There are boxing matches where both contestants are winners not because it’s ruled a draw but instead because both fought bravely and smartly and effectively.
And then there are matches where the weaker, less skilled contestant had his hand raised by the referee not because he fought a good fight but instead because the stronger, more skilled contestant wasn’t prepared mentally and physically and let his emotions take over in the hostile setting, a sure recipe for defeat.
Simply stated, this was a case when the favored contestant lost the fight through failure rather than being defeated on his best day.
God desires every believer to experience spiritual victory and that’s why He sent Jesus into the world.
We are assured of victory as long as we keep fighting the good fight, according to the Apostle Paul.
Our battle is not against the heavyweight who packs a powerful left hook but against the scheming voices that lie to us about the neglect of God and “damaged goods” status of our ability to overcome challenges.
As long as we keep fighting, we haven’t lost.
Today’s One-Year Bible reading includes a verse that is so helpful to us with this need to not lose.
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.” (Psalm 100:5)
Satan couldn’t overcome the person, the purpose and the power of Jesus’ life and ministry, despite his best efforts.
He wasn’t strong enough to throw a knockout punch in heaven before the creation of the universe and he was declared the loser.
He wasn’t strong enough to throw a knockout punch in the Garden of Gethsemane or on Mount Calvary or at the Rome-guarded tomb and he was declared the loser.
And he’s not strong enough to throw a knockout punch against our faith and as long as we keep the light of Jesus beaming from our lives as we live according to His Word, Satan can never extinguish it.
Really, the boisterous nature of Satan’s threats is pathetic.
For all the darkness in a huge, indoor arena doesn’t have the power to extinguish a single candle in the middle of the building.
No matter where somebody is seated in those millions of cubic feet of airspace, that single point of light will still be seen.
Please remember the power of our light. Keep it shining.
Satan has no power to overcome our light with his darkness.
His only hope is for our light to fade because we don’t prepare for the battle and we let emotions rule.
Keep shining. Keep fighting. And Satan will keep losing.
As always, I love you
Martin
