from Ron Hutchcraft
Boxing! Some people like it and a lot of people don't. But those ever present "Rocky" movies sort of elevated boxing to a battlefield between the nice guy underdog and the not-so-nice favorite. A lot of boxing favorites thought it was sort of a rocky matchup when Evander Holyfield went against Mike Tyson some years ago for the WBA Heavyweight Championship. Now, Holyfield was a 25/1 underdog when the fight was booked. Tyson was the almost invincible Iron Mike, called by some commentators the baddest man on the planet. Well, much to almost everyone's surprise, including Las Vegas where a lot of money was lost, the underdog - Holyfield - soundly defeated Mike Tyson.
USA Today's lead sports story carried this headline "Holyfield puts faith in more than his fists." It went on to tell about the boxer's strong emphasis on prayer before and during the fight.
In fact, let me quote an amazing perspective from that article that goes way beyond boxing.
"Holyfield sang along to a gospel tune on his CD player before leaving his dressing room, leaving his camp in a joyous revival-style celebration." One fighter said, "It was as if the fight was a preliminary. He already won the main event in the dressing room."
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Winning the Fight Before It Begins."
Well, the new champ acted as if the fight had been won before he ever got in the ring because of his spiritual preparation.
I think many a bout with much higher stakes is won that way.
James 5:16, our word for today from the Word of God, "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."
Now, if you translate that verse more literally with the original word order in there, it comes out sort of clunky in English. But it goes like this, "Much the prayer of a righteous one has power to do as it works effectively." Big word - much - through prayer. That's what ultimately gets the job done.
Paul obviously recognized that the outcome of his ministry was largely decided by the prayer that his friends offered for him.
And boy, do I know that feeling. For example, he said in Colossians 4
, "Pray for us that God may open a door for our message."
Now, if Paul didn't find an open door when he went somewhere to present Christ, the message wouldn't get through. He implied that the openness of the door would be determined, not by his strategies but by the door-opening prayers of his friends. Again, boy, do I know about that.
He went on to say, "Pray that I may proclaim it clearly as I should."
Will Paul's preaching be clear and powerful? Well, that would be decided by the prayer that preceded his ministry. And so it goes throughout Paul's letters; appeals to pray for him and that the outcome would be decided in those prayers.
Well, 2,000 years have past, but the deciding factor in spiritual battles is still the same. It's not what personality we book for the meeting, or the great promotion, or the politics of having the right connections, or our excellent planning, or the great program. There's no power in any of those by themselves. The power is in prayer;
in God's people praying down the power and blessing of Almighty God as they go boldly into the Throne Room of the One who rules a hundred billion galaxies.
In other words, the battle isn't won in the planning meeting or in the public meeting. Spiritual victories are pre-won in a prayer meeting. All we do in the ring is pick up the victory that was won on our knees in the heavenlies before the fight ever began. So, whatever your battle, don't make the mistake of depending on your fists to win it.
Make prayer your number one way of getting things done. If you've won it in God's Throne Room, it's only a matter of time before you win it in the big fight. That's how an underdog can defy the odds and beat what seems unbeatable.
Thank you brother Ron for that TRUTH that has stood the test of time! Our LORD Jesus often prayed allowed for the STRENGTH HE needed to win the battle and plan that before HIM from His FATHER. He taught the disciples how to pray and the POWER of PRAYER. Remember how he said that if we had just the faith of one grain of a MUSTARD SEED that we could say to a tree to be moved or a mountain be cast into the sea.
It requires FAITH in believing that what you ask for will be given by our FATHER which hears us, loves us, and gave HIS SON for US. WHY WOULD HE withhold anything from us?????
It's all about being on our knees and asking in faith, believing THAT HE will hear us and respond to our requests.
NOW THEN, the BIBLE is clear that is we ask AMISS,(for silly things, carnal greedythings that matter not about furthering the cause of Christ or the Salvation of a soul or our dependence upon HIM and HIM alone)HE will not grant that. However, if we come with head and heart bowed before the Creator of ALL THINGS, and in sicerity ask for something rightly, a NEED we may have, how shall our Father who loves us not grant us our petitions?
It is all in our ATTITUDE before HIM, the POSTURE of ourselves before Almighty God, The REASON for the request.
It BEGINS with our RELATIONSHIP with HIM.
If there is sin in your life, you need to come before HIM, asking forgiveness and for cleansing of your sin(s), both known and unknown to you, that you have comitted against HIM who is HOLY and RIGHTEOUS and LOOKS upon the inward parts of your heart! You cannot fool GOD!
IF GOD is your FATHER, you are FAMILY!!!! As father to my children, they come and ask me for things growing up and even still today. As my children, I am prone and apt to give them what they ask for as long as it is appropriate and for the right reasons.
NOW, if these were NOT MY CHILDREN but rather some stranger, I would not pay them any attention.
The same is true with GOD! YOU MUST be a member of the FAMILY, HIS CHILD, a CHILD of the KING!!!, This makes you a PRINCE! An HEIR and JOINT HEIR with JESUS! Jesus is your BROTHER besides your savior and LORD!!!!
YOU MUST first be a family member is what I am saying.
Then He will hear you and respond accordingly.
Prayer is a powerful thing when it is offered up under the right circumstances and pre-determined conditions set by GOD, explained to us by Jesus Himself. All we need to do is by faith accept what HE has taught us and apply it, like Evander Holyfield did in that famous fight.
May God bless you and may today be the day you decide to accept JESUS as your Savior and Lord and become a child of the KING, a memeber of GOD's Family!
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