“Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” — 1 Timothy 6:12 (LSB)
A new year begins with its set of joys, hopes, victories, successes, trials, failures, disappointments, betrayal, grief, and pain. For the Christian, it’s a continuity of life under the sun: it is a fight, but a good fight.
The apostle Paul’s exhortation to Timothy rings as true today as it did in the first century. We are called to fight, not with carnal weapons or human strength, but with faith that anchors us to Christ and sustains us through every season. This is not a fight we wage once and finish, but a daily, lifelong battle that requires perseverance in four essential areas.
A Fight for Discipline (The Mind)
The Christian life begins in the mind, where the war between truth and deception, godliness and compromise, is first waged. Paul commands us, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2).
Our minds must be brought into captivity to Christ. Every thought, every imagination, every intellectual pursuit must bow before the lordship of Jesus. This requires intentional discipline: saturating ourselves in Scripture, rejecting the worldly philosophies that bombard us daily, and training our minds to think God’s thoughts after Him.
The Puritan Thomas Watson wrote, “The reason why Christians are no more spiritual is because they do not exercise themselves more in meditation.”
We cannot grow in godliness without disciplining our minds to dwell on what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, and commendable (Philippians 4:8).
Paul Washer recently shared about the reality of the fight for every believer, whether “famous” or unknown, and how discipline in the means of grace matters in that fight.
Mental discipline is not optional for the believer; it is the foundation upon which all other spiritual battles are fought.
A Fight for Holy Affections (The Heart)
While the mind must be renewed, the heart must be set aflame with love for God. Jesus declared the greatest commandment: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). Our affections reveal what we truly worship, and the Christian must constantly war against misplaced loves.
The world, the flesh, and the devil conspire to turn our hearts toward temporal pleasures, earthly security, and self-centered ambitions. John reminds us, “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15).
We must daily crucify our old desires and cultivate a burning passion for Christ that outshines every competing affection.
John Owen, the great Puritan theologian, understood this battle well: “Be killing sin or it will be killing you.” Our hearts are battlegrounds where holy affections must triumph over sinful desires. This requires constant vigilance, prayer, and a deepening intimacy with the One who is altogether lovely.
We must feed our souls on the beauty of Christ through His Word, worship, and communion with His people, so that our hearts increasingly find their satisfaction in Him alone.
A Fight for Fruitfulness (Good Works)
Faith without works is dead, James reminds us (James 2:26). The genuine believer is not merely called to mental assent or emotional experience, but to a life marked by the fruit of the Spirit and good works prepared beforehand by God (Ephesians 2:10). Paul exhorts, “Walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called” (Ephesians 4:1).
Fruitfulness requires effort. We must abide in Christ, the true vine, allowing His life to flow through us and produce lasting fruit (John 15:5). This means actively pursuing righteousness, serving others sacrificially, sharing the gospel boldly, and allowing God to shape our character into the image of His Son. It means fighting against spiritual barrenness, laziness, and the comfortable Christianity that produces nothing of eternal value.
“Use every talent God has given you, and God will give you more talents.” Richard Baxter
Every day is an opportunity to bear fruit for God’s kingdom. Whether in our families, workplaces, churches, or communities, we must fight against complacency and actively pursue lives that glorify God and bless others. The world is watching, and our fruitfulness either adorns the gospel or discredits it.
A Fight for Faithfulness
Above all else, God calls us to faithfulness. When all is said and done, when our earthly race is complete, the commendation we long to hear is not “Well done, successful servant,” but “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21).
Faithfulness is demonstrated not in spectacular achievements but in consistent obedience over time. It’s showing up day after day to pray, to read God’s Word, to resist temptation, to love difficult people, to steward our resources wisely, and to trust God when circumstances make no sense. Paul reminds us, “It is required of stewards that one be found faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:2).
The fight for faithfulness is perhaps the most challenging because it demands perseverance without the promise of earthly reward. We may not see dramatic results. We may labor in obscurity. We may face setbacks, criticism, and seasons of apparent failure. But God is not looking for perfection or impressive résumés; He is looking for those who remain faithful to the end.
Thomas Brooks encouraged believers with these words:
“Faithfulness in little things will prepare you for faithfulness in great things.”
God tests our faithfulness in the small, hidden moments before entrusting us with greater responsibility. He looks for those who will remain true when no one is watching, who will obey when obedience is costly, and who will trust Him when understanding fails.
As we journey through 2026, let us embrace Paul’s charge to Timothy as our own. The good fight of faith is not fought once but daily, in our minds, hearts, and actions. It requires discipline, holy affections, fruitfulness, and above all, faithfulness to the One who has called us.
If the Lord tarries and doesn’t return in 2026, may He find us faithful throughout this year. May we fight well, not in our own strength but in the power of His grace. May our lives reflect the reality that we have taken hold of eternal life and that we are living in light of the good confession we have made before many witnesses.
The fight is good because our Commander is glorious, our cause is worthy, and our victory is certain. “Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57).
Press on, soldiers of the cross. Fight the good fight. Remain faithful.
Madagascar 3M 