Finish Strong!

2021-10-24 

Charles Billingsley 

2 Timothy 4:6-8 

6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. 

1. Fight the Good Fight and Live your Life with No Retreats

2 Timothy 2:3

You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

W.I.N. - What’s Important Now

A. Choose your Battles Carefully 

B. Stay Prepared for Battle 

Ephesians 6:12b
“but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” 

C. Fight from your Knees

2. Keep the Faith and Live your Life with No Regrets 

2 Timothy 2:6-7

6 The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops. 7 Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things.

 2 Timothy 2:15

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 

A. Faithfulness in the work 

 2 Timothy 3:12-15

12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. 13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

2 Corinthians 11:24-28

24 From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26 in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, inperils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27 in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness— 28 besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches. 

2 Timothy 4:17a

But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear.

B. Faithfulness to the word 

2 Timothy 4:1-5

1 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

3. Finish Strong and Finish your Race with No Reserves 

A. Stay Alert - Don’t get Distracted by Something, or Someone!  

B. Stay the course!  

1. Fight the Good Fight and Live your Life with No Retreats

2. Keep the Faith and Live your Life with No Regrets 

3. Finish Strong and Finish your Race with No Reserves 

4. Focus on the Reward

2 Timothy 4:8

Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only