A Fixed Fight!

Encourage yourself in the Lord and know that the fight is fixed. One must inspire or cheer themselves on in this combat for salvation.

Christians are to understand that they are soldiers and as such, should always be battle ready. This time, however, the fight is not a carnal one. It is not against flesh and blood neither is it against the physical man. It is a spiritual fight, a fight against the impediments between God and man. The mortal man wants to act as he wills and deems fit. Keeping the balance between spirituality and physicality is, therefore, the task.
For the mortal man, doing right can be quite uneasy. There are worldly distractions that try to avert a believer’s mind from God and there are so many of them. Remembering that this battle cannot be won alone is the first step to surmounting obstacles. God is not just a master but a friend. The ability to run to him when the going is tough keeps one on track. Derailing is easy especially in the present day world where lots of confusions abound and being good is sometimes taken for weakness. The reason it is quite easy to want to compromise to not be seen as a weakling.

God never promised that the path to him would be an easy one. Jesus in spite of being the second person in the Trinity encountered a lot of stumbling blocks on his journey; the Apostles inclusive. What kept them was revelation, insight, and determination to motivate as well as encouragement. The struggle will not be easy, but with God anything is possible.

The battle is not for the swift. The flesh wants to be satisfied; never wants to leave its comfort zone. It always wants to do the things that are convenient. But with the mindset that the most convenient things are not always the right things, it would be easier to walk with God. It is convenient to preach “flee fornication, flee adultery, flee idolatry, flee backbiting, flee this and that” But the truth remains that it is not always justifiable. They are not easy to flee because they benefit the flesh. The devil our adversary, is not ready to back out and leave us alone to do the will of the Father.

Staying good for God’s sake becomes a lifestyle when the insight of a glorious future is seen. Boxers train with an expectation in mind and it is nothing short of being a champion. When good is done with God in mind, it is easier to keep doing good and being good irrespective of people’s perception towards you.

As Christians, we must never forget who we are. It is easy for a boxer to keep up with the rigors of training when he never forgets who he is and where he is headed. Also, total dependence on God cannot be done without. A Christian must acknowledge that he or she is too weak to fight the battle alone. Romans 8:8 KJV “So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.” This verse of the scripture says it all. Flesh, as used in the biblical text, refers to the carnal man.

No boxer becomes so named without training, both personally and with the aid of a coach and trainings are yet, not sufficient. Boxers also have to build a healthy eating habit that is suited for the profession and their diet regimen is important. The right diet helps their courage, boosts their strength and helps them effectively put into practice the teachings and trainings they’ve had to go through and learn. This can be a sense of cheering you on for support within yourself.

The boxer’s diet can be likened to the fruit of the spirit. It is not enough for anyone to accept Jesus Christ as his or her personal Lord and Savior. What shows the difference is the fruits of the spirit that the believer exudes.

The book of Galatians 5:22-23 enumerated these fruits to be love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance.

The ingested fruits of the spirit by virtue of salvation are expected to be produced in the manifest act of a believer. The question that is necessary at this junction is if a person can manifest something that he or she does not carry. Just like the boxers diet helps them and augments training recovery, so does the fruit of the spirit. God never promised us a journey without trials and tribulations for even the only begotten son of God had to go through this phase. The reason patience is a fruit of the spirit. The ability to be able to trust God and wait on him amidst conflict.

Boxers don’t just live on a diet, they must also make sure to follow the required consistency and timing prescribed for their meals. Same way Christians can never overdose on the fruits of the spirit. Boxers are heavy eaters who require food before even morning workouts. In the same vein are Christians encouraged to be heavy consumers of the word of God. The word of God must be ingested into the believer’s system daily and with consistency.

Boxers are fit because of the modules of training and workout sessions they have to go through. The same way battles and tribulations keep Christians in shape. The moment you stop fighting, you are deemed to have given up. What is the reward of a fighter who quits before the end of a fight? Just like a boxer’s meal needs to contain all the classes of food and most importantly, in the right proportion, so does the life of a soldier of Christ. The fight, therefore, continues until Christ comes, which shall give you hope.

Above all, it is imperative to always remember that to remain fit as a fighter in the army of the Lord, you must put on the whole armor of God. What better way to do this than to have faith in the one who has called you to his marvelous light, believing that he is too just to leave you halfway through the journey.

ENCOURAGING THOUGHTS: In all these things dear brethren, let 1 1Thessalonians 5:24 abide with you always. “For faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it.” Remember always, that you are never alone. Shalom!