You're Equipped!

If you're facing controversy and confusion at the hands of your enemies and detractors today, by the time you finish reading this post, you will be sure that it was ordained by God for you to read it! As you may already know, I'm a boxing aficionado. I love, love, love the sport of boxing! I'll watch both amateur and professional matches with equal interest and enthusiasm. Of  course, the majority of boxing fans love a good knock-out ... I'm definitely among them. My favorite fighter right now? Miguel Cotto... his relentless body punches are brutal.

As much as I love a knock-out, however, there's something else that intrigues me even more. That is, watching a skilled fighter wear down his opponent with precision. It's a thing of beauty. You see, the most skilled fighters know that brute force alone is not enough to consistently win fights. Technique and precision, coupled with strength and tenacity, trumps mere strength any day.

Keep reading... I'm going somewhere with this... (and no, I'm not telling you to knock out the folks who are coming against you... even if you feel like it sometimes).

Back to what I was saying... if you have a strong fighter that hasn't gone through the physical and mental conditioning necessary to endure those long grueling 10-12 rounds--no matter how talented they are-- they won't be able to perform well, once they get into the later rounds. As a result, they'll end up losing  fights to weaker opponents... all because they weren't conditioned.

What a shame.

But that's the way it is. Conditioning and preparation separates the good from the great.

The same is true in your walk with the Lord; it's a fight. You're absolutely going to face adversity and opposition from time-to-time. You'll come up against some strong, carnal opponents too... and they'll be looking to hit you with that knock-out blow. It might be a co-worker, a boss, a member of your church, or even a relative or so-called friend. Oh, like it or not, you're gonna deal with detractors, enemies, and foes on occasion.  But that's all right. As long as you've gone through the essential spiritual conditioning, you'll be fortified for the fight. While they're exploring angles, methods, and strategies to defeat you, you can be confident in the God of your salvation. You'll be able to say what David said to Goliath: "Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied..." (I Samuel 17:45 KJV).

While they're wearing themselves out, plotting, scheming, conniving, and backstabbing; God will show you exactly how to win out every time without even breaking a sweat. If the Lord is on your side, you don't need to worry about the plans they're devising. They won't work anyhow. Quit losing sleep and being preoccupied about things like: What they're saying, who they're saying it to, what all that false gossip will do to your reputation, what they're planning, whether or not it will work...

Let me save you the suspense... it won't work. "No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; and every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And their vindication is from Me," declares the Lord" (Isaiah 54:17 NAS).

"When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell" (Psalm 27:2 KJV).

As for how you'll handle the controversy... you'll breeze through it, because you've been equipped. You've been conditioned for this. What used to make you cry won't bother you this time. What used to send you retreating into a corner won't intimidate you this time. You're a trained fighter. That's why you don't  have to stoop to their level. You understand something fundamental: "(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)" (I Corinthians 10:4 KJV)

All that purging, pruning, and refining you had to go through (and still are going through) was only to ensure that you would have the strength to complete your assignment and come through the battle in tact.

I know you might feel like you're being thrust into the mouth of the lion today, but don't worry. You'll coast through this intense battle. Your opponents won't last... but you'll be victorious when the fight is over.

Just you wait and see.

As always, thanks for reading, and until next time... may you be empowered to prosper!

Dianna Hobbs