The Gloves Will Soon Come off...
Have you ever felt like just when everything is working out right, something goes wrong on the inside? You feel like a boxer right before getting a knocked out.....
Fights don't just happen in the ring, they happen in our hearts and our souls. The echoes of the burden of the cross ring in our ear, the temptations of our savior before his adversary, the denial of his followers, the betrayal of Judas, the doubting of Thomas, the misfortune of Paul's battle. "The things I want to do, I do not do. The things I do not want to do, I do."(1) Even the great Epistle writer Paul, of which 13 books of the New Testament our his, struggled. He spoke of the "thorn in the flesh", something that takes away your stamina, something that haunts your joy and stalks your ministry. That fight that never ends and always promises another battle.....
But, what does Jesus say? "Be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world(your disease, your hardship, your unfaithfulness, your injustices, your suffering, your pain, your enemies, your disbelief, your fear, your folly, your sin, your fight...." Despite everything we think is holding us back, the savior says "Be of good cheer....?"(2) He conquered sin and death, not because we deserved it but because is love is deserving. His love is all-encompassing. We may face battles but God has already won the war. We know how this all ends. We know the final outcome. It all comes out in the wash because....We Win!!!!
Everyone has fights and sometimes those battles are internal, in our minds, in our homes, in our hearts and many times those are the ones that sting the most. But we also face external enemies that gnaw at our being and find us wondering what this faith stuff is for anyway? Or it questions our ministry? Or it reminds us of our weakest points? It tells that we aren't good enough...It tells we won't succeed and that they road is too long, too hard, too arduous a task to finish. And yet, God says stay focused and have a pleasant demeanor, it's already been taken care of. Have peace through me, the world has been conquered through me. There is no condemnation! Yes, for my love has overcome the multitude of sins and my patience allows you to be covered in my hope for your tomorrow. Then we remember these words from Paul:
"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." 2 Timothy 4:7
The prize fighter has stepped into the ring in the final seconds; a upper left hook and the enemy is vanquished. The sting of death, the denigration of defeat, the sore of sorrow, the hurt of heartbroken is over and we are free, free indeed.
1.) Romans 7: 15
2.) John 16: 33
