You Can Endure

My favorite boxer was Muhammad Ali. His tag line was “float like a butterfly and sting like a bee.” If you ever saw him fight he had this unmistakable bounce and spring in his step that always seemed to befuddle his opponents. He was the heavyweight champion on three separate occasions. I also loved to watch Mike Tyson fight. Although he was not as eloquent as Muhammed Ali (huge understatement), he spoke one truth that has stuck with me from the minute I heard it. “Everybody has a plan to beat me until I hit them in the mouth.” What do you do after you have planned and strategize your journey and suddenly life rises on the balls of its feet and dances right, then left like Ali, then plants and fires a monstrous Mike Tyson left hook and follows up with a bone crushing right uppercut? You feelin that?

In the ring the boxer is alone and must face his opponent alone. In this man’s world you have the Holy Spirit to call on when the onslaught of life begins. The blows may come heavy and often. The blows may stagger you or even push you to the mat, but as you rise and you will rise, remember the fight is not yours. In fact the fight is “rigged” in your favor. Open your spiritual eyes.

“Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, LORD, so that he may see.” Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 2 Kings 6:16-17

I heard a preacher say… “He may not come when you want Him, but you will want Him when he comes.”

My God, my father, my protector, my counselor… Be a hedge of protection around all that read these words. Walk with them today as you have the day before and the day before. The principalities of this man’s world are forever on the attack to discourage and dismay. The evil one seeks to befuddle our hearts and minds. My God… Help us to expand your territory of faithful believers through our testimony of your goodness and mercy. Help us to use our testimony in the midst of a battle that you have already won to encourage someone embattled and on the brink of going to the mat under the Mike Tyson type blows of life. Help us as believers to be able to translate your word in the simplest of terms…

…This is what the LORD says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. 2 Chronicles 20:15

Amen