““3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.””
In this modern day as well as when Jude wrote this letter, the Gospel, our faith in Christ- the very foundation of our believe is under attack by falsehood. Jude is asking us to contend for this faith.
You ask what does contend mean??
Answer: Fight, wrestle. Strong up for the truth, defend it.
Mathew 11:12 “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and men of violence take it by force.” You cannot fight for what you don’t understand.
Pray for the grace to content this faith. We must take it by force.
1 Timothy 6: 12-15 “12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you 14 to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords.”
We fight by walking in the righteousness of God in Christ, living a life of holiness because he is holy, Walking in truth because he is truth. It is putting our faith in the completed work, allowing Jesus the radiance of God’s glory to shine within and through us so that the dark world may see and come out of darkness. Pray for the zeal of God to consume his church so that we will embrace the totality of the gospel- Christ in us the hope of glory.
Isaiah 49:25 “For thus says the LORD: Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken and the prey of the tyrant be rescued, for I will contend with those who contend with you, and I will save your children.”
Pray that God will arise and contend for all those who have been taken captives by false hold, false prophets, and false teachers etc.
Psalm 35:1-3 “Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me! Take hold of shield and buckler and rise for my help! Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers! Say to my soul, “I am your salvation!”
Pray that the mighty man of war will arise with his weapons of war against these false pursuers in Jesus mighty name.
2 Peter 2:1 “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.”
We can only fight these false prophets with truth. The Bible says in John 8:32 “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Pray that the church will arise in prayer and the word of God. John 17:17 “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.”
Pray that the Spirit of God will locate and expose false prophets in our communities and show them mercy for repentance and if they do no repentance, they should be expelled them out of our cities.
Colossians 3:16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”
Pray that our cities will occupied with people filled with the word of God so that everyone is able to teach and admonish each other with spiritual wisdom and knowledge, as well as singing songs and hymns that brings encouragement and enrichment in the hearts of people. This will strengthen the faith and beliefs, as well as prevent people from falling as preys to falsehood.
1 Corinthians 9:25-26
1 Corinthians 9:25-26 “25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.”
Paul understood what he had to go through to make himself a certain spiritual man. What about us?The demands of God is unique to each one. There is a price that each one has to pay. Paul knew he was in a race, therefore he set a goal to fight and to get to his destination.? Pray that the church will put on this attitude of Paul. Some believers are never serious. Pray that the spirit of the Lord will help his church.
Matthew 13:25-30 “25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. 27 “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ 28 “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ 29 “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”
There is no part of the Bible talking about the devil sleeping, taking time off, short breaks, naps etc. Pray that the spirit of God will strengthen the church at the altar of prayer and the word. These are part of the tools to in fighting falsehood- 2 Timothy 2:15 “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” The Lord also has an appointed time for these falsehood. Ask God to take control.
Hebrews 1:1-4 “ 1 Long ago God spoke to the fathers by the prophets at different times and in different ways.2 In these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son. God has appointed Him heir of all things and made the universe through Him. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of His nature, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. 4 So He became higher in rank than the angels, just as the name He inherited is superior to theirs.” This is the Bible; revealing God and his plan for salvation for the fallen man through Christ.
Jesus- the way is the only one chosen by God- Pray that the church must embrace and teach these truth to protect it from foxes, vultures, etc
““1 awake, awake,
put on your strength, O Zion;
put on your beautiful garments,
O Jerusalem, the holy city;
for there shall no more come into you the uncircumcised and the unclean.””
Pray that the church will wake up from slumber, sluggishness, fainting ( men aught to pray and not faint) etc and receive strength from the Lord to stand against all these wickedness. The Lord says there shall be no more of such evil among us.
Amos 5:21-23 “21 “I hate, I despise your religious festivals; your assemblies are a stench to me. 22 Even though you bring me burnt offeringsand grain offerings, I will not accept them.Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them. 23 Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps.”
God hates the opening of all these religious activities called worship; worldly music has been added to church music- some have mimic worldly songs or use the rhythms to create worship songs- so to speak -to attract the youth to church- that is called compromise and there is no room for such foolishness in God’s word. There is only one standard and way- Jesus Christ- revealed in the word. Pray that the eyes of the church will be open. That is how the church opened its door to the devil’s agenda.
Thank the Lord for answers to prayers.