Fight the good fight of faith… Lay hold on eternal life! says Apostle Paul in his letter to Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:12 –“Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”
The eternal life of God was imparted into every born-again child of God at the moment of new birth. It is the newnature of God residing within us, signifying the presence of God Himself in us.
The virtues of Jesus Christ within us are produced through this eternal life of God as we nourish it with the eternal word of God and maintain a continuous fellowship with God. The manifestations of this eternal life within us also yields the fruit of the Spirit, as outlined in Galatians 5:22-23. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control”(Galatians 5:22-23).
As we cultivate this eternal life within us, we are able to exhibit the virtues of Christ as listed in 2 Peter 1:5-7 and bear the fruit of the Spirit more. This not only enhances our relationship with God but also enables us to positively impact the world around us for the kingdom of our God.
Paul listed these virtues in 2 Peter 1:5 – 7 “For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.”
Many opportunities to live in dominion and truly reign as kings and priests will always pass us by if we are not interested in growing in the virtues of Christ and partaking more of the heavenly life.
You see, every believer is a soldier of Jesus Christ that fights from the position of victory in Christ Jesus. And no manwill war a good warfare unless he constantly lays hold upon the eternal life of God within with all his heart and soul.
Ephesians 6:12 says “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
There are obviously ancient spiritual demonic forces all around us in this world that will always come against us to hinder us from growing in the virtues of Christ and partaking more of the benefits of our heavenly life. And with such foes aiming at our soul, body and spirit, we can only contend successfully when we are made invulnerable by constantly increasing in the revelation knowledge of the life of God within us and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ.
We begin to partake more of the benefits of this eternal heavenly life of God in us as we continue to lay hold on it in the place of our intimacy with God. Hence, the manifestations of the eternal life of God in us begin to extend to our soul (mind, will & emotions) and our physical body.
1 Corinthians 6:19 – 20 says “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.”
2 Corinthians 4:10 – 11 says we are “always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.”
The life of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is the eternal life of God in us ought to constantly manifest in our physical body. Enabling us to live a healthy life that is permanently immune to the sicknesses, diseases and the contaminations of this corrupt world.
In Philippians 3:12-14, Paul discusses the significance of pressing to know God more as an essential characteristic for every follower of Jesus Christ. He shares his experience of overcoming the obstacles that came his way. Similarly, we too must victoriously overcome any hindrances or distractions that threatens our intimacy with God. Anything that attempts to disrupt our intimacy with God should be treated as an adversary. Because, when our intimacy with God is affected, we’ll fall short of growing in the virtues of Christ and enjoying the benefits of the eternal life of God in us.
So, we’re to keep laying hold on the eternal life of God in us by pursuing to know God more and to experience more of His glory in and through our lives.
John 17:3 says “And this is life eternal, that they should know thee the only true God, and him whom thou didst send, even Jesus Christ”. To grow in our knowledge of God, we must never get familiar with God. In laying hold on the eternal life of God in us, we must strive to maintain a growing insatiable hunger for more of God.
And as we get filled with the revelation knowledge of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ, God begins to open us up to various dimensions of the workings of His eternal life in us. He begins to take us deeper in our walk with Him. Thus, more of His glory begin to tabernacle on us. This is the lifestyle that brings about our manifestation as sons of God in these last days in creative ways that glorifies Jesus Christ.
For the earnest hope of the creatures waits for the manifestation of the sons of God. Romans 8:19.
Finally, God expects us to always do right and to work hard at nurturing a heart and life that reflects His nature. So, we must endeavor to consecrate ourselves to Him, live Holy, flee from sin, pursue godliness, and minister the love of God in us to others. Paul could even say of himself in 1 Corinthians 9:27, “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.”
And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. Acts 20:32.
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Shalom!
