fight the good fight

Paul did not have it easy. from the day he was saved until the day he was martyred, he was utterly given over to the work of the Gospel. and no matter what kind of suffering he went through he never let it stop him.

2Co 11:23 Are they ministers of Christ? I (speak as a fool) I am more; in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.
2Co 11:24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
2Co 11:25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
2Co 11:26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
2Co 11:27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
2Co 11:28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.
2Co 11:29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?
2Co 11:30 If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.
2Co 11:31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed forevermore, knoweth that I lie not.
2Co 11:32 In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me:
2Co 11:33 And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.

the thing i find most amazing about all this is that he just kept going and as far as i can tell he did not get down on himself, he did not need to read how to make friends and influence people to figure out how to speak to the lost, he did not need a self help book to make himself feel better about himself. and seeing as though so many people disliked him you would think he would have had a complex from it. as the mind set is today, you would think he would have gotten lonely and needed a family with a nice house with 2.5 kids and a white picket fence in order to have purpose. but even without those things and as far as i can see he was just fine with who he was and where God had him in life and in fact he considered it a great privilege to carry the Lord's message, and to suffer for the Name that is above all others. i can not imagine a person today going through half of this without having major questions as to whither God be for him or not. (i know and am very keen to the fact that people suffer and die today. so i can not just make that a blanket statement, i can only judge from an American view point concerning American Christians)with that said, i think the most an American Christian will ever face is, his family outcasting him, or his friends, lover, coworkers, and so on. and yet so many do not finish well. how can that be the worst thing we have to face and have so many seeking a softer more acceptable gospel? what would timothy have thought of this American Gospel? can you imagine the Guy who received the last words ever written by Paul saying how he finished well and was ready to be offered, and then have him take a look at what stops, or slows, or kills Christianity in America today. i think he would be shocked, and saddened by it.

2Ti 4:5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
2Ti 4:6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
2Ti 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
2Ti 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

fight the good fight, this is not just a race. it's a battle so we must be battle minded. that means stop letting personal loss or hardship prevent us from keeping the faith and finishing the course. consider it it a privilege when you suffer, consider it a privilege that God counts you worthy to suffer for his Name.

Act 5:40 And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
Act 5:41 And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.
Act 5:42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.