I Believed, Therefore I Spoke

“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.” 1 Tim. 6:12. Paul was well acquainted with the fight of faith. He continued in it as long as he lived, and he finished his race in this same spirit of faith. God had thoroughly convinced him of what he could achieve through the righteousness that came from the law. He never boasted about it again, nor did he ever use it again as the basis for his ministry. The righteousness of faith became the driving force in Paul’s life, and based on this, he worked and spoke. He saw himself as the chief of all sinners, and for this reason he was able to go beneath everyone and speak the word of faith to them. He describes what it had been like with some of the people he worked with: “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” 1 Cor. 6:9-11.

Through faith in Christ, Paul had received a new foundation to work from, and the spirit of faith he had received, by acknowledging his own incompetence according to the flesh, made him boundless in his faith in what God could do in a person. He experienced the transformative power of faith, from being a Pharisee who breathed murder and threats, to being so full of the love of Christ that he was compelled to go from place to place to preach this liberating and wonderful message of the cross. In this spirit of faith, he spoke and worked so fervently that on one occasion he was called a “babbler.” Acts 17:18.

When the spirit of faith enters a person’s heart, it drives away hopelessness and doubt, and clears away old ideas and all self-righteousness. The most important battlefield in a person’s life is within their own heart. That is where the battle takes place, and that is where the person stands or falls. Faith is a gift, but cannot be kept without a battle. Therefore, the good fight of faith is the most important fight a person can be in, and it is of crucial importance what you allow to speak in your own heart.

“But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, ‘Do not say in your heart: “Who will ascend into heaven?”’ (that is, to bring Christ down from above) or, ‘“Who will descend into the abyss?”’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? ‘The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith which we preach).” Rom. 10:6-8.

The righteousness of faith makes the word accessible, so that you receive a spirit within you that proclaims these words of faith. What the heart is filled with the mouth speaks, and it is natural for you to talk about what has helped you personally. The accuser also makes use of the word of God, but the righteousness of faith says: “It is written again.” You can never conquer the accuser in the righteousness that comes from the law, because the law says “you shall not covet.” On the other hand, the righteousness of faith conquers him, because then it is the blood of Christ and the death of Christ that are at work.

Let us always be in this blessed spirit of faith. Then streams of living water will flow from within us, bringing hope to a dying world—and comfort and refreshment to those around us.