Fight the Good Fight

The Word of God tells us very clearly in 1 Corinthians 9:26 (NKJV):

Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus, I fight: not as one who beats the air.

Many of us are fighting the fight of our lives, and this is in many different areas, for example, in the economics of our business operation. It is like we have been knocked down for fourteen rounds and we are now in round fifteen, the last one. 

Well, I have good news for you. We need to do what the world champion boxer, Rocky Marciano, did. He had 49 pro fights and never lost one professional fight in his life. He was not the biggest. In fact, he was one of the smallest, barely 1,8m. He didn't weigh that much either, about 170 pounds (about 77Kg). He was fighting men of over 230 pounds (about 104Kg) in bodyweight. Jersey Joe Walcott split Rocky’s nose in the 13th round (in those days they never stopped the fight), but yet he came out of his corner in the 15th round and knocked Jersey Joe Walcott out cold. He could take pain and never gave up. They say, “It's not the boxer in the fight, it's the fight in the boxer that counts.”

My dear, fellow believer, it is time now to stand up. You say you can't go on anymore, but God says you can. You need to discipline yourself and bring your life into subjection. Remember that it is not the man that can deliver the punch, that is the winner, but it is the man who can take the punch that is the winner. We've seen that in life, time and time again.

This is not the time to throw in the towel. For those who are not familiar with boxing. In your corner you have your trainer, and he is watching you with a hawk eye. If we are taking a pounding that is so bad that it is damaging our health, then our corner will throw the towel into the ring. Automatically the fight is stopped, and your opponent becomes the champion. Never throw the towel in, because there is no way back from that - it is over. 

Maybe in these last few months, you felt like throwing in the towel. Well, the good news is that we have the Lord Jesus Christ in our corner and Jesus has told us to never throw in the towel. In fact, He says very clearly in Galatians 6:9 (NKJV) :

And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

Sometimes it takes 14 rounds of getting knocked down before we get the championship belt and we become winners.

Remember it's not how we start the fight that counts, it is how we finish the fight that counts. There are no winners at the beginning, only at the end. I encourage you to keep your guard up and your eyes on Jesus Christ. Deal with your problem and never turn your back on it, because that is sure defeat. Look your problem fully in the eyes and keep smiling. They tell me there is nothing more demoralising for the opponent, then to see you keep getting up every time he puts you down, and you have a big smile on your face. Eventually he becomes so demoralised, that he gives up. We have nowhere to run. Therefore, stand and Jesus will fight for you. 

Jesus bless you
Angus & Jill Buchan