Okay, so the fight didn’t pan out like I had hoped.
As a champion of the underdog—I always pull for the unlikely winner—I wanted Miguel Cotto to triumph over Floyd Mayweather in Saturday night’s fight at the MGM Grand. But the champ proved too elusive.
Oh well.
Not one to rain on anyone’s parade, I tip my hat to Mayweather and “The Money Team.” It was a job well done. The match was entertaining and enough to satisfy this boxing junkie’s appetite for action, so I can’t really complain.
I think my affection for the sport might be rubbing off on the kids, although none of them is interested in actually watching fights.
“Let’s play boxing,” I overheard our oldest son Kedar, 8, say to our youngest, Kaleb, 6, the other day.
“Wait guys!” I called out nervously, imagining an accidental blow turning into a serious injury. “I think you should do something other than box because the two of you could get hurt.”
Then I explained that boxing is a professional and brutal sport, not a game that should be engaged in by two little brothers. I told my enrapt audience of two all about the protective boxing gloves fighters wear and the strategy that goes into winning.
After my explanation, they seemed to understand why hitting each other, even playfully, wasn’t a great idea. “Let’s leave the fighting to the professionals, okay?”
They obeyed and opted to play matchbox cars instead.
I think we could all apply the advice I disseminated to my boys in order to avoid a rough-and-tumble losing spiritual battle in each of our own lives.
When it comes to fighting the enemy, it isn’t a game. It takes wisdom, understanding, strategy and power to win. And since our fight is not natural, but spiritual, we are not equipped to step into the ring and fight on our own.
Too often we see natural manifestations in our lives without looking at the spiritual implications behind them. But what happens in the seen realm is controlled by that which is unseen.
When things begin going haywire, don’t make the mistake of having a natural response to a spiritual problem. Rather, go to God, who is able to empower us all, by His spirit, to go to war and win.
To remind you to do this, I’m stirring 2 Corinthians 10:4 NIV into your cup of inspiration. It says, “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.”
When you drink down the contents of your cup, you will rejoice in the fact that God doesn’t ask or expect you to fight the enemy on your own. You don’t have what it takes, oh but there is a Greater One on the inside of you who is indestructible, invincible, and intent on giving you the victory every time.
So if you have been trying to fight in your own strength, stop it right now.
Give it over to God. Seek Him in prayer, invite Him in through worship, and make your life His dwelling praise through praise.
When You put the fight in His capable hands, you will win every time.
Now let’s pray.
God, I thank You for letting me know that I, in my own strength, do not have the ability to fight the battles that show up in my life. Whenever I feel tempted to take matters into my own hands, please put me in remembrance of Zechariah 4:6. It is not by might, nor by power, but by Your spirit that I win. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
As always, thanks for reading and until next time... may today's cup of inspiration uplift, encourage, and empower you!
