Introduction: While leaning over the bedside of a dying 87-year-old Christian man, this writer urged him to “Finish Strong.” 

He had fought bravely for over thirteen months for our country in Vietnam, accumulating a total of 24 yrs of service in the military. His family shared that he had practically lived in a fox hole. Therefore, when he retired from the army, he wanted his hands and finger nails to be clean. Fireworks, gunshots, and loud noises seem to put him on alert. He was a soldier. CHRISTians are compared to soldiers.

1. We are to ENDURE HARDNESS! (2Tim 2:1-3)

“Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. 3Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 4No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.”

Are you enduring?

2. We are to FIGHT the Good Fight of Faith! (1Tim 6:12)

“Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called.”

Keep fighting soldier!

3. We are to WAR against principalities! (Eph 6:10-18)

“2For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

We must know our enemy. Do you?

4. We will return with Jesus Christ who will SMITE the nations! (Rev 19:15,16)

“And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

Jesus wins!

5. We will FINISH our course! (2Tim 4:7,8)

“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”

One day we will see Jesus!

Conclusion: Do you want to FINISH STRONG? Continue to fight the good fight.