Where Is Your Fight?

By Andy Zoppelt

Matt 11:12-13, "And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and
violent men take it (heaven) by force." NAS

The kingdom is forced, is stormed, like a rushing wind and is taken by men of violent determination. It speaks
of those who make every effort to enter the kingdom regardless of the violent opposition; nothing can stop their
determination. No crowd, no opposition, no situation, no emotion, no person and certainly no Devil. They are
driven by a hunger to have God's blessing.

Consider the woman who had the issue of blood, she pressed through the crowds to touch the hem of Jesus'
garment. Think of the men who carried their sick friend on his bed and tore open the roof to get him to Jesus.

Paul exhorted his disciple Timothy: "But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness,
godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you
were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses." 1 Tim 6:11-13,
NKJV)

"Pursue," "fight" and "lay hold," are strong words, but they describes the kind of action that it will take to
overcome in this life. Don't sit back and let the devil have your life, get up and stand for who you are in Christ.
That is what Paul was saying to Timothy and God is saying it to us in the middle of our trials….Fight!

"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:" (2 Timothy 4:7).

Paul was a fighter and every demon knew his name. When the seven sons of Sceva tried to cast out the
demons, they replied. "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?" (Acts 19:15, NKJV)

Paul was not a loser, though he undergone the severest of trials.

The writer of Hebrews list the men of determination and faith, Heb 11:33-38, "who through faith conquered
kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the
fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who
became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again.
Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced
jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two;
they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and
mistreated- the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and
holes in the ground." NIV

Where is your faith? Are you standing against the situations in your life or are you complaining.

Think of the children of Israel, they complained and complained and never learned the meaning and purpose of
the testing of the Lord.

Do you find yourself confused, frustrated, overwhelmed, discouraged and fearful? Do you find one trial coming
after another? Does you life seem hopeless… praise God this is your step into the kingdom. Fight! Don't lie
down and complain, God is able!

We need to fight like we never did before, the kingdom is at stake.

Hosea the prophet warned the cowardly Jews of their spineless condition, he points them to Jacob, from whom
they derived their name. Jacob was an example of a man determined to be blessed of God.
Hos 12:1-5, "Ephraim feeds on wind, And pursues the east wind continually (vain in their hope); He multiplies
lies and violence (trust in deception). Moreover, he makes a covenant with Assyria, And oil is carried to Egypt
(trust in man). The LORD also has a dispute with Judah, And will punish Jacob according to his ways; He will
repay him according to his deeds. (he now points them Jacob) In the womb he (Jacob) took his brother by the
heel, And in his maturity he contended with God. Yes, he wrestled with the angel and prevailed; He wept and
sought His favor. He found Him at Bethel And there He spoke with us, ("us," it is a word for all of us… the house
of bethel)." NASU

It is a word for us today to "snap out of it."

Jacob performed four things that they and we need to see.
He took his brother by the heel.
He contended with God.
He wept and sought His (God's) favor.
He found Him at Bethel.

1. He took his brother by the heel

From the very womb he wrestled and fought for the blessing. Though his methods might have been wrong, his
heart was right. If the kingdom isn't worth the fight for you, you aren't worth the kingdom. We are to "strive" to
enter the narrow gate. Jacob was a hungry determined man of God and was willing to fight for it…. from the
cradle to the grave. He was determined to have everything that God had for him."

Esau represents those that sell out to pleasure and the needs of this world. Though they have the right to the
promise at birth through Christ's death on the cross, they do not have the right in life without a fight.

When something is of great value to you, you will fight for it. The offer of the kingdom has been so lowered
today, that men of appetite think they can posses that which is only for the hungry.

Hosea was rebuking Israel for claiming something they did not posses. They possessed the spirit of Esau and
not their father Jacob. They were uncaring, lazy and rich.

Let that be a warning for "us."

It is for this reason that so many are bound by besetting sins. Habits they cannot kick and situations they
cannot break through, they are bound in the slavery to their carnal nature. They are too lazy and too
undisciplined to fight. We got to fast our way out, pray our way out, read our way out and commit our way out.
Lazy, careless people go nowhere.

2. He contended with God. Yes, he wrestled with the angel and prevailed. The final conflict

Jacob was not a quitter; he rolled up his sleeves to fight. Though Laban took advantage of him, he kept on
going. When God spoke to him and told him to leave, he didn't hang around…. He left. He was concerned about
his family and obedient to God. He was a compassionate, caring and obedient man.

Later when Jacob heard of Esau and his 400 riders, he knew what to do…. cross the Jabbok and have it out with
God. He was not willing to go any further until he had it out with God and God blessed him.

We have to be tested if we are going to go on with God. We can't keep hiding behind our comfort and laziness.
We got to jump out of the boat and walk on our problems. We got to get our problems under our heels and not
over our heads. If we don't understand and enjoy the test, we will never endure it. So you better get up and
fight if you expect to beat this trial your in.

We have to show up for the war if we are going to win the battle. Sleeping in a foxhole is dangerous.

