What Are We Fighting For?

In this message, Pastor Josh poses a question that cuts to the core of every believer’s heart: what are you fighting for—and what does that reveal about what you’re living for? As the series in 1 Timothy draws to a close, he reminds the church that faith is not defined by eloquence, charisma, or performance, but by the unseen battles of the heart. The Christian life is not about what happens on Sunday but about what carries through on Monday—how we live, work, love, and give when no one is watching.

The Real Fight

Life is full of struggle. Some fight for grades, careers, relationships, or approval. Others fight simply to get by. But beneath every visible fight lies a deeper one—the fight for what rules our hearts. Pastor Josh said, “Tell me what you are fighting for, and I can tell you what you are living for.”

That is why Sundays matter. Each week is a chance to lay down our burdens, reset our hearts, and remember who we are in Christ. Church is not an event or a performance; it’s a spiritual home where we are reminded that God calls us to more than survival. It’s where we learn again that our worship must shape our work, and that our everyday life is meant to glorify God.

Faith Over Circumstance

Paul’s words to the bondservants in 1 Timothy 6 reveal the depth of the gospel. Even those trapped in unjust systems were called to live for God’s glory. It’s not about condoning slavery, but about showing that faith cannot be crushed by circumstance.

“If you’re going to look back, don’t go 10 years back—go 2,000 years back to the cross.”

Many live defined by their pasts—trauma, hurt, or regret. But Pastor Josh reminded the church that followers of Christ don’t let circumstances write their story. “Your defining moment,” he said, “is not your wound; it’s the cross.”

This applies to everyone—employees, students, parents, and friends. Our work and relationships are the fields where our faith is tested and displayed. Even pain, depression, or emotional struggles do not define us. They may shape us, but they cannot own us. Christ has already rewritten the ending.

Money Reveals What’s Hidden

The passage also warns against chasing wealth. Paul’s simple truth still hits hard: we bring nothing into this world, and we take nothing out of it. Pastor Josh said, “Money doesn’t change people; it exposes them.”

The issue isn’t having money—it’s craving it. The love of money exposes what’s inside.

• Give money to a greedy person, and greed grows.
• Give money to a generous person, and generosity multiplies.

Riches are uncertain, but God provides richly so that we can enjoy and share. True contentment is the cure for comparison.

“Why are you so anxious? Why are you so annoyed about your life? Because you compare—and comparison is poison.”

One moment that hit close to home was when he talked about generosity. We’ll drive across town for a perfect $6 coffee, but hesitate to give $5 in offering. “This isn’t about guilt,” he said. “It’s heart training.” The call was simple: practice generosity when you have little so that when you have more, your heart is ready.

Generosity is not about how much we have—it’s about who we trust.

Knowledge Without Godliness

The church in Ephesus was struggling with false teachers who loved to argue, debate, and divide. Their knowledge had outgrown their humility. “Stop measuring spirituality by vocabulary,” Pastor Josh warned.

He reflected on his own journey through theological pride—how easy it is to think knowledge equals holiness. “I used to think I was more spiritual because I knew more,” he said. “But that kind of pride divides people and destroys churches.”

True faith produces gentleness, not arrogance. It makes us humble, not superior. If your presence constantly creates sides or friction, something in the heart needs to change. Faith that only talks but does not love is empty. Real faith doesn’t boast—it serves.

The Better Pursuit

Paul’s final charge to Timothy is clear: “Fight the good fight of the faith.”

“We have bigger fish to fry,” Pastor Josh said. “God has more for you than comfort or status.”

What should we fight for instead?

• Righteousness — living with integrity when no one is watching.
• Godliness — becoming more like Christ in attitude and action.
• Faith — trusting God even when life is uncertain.
• Love — serving others without expecting return.
• Steadfastness — holding on when life is hard.
• Gentleness — responding with grace, not pride.

This is not a loud religion. It’s a quiet fight that happens in homes, offices, and hearts. It’s about choosing to forgive, to serve, and to give even when it’s inconvenient. “Stop making Christianity about your Sunday service,” Josh said. “Make your whole life worship.”

A Life Worth Fighting For

In the end, Pastor Josh drew it all together: circumstances shouldn’t define us, money shouldn’t master us, and knowledge shouldn’t puff us up. What God wants is a heart that looks like His Son.

“Christianity is not about becoming successful; it’s about becoming like Christ.”

Life is short. Even a hundred years is a blink compared to eternity. Jesus—immortal, holy, unapproachable in light—gave up everything for us. So we fight, not for comfort, but for faith. Not for riches, but for righteousness.

Followers of Christ fight to remember that everything we have and everything we are belongs to Him. “Jesus is worth it,” Pastor Josh closed. “Worth living for, worth losing for, worth fighting for.”