In Understanding: How to Fight the Good Fight of Faith, Kenneth E. Hagin—widely known as the “Father of the Word of Faith movement”—teaches believers the biblical principle of living victoriously through faith in Jesus Christ. The book provides a step-by-step guide to walking in spiritual authority, aligning one’s confession with God’s Word, and understanding the believer’s rights in Christ.
Hagin’s primary message in this book is simple yet transformative: faith is not a struggle against the world or people—it’s a spiritual fight to remain rooted in the truth of God’s Word. The “good fight” is good because it has already been won by Jesus. The believer’s task is to stand firm in that victory through understanding and faith-based action.
This comprehensive guide walks through six illuminating chapters covering every foundational aspect of victorious Christian living—from understanding the new birth to learning how to act on God’s Word. The insights are deeply practical, reinforced by real-life testimonies from Hagin’s personal ministry experience.
Let’s explore the six chapters in detail and then review the core message Kenneth Hagin aims to convey through this dynamic teaching.
Chapter 1: Understanding the New Birth
Hagin begins the book by addressing the foundational truth of the Christian walk—the New Birth. Quoting 2 Corinthians 5:17, “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature,” he teaches that salvation is more than forgiveness—it is a total transformation of the human spirit.
Key Ideas
- The New Birth is a supernatural event, not a behavior modification. When a person receives Christ, their spirit is reborn by the power of the Holy Spirit.
- However, many believers fail to live victoriously because they don’t understand what happened at the new birth. They remain dominated by old thought patterns and emotional habits.
Hagin emphasizes that at salvation, only the spirit is reborn—the mind and body remain unchanged until disciplined by the Word of God. Therefore, understanding the new identity in Christ is essential for walking in faith.
Personal Illustration:
Hagin shares his own healing testimony as a teenager. After years of sickness, he learned from Scripture that healing belonged to him as a child of God. Once he understood his New Birth, his faith was awakened to claim divine health.
Lesson
Understanding the New Birth gives believers confidence that they are no longer victims but victors. Faith is grounded in identity—the awareness of being a new creation in Christ.
Chapter 2: Understanding Our Place in Him
The second chapter expands on the believer’s union with Christ. Hagin teaches that believers are not separate from Jesus but have been spiritually positioned in Him—seated with Him in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6).
Key Insights
- Being “in Him” means that all Christ accomplished—righteousness, victory, authority—now belongs to us by inheritance.
- Many Christians pray as though Christ is distant, but Hagin stresses that Jesus lives within the believer through His Spirit.
He explains that the reason many struggle to exercise faith is that they approach God as beggars rather than as sons and daughters with full legal rights.
Practical Application:
To develop this consciousness, Hagin encourages believers to meditate on “in Him” Scriptures, such as:
- In Him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28)
- I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13)
- He who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him (1 Corinthians 6:17)
Lesson
Faith grows easily when you are aware of your spiritual position. Once you grasp your identity “in Christ,” you cease striving and start reigning.
Chapter 3: Understanding Righteousness
Righteousness, Hagin teaches, is the believer’s right standing with God through Christ—not earned, but gifted. Many Christians struggle with guilt and condemnation, which hinder their prayer life and faith.
Core Teachings
- True righteousness is imputed (given) at salvation. It is not based on human goodness but Christ’s substitutionary sacrifice.
- The devil’s primary weapon is condemnation. He reminds believers of their past sins to steal their confidence.
- Yet Scripture reminds us: “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).
Illustration:
Hagin recounts times when he approached God feeling unworthy until the Holy Spirit reminded him that righteousness is not a feeling but a spiritual fact. Recognizing righteousness produced fearless confidence in prayer.
Lesson
Understanding righteousness restores boldness before God. It allows believers to pray, act, and command with assurance—knowing they stand accepted in Christ.
Chapter 4: Understanding Our Legal Right to the Name of Jesus
This chapter unveils one of Hagin’s most dynamic teachings—the authority contained in the Name of Jesus.
Key Insights
- Every believer has the legal right to use the Name of Jesus in prayer, healing, and spiritual warfare.
- The Name represents the person and power of Jesus Himself. When spoken in faith, it carries the authority of heaven.
Hagin draws on John 14:13–14:
“Whatever you ask in My Name, I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”
He calls this “the power of attorney of heaven.” The problem is that many use the Name without understanding its covenant basis.
Illustration:
Hagin shares stories from his healing ministry, recounting people delivered from sickness or oppression simply by invoking Christ’s Name. These testimonies underscore the reality that authority has already been delegated to the Church.
Lesson
Understanding the legal right to use Jesus’ Name empowers the believer to stand boldly against sickness, sin, and Satan. As Hagin writes, “Heaven recognizes the believer’s words when they come in the authority of that Name.”
Chapter 5: Understanding How to Act on God’s Word
Knowledge alone does not produce results; action does. In this chapter, Hagin argues that faith must be acted upon to produce reality.
Key Points
- Believing is not enough until it’s accompanied by acting as if the Word is true.
- He references James 1:22—“Be doers of the Word, not hearers only.”
- Many Christians pray for blessings already promised, instead of acting on the Word that reveals those blessings as present possessions.
Example:
Hagin shares how, when paralyzed as a youth, he believed he was healed in theory, but the manifestation came only when he acted—by pulling his legs off the bed and standing up in faith.
Practical Steps
- Find the Scripture: Identify God’s promise regarding your need.
