belong to him. God decided to choose us long ago in keeping with his plan. He works out everything to fit his plan and purpose. We were the first to put our Hope in Christ. We were chosen to bring praise to his glory. You also became believers in Christ. That happened when you heard the message of truth. It was the Good News about how you could be saved. When you believed, he stamped you with an official mark. That official mark is the Holy Spirit that he promised. The Spirit marks us as God’s own. We can now be sure that someday we will receive all that God has promised. That will happen after God sets all his people completely free. All these things will bring praise to his glory. (4)
Those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. The Spirit you received doesn’t make you slaves. Otherwise you would live in fear again. Instead, the Holy Spirit you received made you God’s adopted child. By the Spirit’s power we call God Abba. Abba means Father (Daddy). The Spirit himself joins with our spirits. Together they tell us that we are God’s children. As his children, we will receive all that he has for us. We will share what Christ receives. But we must share in his sufferings if we want to share in his glory. (5)
Christ suffered in his body. So prepare yourselves to think in the same way Christ did. Do this because whoever suffers in their body is finished with sin. As a result, they don’t live the rest of their earthly life for evil human desires. Instead, they live to do what God wants. (6)
Brothers and sisters, we have a duty. Our duty is not to live under the power of sin. If you live under the power of sin, you will die. But by the Spirit’s power you can put to death the sins you commit. Then you will live. (7)
Fight the good fight along with all other believers. Take hold of eternal life. You were chosen for it when you openly told others what you believe. Many witnesses heard you. (8)
Christ didn’t have any sin. But God made him become sin for us. So we can be made right with God because of what Christ has done for us.
We work together with God. So we are asking you not to receive God’s grace and then do nothing with it. He says,
I tell you, now is the time God has mercy. Now is the day he saves. We don’t put anything in anyone’s way. So no one can find fault with our work for God. Instead, we make it clear that we serve God in every way. We serve him by standing firm in troubles, hard times and suffering. We don’t give up when we are beaten or put in prison. When people stir up trouble in the streets, we continue to serve God. We work hard for him. We go without sleep and food. We remain pure. We understand completely what it means to serve God. We are patient and kind. We serve him in the power of the Holy Spirit. We serve him with true Love. We speak the truth. We serve in the power of God. We hold the weapons of godliness in the right hand and in the left. We serve God in times of glory and shame. We serve him whether the news about us is bad or good. We are true to our calling. But people treat us as if we were pretenders. We are known, but people treat us as if we were unknown. We are dying, but we continue to live. We are beaten, but we are not killed. We are sad, but we are always full of joy. We are poor, but we make many people rich. We have nothing, but we own everything. (9)
In the same way, I’m speaking to you who are younger. Follow the lead of those who are older. All of you, put on a spirit free of pride toward one another. Put it on as if it were your clothes. Do this because Scripture says,
“God opposes those who are proud.
But he gives grace to those who are humble.” (Proverbs 3:34)
But he gives grace to those who are humble.” (Proverbs 3:34)
So make yourselves humble. Put yourselves under God’s mighty hand. Then he will honor you at the right time. Turn all your worries over to him. He cares about you.
Be watchful and control yourselves. Your enemy the devil is like a roaring lion. He prowls around looking for someone to swallow up. Stand up to him. Remain strong in what you believe. You know that you are not alone in your suffering. The family of believers throughout the world is going through the same thing. (10)
Put on all of God’s armor. Then you can remain strong against the devil’s evil plans. Our fight is not against human beings. It is against the rulers, the authorities and the powers of this dark world. It is against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly world. So put on all of God’s armor. Evil days will come. But you will be able to stand up to anything. And after you have done everything you can, you will still be standing. So remain strong in the faith. Put the belt of truth around your waist. Put the armor of godliness on your chest. Wear on your feet what will prepare you to tell the Good News of peace. Also, pick up the shield of Faith. With it you can put out all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Put on the helmet of salvation. And take the sword of the Holy Spirit. The sword is God’s Word. (11)
We have a great high priest. He has gone up into heaven. He is Jesus the Son of God. So let us hold firmly to what we say we believe. We have a high priest who can feel it when we are weak and hurting. We have a high priest who has been tempted in every way, just as we are. But he did not sin. So let us boldly approach God’s throne of grace. Then we will receive mercy. We will find Grace to help us when we need it. (12)
God has breathed life into all Scripture. It is useful for teaching us what is true. It is useful for correcting our mistakes. It is useful for making our lives whole again. It is useful for training us to do what is right. By using Scripture, the servant of God can be completely prepared to do every good thing. (13)
Everything written in the past was written to teach us. The Scriptures give us strength to go on. They encourage us and give us Hope. (14)
At all times, pray by the power of the Spirit. Pray all kinds of prayers. Be watchful, so that you can pray. Always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. (15)
The three most important things to have are Faith, Hope and Love. But the greatest of them is LOVE. (16)
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(1) Ephesians 1:17-20 New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
(2) Romans 5:1-5 New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
(3) Ephesians 1:8-9 New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
(4) Ephesians 1:11-14 New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
(5) Romans 8:14-17 New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
(6) 1 Peter 4:1-2 New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
(7) Romans 8:12-13 New International Reader's Version (NIRV)(8) 1 Timothy 6:12 New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
(9) 2 Corinthians 5:21-6:10 New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
(10) 1 Peter 5:5-9 New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
(11) Ephesians 6:11-17 New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
(12) Hebrews 4:14-16 New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
(13) 2 Timothy 3:16-17 New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
(14) Romans 15:4 New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
(15) Ephesians 6:18-19 New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
(16) 1 Corinthians 13:13 New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
*Kameron (and Kailey), My beloved son and daughter.
