Paul’s Pending Death: Fight the Forces of Evil
Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.
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Paul wrote a letter to Timothy a second time showing his pending death, all while proving he fight the forces of evil.
Time on earth would soon end. Verse. 6 shows that time is short.
Paul viewed death as a departure. He was leaving and going elsewhere.
The body is a temporary dwelling place. 2 Cor. 5:18 Our bodies will break down as shown in Eccl. 12:1-7
See the symbolism of Ecclesiastes in 12:3:
Keepers of the House: Fight the Forces of Evil
What starts to tremble when one grows old?
Their hands, arms shake on many. Not everyone, but many.
Grinders cease – teeth are lost and become less effective. Those that look out the windows grow dim. Eyes loose ability to see.
Gen. 3:19 Dust you are, and dust you shall return.
I Cor. 15:44 There is a physical body and then a spiritual body.
We should view death in the same way. It is a departure.
Paul was confident. He had to fight the forces of evil. He fought a good fight. His battle was against spiritual forces. (Eph. 6:10-12)
Put the whole armor of God. Stand within the wilds of the devil. Not on earth, but against the rulers and authority, and powers of the world’s darkness.
You see Paul fight the forces of evil.
Paul fought against evil practices in the world.
2 Cor. 10:3-6 Spiritual war we all have to face. Who we are suppose to be, how we are suppose to act. We fight against the same type of forces.
Paul was confident. He had finished the race. The race had many obstacles. Paul did not give up. Phil. 3:13-14
Fight the forces of evil
He kept his eyes on the prize. It was what kept him going to finish the race. It’s not going as fast as you can. It’s starting and finishing. You must not quit, not matter how hard it is.
We will be happy in the end if we persevere. Heb. 10:36
You have need of endurance, keep running and finish the race that you start. Yet, Paul didn’t begin as early as others. (See Matt. 10:1-16) It just mattered when he started, he finished.
Many people do that with many things in their life today. How can you also keep the faith?
Paul’s Reward was certain. He would receive a crown, a diadem. That a king would wear.
Stephan’s, a wreath that an athlete would win. It would be an incorruptible crown.
Do you know the reward of the crown?
James 1:12
Rev. 2:10
Eph. 2:8-9
1 Tim. 1:15-17
Paul’s reward was certain. This crown will be given by a righteous judge. Not like Ananias (Acts 23:2). Not like Felix (Acts 24:27) God is the perfect judge. This is a crown for all who loved is appearing. Luckily the reward is not given to just 1 person. We must be diligent.
Have you started the fight?
Fight the Forces of Evil.
Believe in the truth and take action toward it.
1. Hear – Romans 10:17
2. Believe – John 3:16
3. Repent – 2 Cor. 7:10
4. Confess – Romans 10:9-10
5. Be baptized – Acts 2:38
6. Be faithful – Rev. 2:10
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