Take Hold

2 Kings 11-12; 2 Chronicles 24; 1 Timothy 6 

“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.”

1 Timothy 6:12

“…As long as Jehoiada lived, burnt offerings were presented continually in the temple of the Lord…After the death of Jehoiada, the officials of Judah came and paid homage to the king, and he listened to them. They abandoned the temple of the Lord…”

2 Chronicles 24:14, 17, 18

Is our faith our own, or an environmental faith made convenient by the many people of faith around us?

Joash was mentored and raised by Jehoiada the priest, yet he never owned his faith personally. When the scaffolding was removed, his faith collapsed. We know whether our faith is genuine when we fight for it and take hold of it, even unsupported and at personal cost. As an adult, making our faith confession in front of witnesses is one of the ways we own our faith. 

Timothy made his “good confession”, or profession of faith, have we?

“Lord Jesus, fill me with faith and boldness this day to stand for you and your gospel, for your glory.”