Warring for God or Wrecked to Pieces (Part 1): 1 Timothy 1:18-20 by Dr. Rod Mattoon

Scripture

• 1 Timothy 1:18–20

About this sermon

1 Timothy 1:18-20- This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; If someone slipped something into your food or drink that would knock you out or cause you to go to sleep, how would you feel about that? Would you be upset? Would you think that person does not care about you or would you think it was not a big deal at all? If someone tried to hinder you from eating any food so that you would become anemic, weak, or sickish, would you think that person was against you or was trying to harm you? Would you think it was okay to go without food and starve? If someone kept trying to trip you up, lie to you, and trick you into making terrible decisions based on lies and misinformation, would you consider that person to be your friend? Would you continue to listen to what he or she said or would you avoid them like the plague or a nest of hornets? I ask these questions because they are a description of what is taking place in the lives of millions of Christians this very day. Throngs of Christians are dealing with influences that are putting them spiritually asleep. The siren song of society has caused many believers to kick up their feet, lean back on their heads, and go into a deep coma. They are oblivious to what is happening to them as well as to other people who need Jesus Christ, need prayer, or need encouragement. These folks are spiritually starving because they neglect to feed their souls by spending time in God’s Word. Many Christians are being deceived and lied to by ungodly people who have influenced their lives. These believers end up making catastrophic, destructive choices that hurt them. Understand beloved, you and I are in a spiritual war. If you are a Christian, you are in the war even though you don’t want to be in it. When you trusted Christ as your Savior, you got drafted into the Lord’s army. In this portion of Scripture, Paul addresses the issue of spiritual war. He provides insights on how to fight and win. In this series of messages, we will look at how to make your life count for Jesus Christ and avoid shipwrecking your faith, as well as shattering your life like a glass vase full of marbles on a concrete floor. As we move through this message, ask yourself, “Am I warring for God or am I wrecked to pieces?” Part one of this series was preached on Sunday night, December 11, 2022, at Lincoln Land Baptist Church.