- Believe and Declare: Accept it as true now, not in the future.
- Take Action: Begin acting in alignment with what the Word says, not what circumstances show.
Lesson
Faith is acting on God’s Word as if it were already accomplished. Understanding this turns passive believers into powerful overcomers.
Chapter 6: Understanding Our Confession
In this final chapter, Hagin focuses on the power of words—a signature theme throughout his teachings.
Key Truths
- What you say is what you believe. Confession determines possession.
- Negative confession (fear, doubt, weakness) gives the enemy legal access.
- Positive confession (faith, victory, healing) activates spiritual realities.
He draws on Mark 11:23:
“Whoever says unto this mountain, ‘Be removed,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that those things he says will come to pass, he shall have whatever he says.”
Illustration:
Hagin recounts how he learned the law of confession on his sickbed. As he began vocalizing his faith instead of weakness, healing manifested. What we continually say shapes both our thoughts and destiny.
Practical Application
- Confess boldly: Speak God’s Word aloud daily.
- Correct confession: Align every statement with Scripture.
- Consistent confession: Keep declaring even when results delay.
Lesson
Faith requires corresponding confession. Your words are spiritual seeds; understanding how to speak faith uproots defeat and establishes victory.
About the Author: Kenneth E. Hagin
Kenneth Erwin Hagin (1917–2003) was an American preacher, teacher, and founder of Rhema Bible Training College in Oklahoma. Known as the pioneer of the modern Word of Faith movement, Hagin emphasized the authority of believers, divine healing, and victorious Christian living.
He was miraculously healed at age 17 from a congenital heart disease and paralysis after discovering the power of faith in Mark 11:23–24. This personal miracle became the cornerstone of his lifelong ministry.
Throughout his career, Hagin wrote over 100 books, including classics like The Believer’s Authority, How to Be Led by the Spirit of God, and Love: The Way to Victory. His teachings continue to shape churches and ministries worldwide.
More about Kenneth Hagin Ministries (RHEMA)
Founded in 1974, Kenneth Hagin Ministries (RHEMA) serves as a global center for teaching biblical faith and equipping ministers. The organization operates Rhema Bible Training College, which has trained ministers serving in over 110 nations.
The ministry’s outreach includes:
- Faith Library Publications: Publishing Kenneth Hagin’s books, manuals, and devotionals.
- Rhema Praise Broadcasts: Weekly TV and radio teachings.
- Campmeeting & Rhema Bible Church: Major gatherings emphasizing Holy Spirit power and faith excellence.
Hagin Ministries’ driving vision is to “teach God’s people who they are in Christ and what they can do through faith in His Word.”
The Message Kenneth Hagin Wants to Convey
Across all six chapters, Hagin’s message centers on victorious faith and spiritual understanding. He believed many Christians lived far below their inheritance simply because they didn’t understand their rights in Christ or how to apply faith practically.
Core Truths from the Book:
- Faith is the only fight worth fighting.
Believers are not called to battle demons, sin, or circumstances directly but to stand firm in faith that Jesus has already conquered. - The New Birth establishes a new identity.
The Christian life flows from a renewed spirit, empowered and indwelt by God. - Knowledge brings authority.
You can’t exercise rights you don’t know you possess. Understanding Scripture reveals your position of victory. - Confession seals faith.
What you continually declare shapes your reality. Words are creative power tools that bring God’s promises to life. - Faith acts.
Believers must move beyond theory—true faith acts on the Word as absolute fact. - Victory is already secured in Christ.
The Christian life is not about achieving triumph; it’s about maintaining the stance of a victor.
Summarized Message
Kenneth Hagin’s call is for believers to renew their minds, speak God’s Word boldly, and live from their position in Christ. By understanding who they are and what they possess, Christians will stop struggling for victory and start living in it.
Review: Why This Book Still Empowers Readers
- Practical Ministry Tool: Hagin’s writing style is conversational, infused with real examples that simplify complex truths.
- Faith-Centric Focus: Every chapter uplifts believers to reject fear and claim authority.
- Applicable to Every Believer: Whether new to faith or seasoned in ministry, the principles apply universally.
- Enduring Influence: Decades after its publication, the book continues to transform lives by bridging theology with practice.
Final Reflection
Kenneth E. Hagin’s Understanding: How to Fight the Good Fight of Faith remains a timeless manual for victorious Christian living. It teaches that faith is not an emotion but a decision grounded in understanding—a lifestyle sustained by love, confidence, and confession of God’s truth.
The book’s heartbeat is empowerment: when believers truly understand their position in Christ, they’ll no longer live as victims of circumstances but as masters of them—walking daily in divine authority, joy, and peace.
FAQs
Q1 What is the main theme of “How to Fight the Good Fight of Faith”?
The book teaches believers how to live victoriously by applying principles of faith, confession, and authority in daily life.
Q2 Why is it called a “good fight”?
Because the fight of faith is already won through Christ’s victory—our role is to claim that victory.
Q3 How can I apply this book’s lessons in my life?
By understanding your identity in Christ, confessing His Word, and acting on faith despite circumstances.
Q4 Is this book suitable for new believers?
Absolutely. Hagin explains spiritual truths in simple, relatable language ideal for beginners.
Q5 What makes Kenneth Hagin’s teachings unique?
His deep revelation of faith, rooted in Scripture and proven through real-life experiences, continues to transform lives globally.