Contending

Contend for the Faith

Jude 1:3-4 “Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.” Emphasis mine.

How many of us actually contend for our faith? What does contend actually mean – a definition or two from the on-line American Heritage Dictionary

To strive in opposition or against difficulties;

To compete,

To strive in controversy or debate; dispute.

To maintain or assert:

Strive in opposition – Many people strive in opposition today. They are, more often than not, the persecuted church. But what about the Western Church – under so much pressure from the atheist, liberal, and politically correct lobbies? Where is their striving. Why do we accept so much opposition without barely so much as a whimper? Why are we not contending against all these difficulties?

Compete – I do not see us competing with the opposition too much. Where the fundamental militancy of Islam and other groups is succeeding, that is where we need to be competing. Why do we always seem to roll over and take it. If we have to contend for our freedom to believe then surely let us contend. Rather than shrug and accept we need to challenge and contend.

Strive in controversy or debate – Another area to contend is in debate. We need to challenge in love of course but the most effective debating challenge I have ever seen is when we challenge the ‘death to all infidels’ credo. Which would you rather do, hate me and kill me in order to go to heaven, or join me and Jesus, who loves both of us, and we’ll all go to heaven peacefully and together?or words to that effect.

Maintain – we must always maintain a consistent Gospel in order to contend for the world. We need to preach that Gospel then stand back and allow Holy Spirit to do His work.

Please don’t get me wrong here. I do not hate any other religion nor do I hate atheists. I simply hold different views and insist on my right to do so. I will contend for my faith and for the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore let me leave you with a couple of final questions.

Where are the men and women who carry the mantle for revival? Who carry the presence of Jesus? Who carry the fire of Holy Spirit revival? Where is the Glory Cloud of God’s presence? His Holy Spirit fire? Oh hallelujah, God is moving on His people TODAY !!