3. Jacob wept and sought His (God's) favor.

Jacob was not wallowing in self-pity, but was weeping for God's favor.

Ps 126:6, "He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with
him." NIV

David cried out, "My tears have been my meat." (Ps 42:3)

Jeremiah was called the weeping prophet, let us hear his cry. "Oh, that my head were waters, And my eyes a
fountain of tears, That I might weep day and night For the slain of the daughter of my people!….. But if you will
not hear it, My soul will weep in secret for your pride; My eyes will weep bitterly and run down with tears,
Because the LORD's flock has been taken captive."

(Jer 9:1, Jer 13:17, NKJV)

Luke 7:44-45, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has
washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman
has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in." NKJV

Weeping and brokenness is the key to finding God's favor. You must press in with your tears.

4. He found Him at Bethel.

Bethel means the "house of God." Twice Jacob visited Bethel each time he encountered God. I believe this
represents the two ways in which we can encounter God: First, in our closets in prayer and second, in the
church with the brothers and sisters. Jacob first encountered God at Bethel alone after fleeing Esau. The second
time was after his two sons Simeon and Levi were angry with Shechem the Hivite who had raped their sister
Dinah. They killed and slew the entire town! The Lord then said to Jacob, "Go up to Bethel and settle there.."
(Gen 35:1, NIV)

It is the prayer closet that we directly fellowship with God.

It is also in church and among believers we fellowship with Him.

1 John 1:7, "But if we walk in the light (with God), as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another,
and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin." NIV

Our relationship must be expressed in intimacy with God and a love for one another. If we don't have that, it is
doubtful that we are really pursuing Him or know Him. We are commanded to "Not forsaking the assembling of
ourselves together." Heb 10:25

We are in a covenant relationship with God; there is no place for indifference and laziness. Covenant demands
intimacy. We are to be one, not two! Let's work at it and weep over it and seek God over it! Let's work through
the conflicts until we love God and love one another. Whenever we fail in love, we fail the house of Bethel.

There must be a place where that love is expressed… in the closet and in the gathering of the saints is the place
for the overcomers.

Conclusion

When God finds a believer with a hunger and a burning desire for His blessing, He lays upon him some of the
most trying of situations.

God is shaking and the Devil is working intensely in this last hour of warfare. The Lord is looking for vessels
trained in warfare, vessels that have prevailed over all the powers of Satan. We are in a preparation process
where God will bring the war to us and to see if we have the fight in us. We may not normally been disposed to
warfare - wake up; it's at your doorstep.

Ps 144:1, "Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teaches my hands to war, and my fingers to fight"

We are living in a time when everything will be turned upside down. The first shall be last and the last shall be
first. The more these saints suffer, the more intense the trials and the greater the work the Lord has prepared
for them.

Many Christians are expecting God to do great things without any cost on their part, which is a grave mistake.
They choose to buy the "pearl" at a discounted price. Many live their life as though this is all there is, but we
must pray, fast, obey and seek God's hand like we never have before. We are going to pay a price in this war,
and you will not hear that in the cheap grace gospel of today.

If we straighten up our walk with God now, everything else we are dealing with will fall into place.

Who among us is so consumed with pleasing God, that he would fight until he has defeated every enemy in his
life?

God will defend all that we surrender in obedience to Him. Let not the man that harbors secret sin thinks that
God will defend him. He must fight!

God is calling us fight; we need to get your eyes off our circumstances. You may feel disjointed, distant,
discouraged, disillusioned and disappointed. You may be wondering where your life is going. Your prayers may
seem like they are bouncing off the ceiling. You may be wearied from judgement and chastisement. Silence is
gripping your empty soul like cancer, eating away any sense of God's presence. You are facing closed doors,
unforeseen bills, obstacles and hindrances to your blessings, while others seem to be flowing in blessing and
success. You perceived the word filled with false hope and judgment. You wrestled with your reasoning until you
were flooded with criticism and doubt. The road back to God only seems to be an exercise in religious futility.

Brother and sister, it is time to fight!

Stop judging your present condition by your reasoning. Don't let your emotions take control; God is waiting for
you to in this battle!

He will send you revelation and draw you close to Himself. He will protect you from being defeated and
establish His power in you.

Just accept this trial as training for the bigger trials that are coming. Many will fall by the wayside as the trials
intensify, they will not have the "oil" and grace to endure. They have spent there time of frivolous things.

Dump all attitudes of defeat and stand up and fight! He has given you His Son and you have the victory … use
it. Brothers and sisters, we are not fighting for the victory, we are fighting from the victory. You just haven't
used it!

You are not going to hear God's voice until you are shut in with Him alone and down on your face before Him,
weeping, crying out, "Lord, I'm not letting go until I hear Your voice!"

Right now God is saying, "Come on, fight!" He wants you lay hold of all that He has for you. Get up in faith and
fight! You have been moaning long enough, God loves you and He is big enough to take care of you… Trust
Him! It makes no difference how big the situation, He is bigger. Fight!