Blog

I have never gotten the appeal of boxing. Two guys hitting each other into a bloody pulp. Yeah, it’s not for me. But I will take advantage of a boxing analogy today to illustrate an important aspect of victory.

Boxers are trained to keep their hands up to protect their face, to keep their feet moving so they cannot be caught off guard. They are also trained to take a hit.

It’s boxing! So, they are guaranteed to get more than a few times in each fight. But there are good ways to take a hit and bad ways.

Spiritually speaking, we need to be prepared to take a hit. Are we promised a life of health and wealth? Quite the opposite! (See Matthew 5:10-12, John 15:20, I Corinthians 4:12, II Corinthians 4:9)

In John 16:33, Jesus tells us to take heart – the world will attack, but he has overcome the world. In other words, we may take a hit, we may lose a battle, but he has already won the war and ultimate victory is ours with him!

So, how do we train to take a hit?

·       Don’t be surprised by the hit (John 15:20).

·       Don’t be defeated by the hit (John 16:33).

·       Don’t lose sight of the trainer (Hebrews 12:2).

·       Consider it as pure joy and a growth opportunity (James 1:2-4).

This week, we close our focus on spiritual training for victory with training to take a hit. There will be two more blogs on victory next week before we transition to a focus on Joy and Contentment.

Have some thoughts on those topics? Please share! We would love to include your stories and your input. Just email us at ironrosesister@gmail.com

• victory

When no other Israelite would go against Goliath, David stepped up. His brothers were trembling at the threats; David became indignant that someone would defy Israel, God’s name and God’s people.

However, when David began to inquire about fighting the giant, he was accused of seeking his own glory.

“When Eliab, David’s oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle.”” ~ I Samuel 17:28

The man after God’s own heart – conceited or wanting God to shine?

A few verses later, we get our answer…

“David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”” ~ I Samuel 17:45-47

When you think of the story of David and Goliath, who do we credit with the victory? Our first thought is likely David. We recognize the person who has tasted the victory and can neglect to give honor and glory to the one who made the victory possible.

Let’s take a moment to hail the true conquering hero – the One who grants us victory by his name.