Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
Hebrews 12:2-4
When the Revolutionary War started, John Paul Jones volunteered his services to the newly formed United States Navy. He had captained commercial ships for several years and was given command of the USS Bonhomme Richard, a French merchant vessel converted for military service. Jones was ordered to attack shipping near England, and in September of 1779 he engaged a British warship named HMS Serapis. Because the British ship was built for war, it was stronger and faster and inflicted severe damage on Jones’ ship. Realizing he could not win a duel of cannons, Jones ordered his ship brought alongside and tied to the enemy vessel. When the British captain asked if he was willing to surrender, Jones famously replied, “I have not yet begun to fight.” After more than three hours of fighting, the British ship surrendered.
In the Christian life we often face battles. While God gives us the power to overcome sin through His grace, we are not always victorious. And while we don’t like to admit it, sometimes the reason we are defeated is because we are not willing to fight as hard as we should. We resist a temptation initially, but do not completely close the door to it. We take a stand for what is right only to back down when pressure follows. We tiptoe up to the line trying to see how close we can get before crossing it. Instead we are called to fight through difficulty and hardship, standing firm in our commitment to the Lord and to what is right. “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (2 Timothy 2:3).
